In our blog series Meet the Minds Inventing the Future of Video, we’ve been going behind the scenes to find out more about some of Ateme’s brightest minds and what they’ve been working on. In this new edition, we introduce Jan Outters, Director of Technology and Standards. He spoke with us about eXtended Reality (XR).
What is Your Role at Ateme?
As Director of Technology and Standards, I lead a two‑person team focused on emerging technologies and standardization. Our scope is broad: we conduct research, support business development, design and deliver demonstrations with partners, contribute to and lead collaborative innovation projects, and represent Ateme in industry associations, standards development organizations, and customer engagements.
What Have You Been Working on at Ateme?
My main areas of standardization are eXtended Reality (XR) and DVB‑I, with standardization forming the core of my work. I am deeply involved in DVB as both a Steering Board member and Chair of the Commercial Module, where commercial requirements for future technologies are defined. One of the key technologies currently rapidly evolving is DVB‑I, whose French proof‑of‑concept I co‑manage under the leadership of France Télévisions within the Forum Audiovisuel Numérique.
I also lead some of Ateme’s efforts in eXtended Reality, which includes heading the French government–funded CIDRE project, contributing to the recently completed AR Lounge project, and conducting trials and discussions with partners and customers on immersive video solutions.
What is eXtended Reality (XR)?
XR stands for Extended Reality. It includes augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR). Ateme has been investing significant efforts in XR as a new way to consume media, in particular in sports. Included in XR is of course immersive video, where Ateme TITAN encoders excel to completely exploit the capabilities of the latest headset like the Apple Vision Pro with a high fidelity audiovisual experience.
What Industry Challenges Does it Address?
It explores how sports organizations and media companies can bring fans closer to live events and create more engaging, immersive experiences.
What Have You Achieved in This Field at Ateme?
At the R&I department, we achieved the world’s first live end‑to‑end chain delivering an immersive, high‑fidelity experience using MV‑HEVC, as well as the first end‑to‑end chain dedicated to immersive high‑fidelity horseracing coverage. These milestones were accomplished in partnership with Focal Point VR Ltd.
We are now advancing rapidly in this domain of immersive video as part of the French government–funded CIDRE project.
In the area of XR based on 2D video, we delivered last year an ultra‑low‑latency workflow – around 2 seconds- enabling 2D multiview experiences and automated highlights detection and navigation.
We also achieved our first commercial coverage of a major sports event powered by Ateme encoders for immersive video.
What Does XR Change for Viewers?
XR opens the door to entirely new ways of consuming and interacting with media, moving far beyond traditional formats. XR enables true telepresence, allowing audiences to experience major events as if they were physically there and bridging the gap between conventional TV viewing and on‑site attendance. XR is an enabler for future web 4.0.
It also introduces new forms of interaction with content—such as choosing viewpoints, exploring angles, or arranging elements within a rich, customizable visual environment. Whether experienced at the venue or remotely, XR delivers an augmented audiovisual experience that enhances immersion and engagement.