Wonda Coffee helps Malaysians maintain safe social gap with WebAR-based guide

Wonda Coffee has introduced the first WebAR-based social distancing guide in Malaysia to help netizens keep a safe social distance. Known as the Gap-puccino, the guide can be accessed via any smartphone browser and gives a visual guide that approximates a safe social distance between individuals to ensure that they abide by the one to to metres social distancing role.

The recent Conditional Movement Control Order (CMCO) allows certain businesses to begin operations and ease the restrictions on limited public recreational activities such as jogging. However, even during the CMCO, netizens will need to adhere to social distancing norms, practice high hygiene standards and regular hand washing in order to prevent further spread of COVID-19 infections. As such, Etika and Entropia Xtended Reality were inspired to create Wonda's Gap-puccino.

Wonda’s Gap-puccino social distancing guide highlights areas around the user as either "caution" or "danger" as indicators for measuring safe distance between people. Users simply have to open the link on their smartphone browser. For best results, use while standing with the camera pointed down to the floor at an angle of approximately 45 degrees. The augmented reality engine running the web-based guide will automatically put in bold colours a safe distance that falls within the one-to-two meters rule, around the users as they move. It hopes that Gap-puccino will serve as a useful guide for those moving in high traffic areas such as shopping malls and public transportation.

SVP of marketing and alternate business Santharuban T. Sundaram said when the CMCO was announced, it understood the importance of social distancing in the days to come in combating the spread of the infection.

"This spurred the creation of WONDA’s Gap-puccino as an easy visual guide to help the masses maintain adequate distance whenever they truly need to step out of their homes. To stay ahead by reacting with relevant and purposeful marketing efforts from time to time is the core principle of the Brand, this allows the Brand continues to create a meaningful brand connection with consumer," he added.

Meanwhile, Ramakrishnan, partner at Entropia, said it is extremely proud to collaborate with Wonda and bring this simplified utility to the masses. "Technology can help in getting through these tough times and Wonda Gap-puccino is our small contribution towards that bigger goal of putting a smile on everyone’s faces and be of help too. WebAR is a fast evolving tech and it marks the evolution from App based generation to ubiquitous web based one,” he added.