SHOWin3D: an outstanding interactive 3D application, totally codeless

We are a long-standing partner of Shin Software, thanks to which we will present three innovative projects during the upcoming Milan Design Week, with the help of Augmented and Interactive Reality, to introduce the winners of the 2023 DesignWanted Award, within the concept category (see here all winners).

In this interview, we have decided to give voice to the founder of the company, Stefano Provenzano, to explain how everything began. He talks about his entrepreneurial tech journey and the creation of Shin Software, the company that developed a cloud-native platform called SHOWin3D.

What is it? Simply put, it is an interactive 3D application that allows users to replicate any product, process, or environment with photo-realistic quality and without the need for programming skills. According to Provenzano, the benefits of SHOWin3D are applicable across all industries and can be used by companies for customer engagement, training activities, and more.

He also discusses the trends and future directions of AI, metaverse, and VR/AR and how they are redefining communication and product experiences.

Let’s explore more about the project through his words!

Who is Stefano Provenzano, how did your entrepreneurial tech journey begin?

Stefano Provenzano:

“My passion for technology is something that has been with me since I was a boy, when Commodore along with Nintendo and Atari dominated the home entertainment market. For this reason, after graduating in computer science at the Polytechnic University of Milan and fascinated by the improvements in interactive 3D graphics offered by consoles, I started developing video games for Playstation.

Within a short time I sensed that the graphic detail and degree of interaction could be exploited to create applications for businesses and with this a totally new approach and vision in 2011 we founded Shin Software.”

Your company, Shin Software, created a solution called SHOWin3D. Can you explain to us more about what it is and how it works?

Stefano Provenzano:

“SHOWin3D is the outcome of our efforts and research. We wanted to create a cloud-native platform that could replicate any product, process or environment with photo realistic quality and without the need for programming skills, totally codeless. SHOWin3D’s powerful visual editor allows the user to create interactive 3D applications in a few simple steps:

1. Importing the cad file
2. Assigning materials
3. Creating interactions
4. Deploying the application

Thanks to our powerful fully data-driven rules engine, it is possible (even at a second time) to implement what has been previously created to go from a simple product viewer to a proper interactive digital catalog of the entire collection.”

Which industries are targeted by SHOWin3D, and what are the benefits for companies that adopt it?

Stefano Provenzano:

“The benefits of this technology are across all industries. Whether we are talking about watches, clothes, ships or sofas, the process of digitization and virtualization makes it possible to simultaneously contact multiple audiences located on all continents, offering them the opportunity to directly experience products and services without language constraints and logistical charges.

The type of contact I am talking about does not necessarily have to be meant as the relationship between a company and its customers, it can affect other spheres of interaction such as, for example, training activities for staff about operation and maintenance processes.”

The platform also presents itself as a working tool for designers. What advantages would they gain from it? How does it work in this case?

Stefano Provenzano:

“When we shift from the physical to the virtual, we can easily deal with 3D models of products that actually do not yet exist. This peculiarity is of special relevance to all those professionals who are involved in design phase.

Imagine to sketch the lines of a product and explore this item at full size with photorealistic rendering in AR (Augmented Reality) using a simple tablet. In effect, SHOWin3D provides a wonderful tool for prototype validation and design review by relieving the need to create physical mockups.”

[ Read also From sketches to products – Interview with Begüm Tomruk of LIXIL Global Design ]

The tech world offers a wide range of interactive 3D software tools and services. What sets SHOWin3D apart from the rest and why?

Stefano Provenzano:

“Interactive 3D technology is not a discovery of the past few years and this is there reason why there are many companies operating in our same market, especially following the recent hype regarding themes that have become extremely relevant such as the metaverse or the Digital Twin.

Despite this, I am sure that I am not committing the sin of presumption when I state that, having analyzed the competition, SHOWin3D is the most advanced platform in the market today for the creation of interactive 3D content. In fact, no other solution can handle more than 46 billion possible configurations in real time with photorealistic material quality and seamless integration with third-party systems.”

Artificial intelligence, metaverse, VR/AR are significantly redefining both the way of communication and experiences related to products. What do you believe are the main trends and future directions in this regard?

Stefano Provenzano:

“It is difficult to predict what the Mainstream Trends for communication will be in the near future. If we look back just ten years, we can see how much the devices we use on a daily basis have evolved in completely unexpected ways.

More than likely the technology that will first reach critical mass status will be able to define a new concept of standards and transform the communication methods in use today into obsolete ones. That said, I am confident of a new Renaissance in which these extraordinary tools can contribute to the progress of civilization.”

What is the next step for Shin Software?

Stefano Provenzano:

“It is said that a thousand miles journey begins with a single step. For us, the time for running has come. Long life and prosperity.”