QderoPateo, an American-Chinese start-up, has prepared its strategy for just such an intro to the mobile world. It will pave the way with an introductory mobile app, largely to show people what articulated naturality is all about. Then it will launch its novel technology and a brand-new type of mobile device at one of the world's biggest trade fairs.

The company was founded by an American, Matt Gaines, and a Chinese, Steve Chao. It opened for business before the two partners had even met face-to-face. They got together for the first time in New York in December. They operate from dual headquarters, a US HQ in New York and a China HQ in Shanghai.

Their iPhone app, WorldLenns, is due in the Apple App Store next month to give a partial insight into their software plans. However, something more than a smartphone is needed to do full justice to the capabilities of articulated naturality (AN). QderoPateo's multi-processor, multi-camera "super-smartphone", the Ouidoo Gaia, will make its debut at the six-month-long Shanghai 2010 World Expo which opens on May 1.

The business model is based initially on pay-per-use for the Ouidoo. But beyond that, Gaines and Chao are brimming with confidence that they can finally make proximity-based marketing profitable.

They've already got beyond the major hurdle for most new businesses - they have secured financial backing and lined up heavyweight business partners.

The essence of AN

You'll battle to find a concise definition of articulated naturality. You're more likely to find various descriptions of what it does.

One summing up describes AN as "a markerless technology comprised of augmented reality, artificial intelligence and motion image recognition that derives a relationship between the real world human and the virtual being through two cameras facing the opposite direction on the mobile phone device." This description continues: "Gestures recognised by one camera can be instantly translated into a digital input in the other camera view."

AN brings completion to augmented reality (AR), according to Chao. He believes many so-called AR apps are less than they should be, such as apps that use barcodes or other markers to "tell" the phone what it is seeing. "The market has branded many things as AR that aren't," he says. "The baseline is image recognition."

What Chao calls the "articulated naturality web" combines augmented reality, artificial intelligence and motion image recognition to merge the real-world views of two or more individuals who are physically separated but connected through a centralised service provider.

The users both need smartphones with two cameras facing in opposite directions. Each user sees his or her own environment "articulated" by a virtual image of the other user or users. The system recognises gestures and motion in one user's real world and translates this into virtual motion in the other users' views.

QderoPateo has pioneered image tracking and mapping technology which is based on natural urban feature recognition. The system needs no physical tags or other special embedded elements within a physical object for the software to recognise it. Instead it uses QderoPateo's proprietary Ambient Intelligence Engine (AIE) technology to spontaneously recognise the user's environment.

Aha, another term which will be unfamiliar to many! "Ambient intelligence" (AI, but not the same as artificial intelligence) interconnects mobile with the environment we live in. It exploits the power of articulated naturality to blend digital elements with the real world.

In short, AI allows users to access virtual information in the physical space. It does so by employing computer vision and algorithms to determine the intentions of the user. Got all that?

Gaines comments: "We're moving beyond the traditional data input/data delivery process into the age of spontaneous delivery of content based on surroundings that give the user an opportunity to engage these elements. The technology gives us the ability to deliver 3D virtual objects and events - even a mixture of real and virtual characters - right in front of your eyes and enable you to interact with them, all from your mobile phone."

The dedicated Ouidoo

If AN sounds like AR, the proof that it is more comes from the fact that AN won't work on any currently available smartphones. It's too smart for them.

Chao says AN requires a significant upgrade in hardware - hence the Ouidoo Gaia ultra-clever smartphone. QderoPateo calls it a first-of-its-kind, next-generation mobile device that "quite literally puts the power and speed of a desktop PC in the palm of your hand."

The Ouidoo has the parallel processing power needed to handle 3D images, plus the requisite GPS integration as well as greatly increased battery power.

Since QderoPateo was aiming for nothing less than full image recognition, the Ouidoo will have two dual-core parallel processors paired with 2GB of RAM and an 8GB chipset. As for location awareness, the Ouidoo's integrated use of accelerometers, gyrometers and GPS is claimed to pinpoint location ten times more accurately than GPS alone.

"Top-end Droids and iPhones have a CPU with GPU for 3D processing. Ouidoo has 4 CPUs each with multiple cores on board, all dedicated to performing specific tasks and enhanced 3D rendering processes," says Chao. "It's designed to be a pervasive device, serving as a handheld PC, AN device and mobile control centre for multiple electronic devices, including those in your car."

He adds: "And yes, you can still make a phone call with it."

Backers and partners lined up

Gaines and Chao are preparing to enter their brand-new market with solid backing and support in place. They reportedly raised a Series A round of financing worth several million dollars from CWG Wireless. A Southern Chinese manufacturer is partnering to produce the Ouidoo phone, and China Mobile and an as yet unnamed US carrier are lined up to provide the AN service.

QderoPateo also has support from Menza Partners, an Austrian operational and financial advisory group focusing on media, telecommunications and technology industries. Menza is expanding its reach into emerging technologies. Articulated naturality and ambient intelligence fit the bill.

Paul Saleh, former acting CEO of Sprint/Nextel and now boss at Menza, comments: "Bringing this technology to market requires the integration of powerful 3D rendering and interactive images, coupled with unique location-based solutions, along with higher performance chipsets, more sophisticated user interface architecture and fourth-generation wireless data networks."

Creating a new commercial cult

Chao and Gaines believe their AN platform, the Ouidoo and envisioned AN apps could lead to the creation of "a cult of product and service". They have devised a number of potential commercialisation strategies to help consumers and marketers explore the technology and justify a conversion to QderoPateo AN.

They are optimistic that AN can create potential revenue streams for marketers and app developers. As examples they mention including AN marketing content that allows users to interact with and purchase from their favourite brands and retailers wherever they may be, and gaming integration that enables players to take the game experience on the go and interact with 3D game-based avatars in an urban environment.