Chicago-based InContext Solutions, partnered with Intel Corp., Santa Clara, Calif., to develop best-in-class virtual reality (VR) solutions for the retail ecosystem.

Combining Intel’s technologies with ShopperMX, InContext’s proprietary enterprise software-as-a-service (SaaS) VR platform, the companies will collaborate to develop innovative VR hardware and software for retail.

“We have long been a leader in web-based VR, but with Intel’s world-class technology expertise, we can push the boundaries of our product portfolio,” says Mark Hardy, chief executive officer of InContext Solutions. “For instance, through ShopperMX, we have helped global manufacturers create multiple new shelf layouts, validate them with real shopper data and then bring the winning concept to market with help from our ShopperMX Mobile app. With this collaboration, we will be able to design our VR platform to include new features and functionality for the latest technology coming out across all devices.”

“Intel believes virtual reality has great potential to disrupt retail and manufacturing, and InContext’s platform has demonstrated the value VR and merged reality can provide to those industries,” says Joe Jensen, vice president of the Internet of Things (IoT) group and general manager of the retail solutions division at Intel. “We’re pleased to enter this relationship to bring best-in-class VR to market.”