Augmented reality startup Sayduck wants to reinvent the furniture catalog

Shopping for furniture is a painful process, and it has largely to do with the uncertainty of whether an item will fit in with the rest of the house. A Finnish startup, which is expanding to Asia through Singapore, hopes that augmented reality can solve that problem.

Sayduck’s solution involves projecting a 3D object — like a sofa — onto a mobile device’s camera view using an app. A physical marker fixes the real-world location of the object, which can be rotated by reorienting the marker.

This enables a user to walk around the 3D render, look at it from all angles or even zoom in and out, just like you would with a physical object.

By tapping on a few buttons, users can customize the color and type of furniture. Some objects, like lamps, are interactive, allowing users to switch them on and off.

Sayduck believes the technology has applications beyond the furniture industry. Car buyers could whip out their tablets and look at a life-sized car replica without needing to visit a showroom. A company’s salesforce could conduct product demos without lugging heavy items along.

And who knows? If wearable computers like Google Glass become ubiquitous, we might see digital decorative pieces hit homes in the future.

The technology can exist as a standalone app, but it can also be integrated into existing software. Sayduck charges companies a monthly fee for using their technology.

The startup sounds promising, but its greatest test lies in whether companies believe augmented reality can truly lead to better marketing returns and increased sales.

To date, it has struck several deals with clients like Adidas, high-end furniture retailer Kartell, furniture magazine Livingetc, and more. Its collaboration with Livinginc involves printing the physical marker onto the magazine itself, and readers can simply tear out the page and place it anywhere in the house.

Most of Sayduck’s activities are centered around Europe, although it is looking for partners in Asia.

Helping Sayduck to expand into the region is IncubAsia Ventures, a Singapore-based early stage investment firm. So far, much of its activities involve funding companies in Europe and assisting them with entering the Asian market. That said, the firm is open to investing in companies from Asia.