Idezo

An innovation lab in Zurich, Idezo combines interaction design, engineering and storytelling to build technology for problems where off-the-shelf products fall short. The company says it works with mid-sized companies of roughly 50 to 500 people, which sit between packaged software and the large enterprise platforms. It has operated since 2015 and describes its approach as Swiss precision applied to fresh ideas.

Five disciplines brought together in one lab

Machine learning and the data behind products

Machine learning, big data and artificial intelligence are increasingly built into products, from cars to web applications. Idezo advises on business model development and on data science pipelines, and it designs products that use machine learning. The company says it also works on computer vision and intelligent automation intended for production use rather than demonstration.

Hardware that goes from prototype to production

Hardware development covers modelling the user experience and architecture of a device, then prototyping it before serial manufacture. Idezo works on connected devices, sensor networks and smart infrastructure, and it handles printed circuit board design and embedded systems alongside product work that is ready for a factory line.

Virtual and augmented reality work

The lab builds immersive experiences in virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality, from 360 degree video to spatial computing and training applications. Earlier projects included a 360 degree film made for a steel industry event in Basel, which combined 360 imaging with virtual reality animation.

Wearable sensors and drone control

One recent client project paired a wearable fibre sensor with a drone. Gestures were read from strain on the skin and mapped to flight commands, using a conductive composite developed at a Swiss research institute. The work shows how the lab moves from a concept to a working hardware demonstration.

Products the lab has spun out

The lab was set up so that learning, services, technology and product creation sit together. Projects that prove commercially viable can be incubated and spun out as separate companies. One example is an out-of-home audience analytics system built on a low-power camera network with on-device face detection and demographic analysis, which reached the final of the IoT/M2M Innovation World Cup.

Recognition and public support

The company has received a prototype grant from Pro Helvetia, the Swiss Arts Council, for an interactive media project. It says its staff speak at conferences, mentor hackathons and help run startup events in Zurich, which it sees as part of continuous learning and of building partnerships with other companies.