If you’ve been following VRFocus’ previous coverage of CES 2020 then you’ll know that hands and more specifically gloves had a definite presence during this year’s show. Teslasuit announced its new force-feedback glove and HaptX was there to demonstrate its microfluidic technology. Another was Bebop Sensors, showcasing its latest Forte Date Glove, which had built-in haptics and Oculus Quest compatibility. Continuing with VRFocus’ interview series, Head of Business Development CJ Wheelock was on hand to discuss the latest product.
Bebop Sensors has attended CES for several years now with VRFocus last testing the Forte Data Glove back in 2018. Back then the glove was more about demonstrating its bend sensor technology rather making a commercial product. In fact, at the time the company said it had no plans of going into full production.
Two years later and things had certainly changed. Not so much in the fundamentals of the Forte Data Glove but the fact that the device is now a viable product which companies can purchase, marketed towards training, simulation and other use cases.
When it comes to the Forte Data Gloves features each device is wireless with bend sensors on each finger and thumb, as well as haptic actuators to create tactile sensory feedback which can be adjusted depending on the developer’s requirements. The gloves themselves can’t be tracked in 3D space so they do require an additional sensor like an HTC Vive Tracker for full 6 degrees of freedom motion. Hence its latest update adding Oculus Quest compatibility.
As is plainly obvious from the images, Oculus Quest compatibility uses the headsets’ controllers mounted to the back of each hand for tracking purposes, great for those users who want a portable training solution with haptic feedback. The gloves also support Oculus Rift S, Windows Mixed Reality, HTC Vive Cosmos, HTC Vive Pro, HTC Focus Plus, and Varjo.
A new year brings with it a time of reflection and hope for what the next 12 months could bring. Maybe you’re fed up in your current role or simply don’t find it challenging. In which case, a refreshing start is in order and what better industry to work in than this one, building virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) software and hardware of the future.
Don’t forget, if there wasn’t anything that took your fancy this week there’s always last week’s listings on The VR Job Hubto check as well.
If you are an employer looking for someone to fill an immersive technology related role – regardless of the industry – don’t forget you can send us the lowdown on the position and we’ll be sure to feature it in that following week’s feature. Details should be sent to Peter Graham (pgraham@vrfocus.com).
We’ll see you next week on VRFocus at the usual time of 3PM (UK) for another selection of jobs from around the world.
BeBop Sensors has been demonstrating its latest Forte Data Glove iteration at technology show CES for the past several years and next week’s event is no different. What has changed is the addition of greater hardware support including Oculus Quest and glove features, with haptics now available.
The company actually revealed the addition of Oculus Quest a couple of months back but CES 2020 will be used to officially announced the haptic feedback Forte Data Glove version. Alongside the Oculus Quest, BeBop Sensors has confirmed that Oculus Rift S, Windows Mixed Reality, HTC Vive Cosmos, HTC Vive Pro, HTC Focus Plus, and Varjo are all supported, as well as Oculus Link.
While all that headset support may sound consumer-friendly, like most gloves designed for virtual reality (VR) use the Forte Data Glove is still enterprise-focused. Namely towards training and maintenance applications. That doesn’t mean to say it can’t be used for gaming purposes, ideal for location-based entertainment (LBE) purposes.
Designed to be a one size fits all glove, the haptic feedback – which VRFocusfirst encountered back in 2018 – comes from 6 haptic actuators located on 4 fingertips, the thumb, and the palm. This helps users feel actions from hitting buttons, turning knobs and opening doors to simple things like texture feedback. Up to 16 unique haptic sound files can be resident on the glove with new files uploaded over Bluetooth or USB when available.
Available to purchase now – although no price is given on the website, you need to submit a request form – the gloves also feature a 9-degree IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit) providing low drift and a pre-blended accelerometer and gyro sensor. BeBop Sensors claims the Forte Data Glove has a sub-6 millisecond response time and all-day battery life. To make sure the gloves are suitable for multiple users they are cleanable and breathable with waterproof sensors.
How well they work now since VRFocus’ last time using the Forte Data Glove remains to be seen, so we’ll be at CES 2020 to test the new version out. There will be some competition as Teslasuit will be demoing its latest device. VRFocuswill continue its coverage of BeBop Sensors, reporting back with the latest updates.
BeBop Sensors have become known as one of the leading companies working in the area of smart fabric sensors, such as with the Forte Data Glove, a device which provides a more intuitive and immersive way to control virtual reality (VR) experiences. The company has now announced it has closed a successful Series A funding round.
BeBop Sensors has received a $10 million (USD) funding injection in a funding round led by Bullpen Capital. The new funds will be used to accelerate product development and improve its market reach.
The Forte Glove was being demonstrated at CES 2018, where a prototype of the device was there to showcase the flexible bend sensors in the data glove, as well as haptics that provide sensory feedback.
“We believe BeBop to have fundamental technology that will be as important to AI and humans as cameras and microphones. Computers need to feel people, and fabric is already deployed in clothing, furniture and interiors. People are comfortable with it. The perfect place for physical sensors,” said Eric Wiesen, Managing Partner, Bullpen Capital.
“We see the market for sensors in wearables including gloves for VR, automotive and gaming applications to grow rapidly, reaching $5B by 2027,” said Raghu Das, CEO of IDTechEx, independent market research firm for emerging technologies. “This market is also transitioning from rigid sensors such as FSRs to fabric-like, flexible, stretchable sensors. BeBop Sensors is uniquely positioned to take advantage of this transition and rapid growth in the market.”
“Flexible fabric sensors have emerged as one of the most sought-after sensors in markets that affect consumers every day, including automotive, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), wearables, health, sports, and remote sensing,” said Keith McMillen, Founder & CEO, BeBop Sensors in Sensors Magazine. “I am pleased to have Bullpen Capital with proven tech vision backing BeBop. When you are first in on a major tech innovation, it takes partners that can share that vision to succeed,” concluded McMillen.
Further news on developments regarding haptic data gloves for VR and AR will be reported here on VRFocus.
CES 2018 is the most exciting showcase of innovative technology every year. With over 170,000 attendees and over 3,900 exhibitors, there has to be some virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) here, right? Today, VRFocus is doing a Post CES #XR event Review at the Realities Centre in London, UK bringing some of the companies together for those that couldn’t attend the main event. However if you aren’t attending the Post CES event, VRFocus has put a little recap together. From head-mounted displays (HMDs), VR platforms, VR content, 360 cameras, AR, audio, and MR to accessories to accompany new immersive technologies, you’ll find a sizable list in the run down below.
Big Announcements at Press Conferences
The HTC Vive Pro was the most exciting pre-CES announcement from HTC Vive.
Before CES even started VRFocus attended the Nvidia press event, where the company showcased its latest technology in autonomous cars. The biggest trend by far at this year’s CES, was how both VR and AR are being used to help ensure the safety of future cars, but also testing autonomous cars in environments that otherwise could not be controlled. Nvidia announced AutoSim, a VR simulator for self-driving cars as well as Drive AR, software that gives drivers information about what is around the car. All this information will be featured on the windscreen or dashboard screen. Think Google Maps on your heads-up-display (HUD).
It was HTC Vive that really stole the show that day after its initial Twitter tease of a HMD with new resolution, announcing the new HTC Vive Pro and Wireless adapter. The promise of no screen door effect and going untethered? It was a big day for VR lovers around the world. To add a cherry on top, the HTC Vive Pro will feature two microphones for noise cancellation capabilities and it’ll work with both 1.0 and 2.0 base stations.
Not exactly room-scale virtual reality, but a quick and easy access to transport users into a digital re-created world.
With the announcement of the HTC Vive Pro, Dell revealed at its press conference a partnership with HTC Vive to make it easier for consumers to get a full VR package with their desktop by allowing customers to purchase both the VR-Ready Dell Inspiron Gaming Desktop and an HTC Vive.
With no new Oculus Rift being teased or showcased, VRFocus managed to catch up with Kopin, showcasing the Elf VR headset. With a pixel density of 2,940 PPI, dual 2K resolution, 120 Hz for each eye, and a promise of smaller, lighter size and no screen door effect, Kopin is making ambitious promises for VR applications in the future. The Elf VR HMD is not yet available for consumers, but Kopin has said to keep an ear out for news just before the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) 2018.
Pico Interactive showcased its standalone headsets Pico Goblin and Pico Neo CV. Both headsets will be compatible with the Vive Wave platform, giving Pico customers access to 400 titles from the Vive owned store. A taster perhaps of what other standalone headsets might be such as Oculus Go and Vive Focus. The Pico Goblin is retailing for $269 USD and the Pico Neo CV can be pre-ordered for $749 on Pico’s website.
Lenovo also demonstrated its standalone device, Lenovo Mirage Solo. The headset utilises the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, has 4GB RAM, with 110-degree field-of-view (FoV). The headset also uses Google’s WorldSense technology for inside-out tracking and comes with a wireless Daydream controller. The HMD is set to be released in Q2 this year.
Zeiss VR One Connect is now also compatible with Steam VR. Supporting both iOS and Android, the Zeiss VR One will need two wireless three degrees of freedom (3DoF) controllers that are linked via Bluetooth to enjoy full VR. The Zeiss VR One Connect is set to be available at major US retailers in the spring of 2018 at $129. No details on an international launch date are currently available.
Then there was Timescope’s terminal, which wasn’t what one would call “true VR”, in the sense that it’s not room-scale, you are not able to teleport or physically pick up objects with controllers – but still a form of new VR for public spaces. From the age of seven, members of the public are able to use the Timescope terminal to then see into the past or future of certain locations. All 3D content is as historical accurate as possible, with historians and engineers that have worked hard on making the terminals suitable for everybody – including people wearing glasses.
VR Platforms, VRContent, Training and Social VR
It might become easier to start a platform when making numerous amounts of VR content, and trying to find a solution to distribute the content to their clients and audience. This seems to be exactly the case for Jaunt, Ikonospace Art and Serious Factory.
Jaunt has created the Jaunt XR platform, which gives clients an easy way to distribute large amounts of VR content. With a media manager, player engine and intelligence suite to track information of how users interact with 360 content – its biggest benefit is that it allows all 360, VR films to be distributed across various VR HMDs.
Ikonospace is a small Dutch start-up company that use VR to create virtual art exhibitions. The platform would enable any artist around the world to build, create, digitise and finally curate their own art exhibition. CEO and Co-Founder Joris Demnard, personally comes from a family that specialise in curating and putting together art exhibitions. With simple design tools, one can create a building, decorate the interior and then place their art in it.
Serious Factory have a special toolkit that enables users to create social scenarios. Think of it as directing a social space where you can control the characters interactions, facial expressions, reactions and create the perfect social training scenarios. The platform allows for full customisation of characters from ethnicity, outfit, and interactions to the 3D environment where the interactions would take place. The final scene also has a point system, which would allow recruiters to see in which category users failed in or excelled in.
Fibrum is the largest Russian developer for VR games and applications, having dipped its toes into e-sports as well as creating the Fibrum Pro HMD. Fibrum now focuses on a platform called Desirium, a mobile VR app and platform that’s similar to Jaunt’s app, where the company can host 360-degree and VR content. You can download the app on Google Play, App Store, Google Daydream or Samsung Gear VR for a free trial period now.
Make your dreary gym workout plan fun with VR, gaming and highscores.
VRFocus got into the grind of CES with Black Box VR, a new concept that combines gaming with gym workouts. Instead of getting bored at the gym, trying to make your exercise routine more interesting by listening to your ‘Gym Workout Session 1’ playlist on Spotify or attempting to enjoy the visual images on the TV screen, you’ll soon be able to dive into a HTC Vive headset (accompanied with special trackers on each arm) and carry out various work outs through Black Box VR. Several Black Box VR gyms will be opening on the West coast of the United States, to make your average gym workout more interesting.
Anybody who’s been trying to use VR for exercise will have heard of Sprint Vector, Survios’ action-packed multiplayer VR title. Survios announced several Sprint Vector tournaments and that it would be coming to various VR arcades soon, which can also be experienced in California.
Serious VR takes things very serious indeed, specialising in VR training and performance data focusing on industrial companies such as defence, metal and automotive sectors. The plan is to change manuals and e-learning into an information schedule to implement VR for training processes. The benefits of immersion that VR offers seem be very cost-effective and more efficient than conventional training for industrial companies at the moment.
French company Light and Shadows use both VR and AR to provide solutions to major industrial enterprises, having created various devices and training applications for companies that are looking for ways to train or operate in VR. With a background in 3D environments, they showcased a training simulation that combined leap motion with the HTC Vive. Using just your hands, VRFocus managed to pick up mechanical and industrial pieces in a factory.
vTime gets an audio boost with DTS custom audio technology.
All in all, VR companies exhibiting at CES showcased various platforms that wanted to be cross-platform friendly and were looking to have users create and generate their own content in order to boost their platform. For the most part, it seems like these platforms are oriented at large industrial companies looking to train staff or employees, whether it be in factories or in social situations. With it comes a lot of responsibility to create easy-to-use toolkits, quick production work flows as well as the tools to create the best immersion. For the most part, it has been HTC Vive that’s been the winner when looking at how companies are using the HMD to help introduce VR to the masses.
360 Cameras
Kodak’s three lense camera shoots 8K and will have a waterproof case to film underwater in.
There were only two cameras that really showcased what 360 VR could offer in the future. Besides Sony and Zeiss’s previously mentioned, it was Chinese company Pisoftech and Kodak that offered 8K capabilities. Lenovo also dips into VR, but uses 180 degrees instead.
Pisoftech has a background in mass surveillance and data. They decided to venture into the realm of hardware when they saw that the products their clients were making could be more efficient if they made it. The Pilot Era camera can shoot 8K and has the capability to stitch internally. In other words, no need for an external device or software to stitch for you anymore. It’s quite big as well, 61mm x 61 mm x 159mm and weighs around 565g, however it may be worth it if you don’t want the hassle of stitching your images and if you want 180 minutes of battery life. 8K comes at a huge price though, its estimated price is at £3,000 GBP, not exactly affordable for the average consumer. The product is expected to be available on Amazon in April 2018.
What Pisoftech offer in 8K internal stitching, Kodak makes up for in size. Showcasing two brand new cameras that as of yet have no name, Kodak is also dedicated to creating 8K VR footage but in stereoscopic 3D VR. The first to be shown is the three-lens 8K PixPro 360 camera that is able to film at 30 frames per second (FPS) or 4K at 60FPS, potentially even at 120FPS. A waterproof version is said to be released around the same time to enable underwater filming. Half the size of the Pilot Era camera, this camera does not offer internal stitching but is very small and could potentially last a long time if combined with external batteries.
The second camera shoots 4K 30 FPS and can fold out and do 3D stereoscopic 180 images. It was designed specifically to please the push YouTube and Google are making into 3D on their platforms. You can also tether the cameras together and make a full 360 3D unit, if you were to have three of them. When speaking to Kevin Kunze, he mentioned that the three-lens 8K camera would be $1,000-$2,000 cheaper than other 8K cameras on the market and both cameras would hopefully be coming out in Q4 this year.
Lenovo hasn’t exactly created a 360-degree camera but instead opted for the Lenovo Mirage Camera. The device enables users to capture VR video in broad 180-degrees from its two front facing lenses, which can then be viewed on the Lenovo Mirage Solo HMD (mentioned in the HMD section).
It really depends on what you’re looking for when it comes to cameras, 8K, size, weight, price or the effort of stitching. It’s interesting to note that both Lenovo and Kodak have created VR 180 degree cameras due to the push that Google have made for this content on the YouTube platform. Lenovo’s Mirage Camera for example natively integrates VR 180 images and videos onto both YouTube and Google photos.
Augmented Reality
AR was a big buzz word when it came to autonomous cars. Nvidia showcased this with their Drive AR, but it was WayRay that really got people on the show floor queuing up to have a try.
WayRay, is a Swiss developer of holographic AR navigation system for connected cars. They showcased NAVION, the world’s first ever holographic AR navigator, and the advanced version of the AR Infotainment System for cars. Placed on a dashboard, NAVION shows directions, trip details and display real-time indicators for things like pedestrians, POIs or alerting to hazards exactly where the driver needs them to be — on the road ahead — with no headgear or eye wear required. NAVION works hands-free and responds to the simple voice commands or to unique hand gestures.
Hololampon the other hand depends on interactions with your hands. Tracking individual faces, it’s able to change and alter the perspective of holograms to appear 3D. This can include anything, from food to architectural buildings. The holograms can be interacted with as well, so you can choose to change the colour of a room for example by tapping on the hologram.
AstroReality takes 3D printed objects and then uses their AR app AstroReality to help inform users about planets. AstroReality showcased how this was done by using 3D printed planets such as Mars, Earth and the Moon for example at CES. They hinted at working on other 3D printed objects and AR for other uses cases such as Dinosaurs, Rocks and other things. They’ve been very popular with astrologists, space-enthusiasts and classrooms.
uSens has not only partnered with Pico interactive on hand-tracking for mobile VR, but has managed to find a way to bring AR to almost all Android phones with the uSensAR app. uSens also announced a partnership with Chinese technology firm Spreadtrum, and uSensAR will be bringing AR camera effects to the Spreadtrum SC9853 chipset platform which will be in “hundreds of millions” of smartphones in 2018.
AiFishowcased the Wonderlens app which remarkably manages to capture individuals from their phones or tablets to anywhere they want without the need for green screen. This is all done in real-time as well, so no need for Chroma keying or masking – it’s all done on your phone or tablet. For those who aren’t filmmakers – this is remarkable and ground breaking technology at the tips of your consumer fingers and should definitely be tried (it can be argued that Wonderlens is actually MR). AiFi also showcased Holo Messenger turning you into a hologram which then gets projected in a personal video message to friends and family. Founded by former Google and Apple engineers, AiFi is currently working on the advanced checkout-free shopping experiences in the US. Apparently they’re doing Amazon Go, but on a much larger scale in US retail stores.
XXII is a French company that has taken the profits made in VR and AR and have gone into Artificial Intelligence (A.I.). Its created various escape room VR experiences and have now gone into smart retail, where the system uses sensors to analyse customers. They use AR to show and explain how their smart retail AI can be used. Similar, but smaller in size to AiFi it looks like the combination of immersive technologies and A.I. are proving to be a great combination for selling products.
The feedback VRFocus was getting from exhibitors was that AR was the first step to bring VR into the mass market. AR was an easier and less drastic way of introducing the technology to consumers. The buzz around autonomous cars and AR definitely looks like a new exciting possibility for future entertainment – right there on your dashboard. Stepping into an autonomous car in the future, will possibly be like stepping into a theatre. The combining of AI with both VR and AR can be very interesting, but is just at the start. Booth AiFi and XXII are blurring the lines and we could potentially see various interesting outcomes from both companies if they were to apply it in new and exciting ways.
Audio
Can you imagine being in a busy and loud room where only you hear the sound and voices?
Audio is equal, if not more important when it comes to feeling immersed. You can hear a mistake a lot quicker than seeing a mistake. If audio doesn’t quite work the way it does in real life, it breaks the immersion for many people. Besides vTime’s partnership with DTS, Dirac and Noveto aim to help create more immersive environments for both VR and AR.
Some tech needs to be experienced first hand, VR is certainly one while Noveto’s audio tech is another. The company showcased what it called ‘virtual headphones’, named Sowlo, projecting sound into your ear like a pair of headphones. The system tracks the users’ ears as well, so even if you turn your head a certain degree, the sound and volume would stay the same. Noveto demonstrated this for a conference call and interior of car use cases, explaining that the days of ‘headphones’ would soon be over. The system works with no need for any accessories on the user at all, no headphones, cables or added accessories. It just needed you and your ears.
Swedish company Dirac launched Dirac VR last year, a 3D audio platform for VR. This year at CES Dirac showcased the next iteration of the Dirac VR platform. The audio rendering of a virtual environment showcase how the location and volume level of the audio adjusts as the head rotates with a VR headset. In other words, if you move your head, sounds bounce off the walls the same way they would if you were doing this in real life.
Noveto’s Sowlo has the potential to not only change the way users interact with audio for VR, but also for everyday use cases. It has the potential to really enable social VR and really alter the way we can experience audio as a whole. Dirac’s experience in audio means that the re-creation of environments will create more immersive and realistic sound environments. Both look very promising to enhance VR worlds through means of audio.
Mixed Reality
Being hands-free would enable health care providers to work more efficiently.
There was not too much MR that VRFocus saw on the show floor at CES. Luckily the company that did showcase MR are doing something that could revolutionise the future of public health care. Making it more efficient, quicker and potentially lifesaving.
Exelus, a French telemedicine solution company has created a comprehensible mobile diagnostic platform using Microsoft’s Hololens. Partnering with Holoforge, they’ve created Nomadeec. It’s focused on delivering and providing the most accurate information as efficiently and quickly as possible between healthcare providers. Designed for nursing homes and out-of-hospital care facilities, it would allow nurses, care assistants, night watchmen and doctors to communicate with one another. Nomadeec is currently being used in France and could be a glimpse of what future healthcare methods healthcare providers will be using in future.
The last part of this recap is dedicated to accessories that are made to enhance your VR experience or can be used by developers to help develop and create new VR content.
When it comes to untethered VR, or VR without wires and cables that attach you to a laptop or desktop, HTC Vive users can rejoice at the announcement of the HTC Vive Wireless Adapter. However TPCast are also providing another option. The TPCast 2.0, which according to TPCast will utilise the latest generation of ultra-low latency codecs and upgraded real-time data control protocol. This will allow the company to deliver high quality video with low latency and real-time transmission at a range of distances. TPCast’s General Manager for Americas Udi Yuhjtman confirms that regardless of which HTC Vive HMD you’re using (Vive or Vive Pro), you’re able to use the TPCast 2.0 for both.
Feeling and Touching in VR: Gloves and Haptic Feedback
French company Go Touch VR uses haptic feedback to create the illusion of touch, except you don’t need to wear a glove. So no matter what size your hands or fingers are, you will be able to feel haptic feedback. It’s probably important to note, that long fingernails do not work with the system. By wearing small devices at the user’s fingertips, the units provide pressure on the fingers, allowing for multiple haptic feedback sensations. The VRTouch Developer Kit began selling in October 2017 and has since sold to several companies that include BMW.
Dutch start-up company Sense Glove is also seeking to find a solution for haptic feedback. However instead of putting items on your fingers, you need to put on what looks like a very complicated exoskeleton of a glove. It not only provides haptic feedback though, but force feedback as well. This was demonstrated at CES by having users trying to crack an egg and various other circular objects. The idea is to help the user feel the shape and density of virtual objects.
BeBop Sensors showcased their newly announced BeBop Sensors Marcel Modular Data Gloves that allow for either 6 or 9 degrees of freedom with a sensor sub-frame latency at 120 Hz. The data glove uses smart fabrics, with sensors tracking force, location, size, weight, bend and twist.
TreeTech is a Dutch company that realised that PC gamers were moving to the couch with VR and Steam Link box. So they created the PO!NT Controller, a modular game controller that brings the keyboard and mouse shortcuts to a controller. TreeTech also create custom module controls, and can be approached by developer for custom experiences. They will start producing the PO!NT controller in Q3, and on the market in Q4 retailing at $149.
Jamzone is a Dutch company that’s created a videogame to help train users to learn and cope with stress. Stressjamuses a special waistband that measures heart rate variability to read your body’s state of mind. So in other words it knows when you are calm or stressed. Stressjam then takes you on a guided journey where you can only complete certain tasks by making yourself calm or stressed. Jamzone want to use it for B2B purposes and want large companies to use it to help prevent stress, burnout and depression in their employees by training them to control their stress levels in VR.
VRFocusstumbled upon the Yaw VR Motion Simulator which makes VR more like a Cinema 4D experience. The Yaw VR offers full 360 degrees swivel, tilts, shakes, spins and motions that make you feel like you’re in real life. You can pre-order the Yaw VR and it is compatible with the Gear VR, Oculus Rift and HTC Vive for £629 if you get an Early Bird version.
On a special note, Pico Zense, AiFi and various other companies seem to be working on depth sensing technology at CES. The ability for VR or AR headsets to recognise the location around them could change and alter the way we interact with digital objects as well as pave the way forward for mixed reality content. All in all, it’s clear that there are numerous exhibitors who are looking for new solutions to solve problems in the fields of VR and AR.
Conclusion
CES 2018 showcased untethered VR without the need to link to a PC or laptop, trying both the HTC Vive Wireless Adapter and TPCast 2.0 was very strange in the sense that the usual ‘safety net’ or umbilical cord that kept you grounded to the sense of existing reality was gone. However with Oculus’s Santa Cruz and HTC Vive’s Wireless Adapter coming to the market – TPCast may struggle to stay relevant by the end of the year. The most common trend amongst HMD manufacturers such as Kopin or Zeiss One and VR content producers such as Jaunt, Fibrum, Ikonospace or vTime was that they wanted to be cross-platform and enable user generated content. This means that users need access or full customisation to what they’re creating in VR, but also make VR a much more accessible platform. It was very refreshing to see Timescope take VR outdoors and to public places where numerous tourists, and anybody from the age of seven is able to experience a location in a new way. It just goes to show that no matter which HMD you have, it’s all about content.
With regards to 360-degree cameras the trend is looking to get higher quality resolution and bumping up the cameras to 8K. It’s then just a matter of size, prize, weight and intent. There’s a definite trend towards using 3D 180 degree cameras for YouTube and Google’s sake, as is seen in Lenovo Mirage Camera – although not many except the Lenovo Mirage Solo seem to be discussing being a platform for the 3D 180 degree video or image content that would be created with the cameras. The foldable Kodak camera seems to try and combine both stereoscopic 180-degree 3D as well as full 360-degree filming – but at what cost? Stitching is still a massive problem when it comes to creating 360 content, but is paying $3,000 worth the price for not having to stitch?
When it comes to AR, the autonomous cars were the winners. AR on the dashboard or windscreen were two of the biggest hypes at CES when Nvidia and WayRay discussed them. Not only would information become easier, but it seemed like a natural progression having all this information accessible. Within five years, it will be expected that every new vehicle should have AR integrated in it. This means that in some sense AR will have reached the general consumer population to a certain degree. uSens as well as AiFi do deserve a special mention. uSens not only showcase impressive finger tracking, but uSens AR would also bring AR to cheaper android phones – especially in China opens up the AR market to various new types of content, users and market. No longer will AR be something only iPhone users can afford, but something that is for everybody. AiFi is one to watch with regards to how they are using A.I. with AR and VR. Though Wonderlens and Holo Messenger seem like small quirky apps, the technology behind it really showcase the intelligent sensors and software created by AiFi that enable them to go into the mass smart retail market.
When it comes to audio, it’s clear that vTime is trying to address immersion through realistic audio. It’s great to see a company such as Dirac who have built custom made audio for various locations and applications intently try and create a realistic audio as possible for VR. It was however Noveto that really blew VRFocusout of the water. Not only could this revolutionise the way users interact with audio as a whole, but it would also enable various users to go into a public space without the need to wear headphones on their VR headsets to enjoy an experience. No unnecessary wires, hygiene problems or headphones that aren’t suited to your specific ear shape.
There was only one real contender that truly showcased a working platform and model that is revolutionising the healthcare industry, and that is Nomadeec. A small thing such as enabling hands-free care whilst giving real time data back to the hospital as well as being able to call a doctor regarding the patient can be life changing and perhaps even life saving for patients that need immediate care. Though Nomadeec would be implemented in large business such as care homes or out of-hospital care facilities, it’s clear to see the potential of it as Nomadeec roles out. Hopefully Nomadeec will be brought to more countries and have a quick as well as immediate positive impact on patients in need. The only barrier to entry then becomes the price as well as training of staff the use the expensive Microsoft Hololens.
And last but not least, accessories. Now it’s hard to say which glove or accessory was the best at CES. When we reached BeBop Sensors it was nice to see something that felt complete, I personally was unable to use Go Touch VR because I have long fingernails and my colleague Peter demoed the Sense Glove. However after much discussion VRFocusconcluded that when it comes to being prepared for consumers, BeBop Sensors was the closest to being ready. Go Touch VR and Sense Glove both felt like early prototypes which needed several iterations whilst BeBop Sensors was almost there, had haptics on the fingers, was small and worked for both myself and Peter who have very different hand sizes.
A personal favourite of mine was Stressjam. This was probably because of how drastic and immediate of a change was asked from me whilst at CES in my state of mind. When I came out of Stressjam, it had a similar effect to how I felt when I used Noveto’s Sowlo system. Personally, I also believe that being able to control stress is a very healthy and useful ability for a population that suffers a lot from stress, depression and other illnesses as a result of that. It would be great to see VR implemented in a healthy and fun way that is not only associated with shooting zombies, scary horror VR videogames or training simulations.
Finally one thing that was most prominent from the whole show, was the continuous showcasing of VR experiences by using HTC Vive. Almost every single experience used the headset, from Black Box VR to training simulations that combined it with magic leap. Another thing that was noticeable was the incredible number of Asian or Chinese people at CES. It’s very clear that China is a huge market to be tapped, and it will be interesting to see more Chinese VR and AR tech coming out of the continent as well as seeing how HTC Vive will fare in the Eastern market.
If there’s one accessory VRFocus would love to see properly working and available on the consumer market it’s a data glove for virtual reality (VR). The idea has existed in various forms over the years, with enterprise models available but nothing available to buy for the average Joe. It’s a device that’s a secondary symbol of what VR is about – after the headset – having appeared in numerous films as the defacto interface for interacting with virtual worlds. At every tech event there’s usually some sort of glove available – remember the CaptoGlove, ManusVR or the rather chunky VRgluv – and CES 2018 was no different, with BeBop Sensors showcasing the Forte Wireless Data Glove.
Bebop Sensors isn’t in the habit of making hardware of this ilk, as the name implies the company specialises in making sensors and more importantly, bend sensors like the ones found in the glove. What Bebop Sensors has done is create a prototype glove that showcases its bend sensors as without it the sensors just look a bit rubbish and can’t actually do much.
Fitted into the glove and bam, there’s some interactive life to be hand. Putting the glove on takes seconds, a strap goes around the wrist and each finger has a nice little pocket to go in. From the images the glove may not look that amazing – it is a prototype after all – but it doesn’t have to, all it needs to do is work, and that it does very well. Those little pockets for your fingers to go in aren’t just there to keep them warm and snug, they have haptics built-in to provide sensory feedback.
The first part of the demo involves strumming a guitar, showcasing the bend sensors flexibility and accuracy, with each finger being tracked to a very precise degree. Thus allowing VRFocus to create a less than tuneful noise. Then on-screen there was a brick wall which could be scratched with the finger tips, giving a rough sensation from the haptics. Lastly Bebop Sensors wisely assumed that most people wearing a VR glove will want to shoot something so a gun appeared on screen to fire off a few rounds. Even in a busy, wireless hostile environment like CES the gloves performed admirably, with the trigger finger action looking almost one-to-one – Bebop claims a 6ms response time.
Also on show but slightly off topic, there was a couple of touch pads on display – one table-based one floor-based – which had some more sensors built-in. These sensors could detect weight and pressure, so as you’ll see in the video below, when stepped on the software would detect the exact point with the most pressure.
In fact, Bebop Sensors demo of its Forte Wireless Data Glove was that good it’s a shame to know it’ll never come to market. With a battery life that lasts for days, it would’ve been great to test the gloves on a title that’s more interactive – Robo Recall would be top of the list – however it wasn’t meant to be. The company will be working with glove manufacturers to implement its bend sensors into their products, so one day you might be able to shoot some zombies using its tech, just not yet.
Die CES 2018 wirft ihre Schatten voraus: Seit der ersten Welle der Virtuellen Realität stehen VR-Handschuhe ganz oben auf der Wunschliste. Man erinnere sich nur an den Nintendo Power Glove. Mehrere Unternehmen und Forschungseinrichtungen arbeiten an Lösungen, um exakte Fingerbewegungen in die VR zu bringen und damit die Möglichkeiten der Interaktion zu erweitern. Auf der CES 2018 in Las Vegas stellt BeBop Sensors seinen Forte Data Glove vor, der auch mit einem günstigen Preis überzeugen will.
Forte Wireless Data Glove: Fingerspiele in VR
In Las Vegas auf der Consumer Electronics Show 2018 wird BeBop Sensors seinen Handschuh für die virtuelle Realität vorstellen: Der Forte Data Glove trackt nicht nur einzelne Finger und die Fingerspitzen, sondern sendet auch eine taktile Rückmeldung. Die Sensoren erreichen eine Datenrate von 500 Hz mit 150 FPS. Insgesamt sechs Aktoren sorgen für Feedback in Fingern und Handfläche, zehn Sensoren über jedem Fingerknöchel tracken die Bewegung. Für das Feedback benutzt der Handschuh Sound-Dateien, von denen der Handschuh bis zu 64 speichern kann. Entwickler können das Feedback über die Standard-Midi-API ansprechen. Weitere Sounddateien lassen sich via Bluetooth oder Micro USB hochladen. Die Akkulaufzeit soll bis zu 15 Stunden betragen, was auch für ausgiebige Spiele-Sessions ausreichend sein sollte.
Einen genauen Preis nennt das Unternehmen zwar noch nicht, doch soll der Forte Data Glove in der Preisregion von üblichen Touch Controllern liegen. Erste Exemplare will BeBop Sensors laut Pressemitteillung vom November bereits im Dezember letzten Jahres an Entwickler versandt haben. Man darf gespannt sein, ob der Forte Data Glove tatsächlich so gut funktioniert wie der Hersteller bewirbt und wie der Preis letztlich ausfällt. Auf der CES 2018, die ab dem 9. Januar in Las Vegas die Tore öffnet, wird man mehr erfahren können. Die Konkurrenz ist allerdings groß, Weitere Handschuh-Lösungen sind beispielsweise der Senso, der Gloveone oder die Schweizer Lösung VRFree, die auch für den mobilen Einsatz geeignet ist.
Motion controllers such as the Oculus Touch or Vive wands do a great job in letting virtual reality (VR) users control and explore the VR environment, but no controller can quite match the precision and versatility of the human hand. Recognising this, BeBop Sensors will be exhibiting its wireless data glove at CES 2018, a device designed for VR and AR environments to increase flexibility and immersion.
BeBop Sensors will be showcasing the Forte Wireless Data Glove to the world at CES 2018, where the company hopes to demonstrate its haptic feedback capability, accurate rapid sensors and affordability and its ability to improve the experience for VR and augmented reality (AR) users.
The Forte Data Glove uses a hand-tracking system to track fingers and fingertips and send tactile feedback. The sensors offers speeds of 500 Hz, data rates of 15 fps for fast response times and low latency. There are 6 actuators on the four fingertips, the thumb and palm, along with 10 smart fabric bend sensors located above each knuckle. There are 64 unique haptic sound files can be resident on the glove, with new files able to be uploaded through Bluetooth or Micro USB. The battery can be charged over a standard Micro USB cable and offers approximately 15 hours of battery life.
BeBop Sensors will also be showcasing other products at CES 2018, including a foot mat and trackpad which has been designed for medical and consumer electronics applications. Medical VR has become increasingly used throughout the world for a variety of applications, including training, surgery, medical imaging and patient education, so there are a growing number of products geared towards this market.
Visitors to CES 2018 can find the BeBop Sensors booth at Booth #52868 SANDS, Eureka Park, Hall G, Level 1. CES 2018 will take place in Las Vegas from 9th-12th January, 2018. VRFocus will have a presence at the event and will be bringing you all the latest news and hands-on reports.
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) companies are seeking to create evermore interactive and immersive ways for users engage with virtual environments, whether that’s through motion controllers like Oculus Rift, or gesture-based hand tracking systems like Leap Motion. Another possible means of interaction uses data gloves, with BeBop Sensors announcing its latest creation, the Forte Data Glove.
The Forte Data Glove is a one-size-fits-all device that’s both light weight and airy, ideal for long VR gameplay sessions. It features 10 smart fabric bend sensors located above each knuckle with bend accuracy and repeatability +/- 1.5 degrees and high sensor speeds of 500Hz. The sensor data and haptic commands communicate through Micro USB or Bluetooth, with Micro USB also charging the internal lithium battery in two hours which should last approximately 15 hours when using Bluetooth.
BeBop Sensors say that glove provides Super Accurate Rapid Sensingwith data rates at 150 frames per second, with lag eliminated, triggering approaches near instantaneous response times, and there’s a 9 degree IMU (inertial measurement unit) which provides low drift and pre-blended accelerometer and gyro sensor data.
The glove can host up to 64 unique resident haptic sound files, with 6 actuators located on each of the 4 fingertips, thumb and palm. The haptic signals can be pitch shifted and volume adjusted in real-time, with signals looped continuously or operated in a single play mode.
So how much is the Forte Data Glove and where can you get one? Well that’s a little difficult. While BeBop Sensors says it’ll be affordable no prices have been released as the development kit will only be available to qualified OEMs in December 2017.
Forte Data Glove Specifications:
Sensor speeds at 500Hz.
Data rates at 150 frames per second, eliminating lag for near instantaneous response times, perfect for the most demanding shooter scenarios.
10 smart fabric bend sensors are located above each knuckle with bend accuracy and repeatability at +/- 1.5 degrees.
9 degree IMU provides extremely low drift and reliable pre-blended accelerometer and gyro sensor data.
6 actuators are located on the 4 fingertips, thumb, and palm.
Up to 64 unique haptic sound files can be resident on the glove with new files rapidly uploaded over Bluetooth or Micro USB.
Micro USB connector charges the internal lithium battery in 2 hours.
15 hour battery life.
For any further updates from Bebop Sensors, keep reading VRFocus.
As virtual reality (VR) develops and becomes ever more realistic and immersive, the demand for more naturalistic and intuitive controls continues to rise. It’s difficult to resist the impulse to try and grab and object you need when you can see it right in front of you in the VR environment. This is where devices like the newly announced BeBop Sensors Marcel Modular Data Gloves.
Aiming to create a modular option for haptic data gloves, BeBop’s solution allows for either 6 or 9 degrees of freedom with a sensor sub-frame latency at 120 Hz. Designed by BeBop CEO Keith McMillen, who is also a creator of musical instruments. McMillen had this to say: “All controllers need to be accurate and fast. If latency is more than 6-8 milliseconds, you are out of the band.”
The BeBop data glove includes haptics built into the fingertips to convey the sense of touch to the user and provide sensory data on surface quality. The Data Glove is available in three main configurations, with 5, 10 or 14 sensors. Using smart fabrics, the sensors can track force, location, size, weight, bend and twist.
BeBop designed the Marcel data glove with control of VR and augmented reality (AR) environments in mind and is offering the data glove technology to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) along with a haptic audio creation kit to allow content creators to customise the haptic library.
A video demonstration of the Data Glove is available to view below. Further information can be found at the BeBop website.
VRFocus will continue to bring you news about new VR-related products and technology.
