Category: Forte Data Glove

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BeBop Sensors to Showcase Oculus Quest Compatible Forte Data Glove at CES 2020

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.

BeBob Sensors - Forte Data Gloves

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 VRFocus first 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.

BeBob Sensors - Forte Data Gloves

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. VRFocus will continue its coverage of BeBop Sensors, reporting back with the latest updates.

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Forte Data Glove: VR-Handschuhe auf der CES 2018

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.

(Quelle: BeBop Sensors, via VR Focus)

Der Beitrag Forte Data Glove: VR-Handschuhe auf der CES 2018 zuerst gesehen auf VR∙Nerds. VR·Nerds am Werk!

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BeBop Sensors To Display VR Glove At CES 2018

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.

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BeBop Sensors Unveil the Forte Data Glove for VR/AR Apps and Gaming

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 Forte Data Glove Palm

BeBop Sensors say that glove provides Super Accurate Rapid Sensing with 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.