Ultraleap, the company behind the Leap Motion hand-tracking module, informed staff on Wednesday that it was proposing a layoff amid a potential restructuring of the business that could see the company split in two.
The Bristol, UK-based company acquired Leap Motion in 2019, prompting a rebrand from its original name Ultrahaptics to Ultraleap. Prior to the acquisition, the company was best known for pioneering its mid-air haptic technology, which uses ultrasound to project tactile sensations onto the user’s hands.
As reported by Sky News, Ultraleap is allegedly now seeking to sell off its hand-tracking business entirely, and spin out its mid-air haptics division into a new company, which would be owned by Ultraleap’s existing shareholders and also seek additional external funding.
Leap Motion 2 in front of its predecessor | courtesy Ultraleap
The company hasn’t publicly confirmed the sale of Leap Motion or the specifics surrounding the restructuring of its haptics business, however it has confirmed layoffs are coming:
“After much consideration, we have made the difficult decision to reshape some of our divisions and reduce the size of our team,” an Ultraleap spokesperson told Sky News. “This decision has not been taken lightly, but it is necessary for us to adapt our business to better serve our market and our customers.
Initially released in 2013, Leap Motion was one of the first viable hand-tracking modules to come to market. While it was originally created to work as an input method for PCs, a few years later the then still independent company would hard pivot into the VR space, providing hand-tracking to headsets which at the time had none.
Fast-forward to today, and many standalone headsets pack in their own onboard hand-tracking thanks to the requisite bank of optical sensors that are also used for tracking the user in room-scale environments. The shift has made bespoke modules like Leap Motion less desirable for consumers overall, leaving the company to focus on integrating its tech with boutique headset manufacturers such as Varjo, Pimax, and Vrgineers.
Ultraleap, a leading company focused on hand-tracking interfaces, this week announced it has secured a £60 million (~$82 million) Series D investment, with the goal of expanding its hand-tracking and mid-air haptic tech in the XR space and beyond.
Formerly known as Ultrahaptics, Ultraleap was formed after the UK-based haptics company acquired leading hand-tracking company Leap Motion back in 2019. The new name clearly defined the merger’s unique combination of mid-air ultrasonic haptics now underpinned by some of the best hand-tracking tech in the industry.
“With this investment round, Ultraleap will continue to bring Gemini to different operating systems and increase their investment in tooling to enable developers to build more applications using the best interface—your hands. Ultraleap will also continue to invest in R&D to drive their machine-learning-based hand tracking even further ahead,” the company said in its investment announcement.
Ultraleap is betting that hand-tracking will be the primary input for XR and the metaverse. Last month the company released its latest revision.
While the company has been trying to get its tech into the XR space for many years now, it has yet to find significant traction. Though Ultraleap hand-tracking can be found on a few headsets like those from Varjo and Pimax, leading devices implementing hand-tracking—like Quest 2, HoloLens, and Magic Leap—are using their own solutions, as far as we know.
However, with a growing number of XR devices on the market and the steady march toward consumer-friendly AR glasses, the company seems poised to find the right fit eventually.
Ultraleap is also looking to find a home for its tech outside of the XR realm. The company has long been angling its tech in the automotive space as an in-car interface, as well as the out-of-home space in areas like exhibits, marketing installations, and touchless self-service kiosks.
Covering the immersive Out-of-Home entertainment scene for VRFocus, in his latest Virtual Arena column, industry specialist Kevin Williams reports on the last major amusement trade convention of the pre-pandemic international scene. In this first part, information on the trends that were establishing themselves, and the key developments making this market so important for the technology.
With the global business sector in near lockdown due to the international health crisis, many observers are turning their gaze to how much the business scene will have to change in the post-pandemic landscape. The speculation of the employment of the latest virtual reality (VR) technology to drive a new investment in training and entertainment has been discussed – especially seeing the importance that this technology has had with a populace in self-isolation. The possibilities of what the commercial entertainment sector will look like once the facilities re-open, has also been considered.
Image credit: KWP
Only a matter of weeks before the chaos of the pandemic, and resulting lockdown that has seen all entertainment, cinema and leisure amusement venues temporarily closed; and the American amusement trade held their influential trade convention – Amusement Expo International (AEI) in the heart of New Orleans. On show were pivotal new developments in VR deployment for immersive Out-of-Home Entertainment. This gave a glimpse at the trends being followed, but now reveal what the post-pandemic landscape will be working with when the entertainment scene re-emerges in the West from slumber.
The application of VR tech into the commercial entertainment scene has been split into key categories, and all examples were on show at AEI – offering an excellent opportunity to explore the popularity and audience appeal. First off, we have seen the emergence of the “VR Amusement” category – best described as the adaption of VR technology into the established platform of video amusement hardware, adapting many of the characteristics into a reliable VR platform.
At the show, the amusement distributor and developer UNIS Technology presented its new VR amusement piece ‘Ultra Moto VR’. A two-player “ride-on” motorbike racer on a motion platform, with the unique element of offering conventional play through the games screen, or reverting to immersive play using the VR headsets.
Image credit: KWP
‘Ultra Moto VR’ is a Chinese developed title that had been converted for Western deployment and had already seen considerable success, with strong Return-on-Investment (ROI) when tested at several locations. For many operators still evaluating the value of VR platforms in commercial entertainment, the systems unique ability to swap between a full VR or conventional video amusement approach offered a strong incentive. And allowed operators to charge VR prices for a conventional packaged amusement piece.
Another adaptation of an amusement package with a VR element was presented from US-based Barron Games, a well-known name in the foosball and air hockey table market, the company had partnered with Swiss-based Kynoa SA, to represent their innovative ‘Koliseum’; the system, a VR based foosball tabletop platform offering four players the chance to compete in an immersive re-creation of the traditional game (called ‘Koliseum Soccer VR’). The cabinet and controllers invoking the design of a conventional foosball table.
Image credit: KWP
The need to create compelling games that still fit the limitations of the amusement entertainment and family entertainment centres has driven many of the new designs on show. The developer MajorMega had initially launched its vast four-player motion stage experience (called ‘Hyperdeck’) – but the company chose the New Orleans trade show to launch a brand-new concept. Called ‘Hyperdrive’ this two-player cooperative VR experience has one player taking the role as the driver, and another player the gunner, the whole compact experience sitting on a D-BOX motion platform.
The system was a work-in-progress with much of the feedback to this design, being taken away and applied to a final production prototype, scheduled for release (that had originally been) for later in the year. The motion simulation experience linked to a seated ride platform has been another popular element of the investment in commercial entertainment VR. One of the most successful of the initial categories has been the Virtual Ride Simulator – one of the earliest adaptations of offering VR in an amusement suitable package, this approach has gamed much momentum.
One of the first adaptations was that from LAI Games with their hundred-unit-selling ‘Virtual Rabbids: The Big Ride’ – developed in partnership with Ubisoft, creator of the cartoon ride experience based around their zany characters, and using D-BOX motion hardware. The system has found favour with operators offering what the company describes as unattended virtual reality. At the show the company presented their “Big Expansion Pack”, offering six new rides. This included their new interactive experience ‘Space Skirmish’ – a new departure for the platform, from the previous passive style of experience.
Image credit: KWP
The popularity of this category was seen with an explosion of new developments, at the show, from other developers. Canadian based TRIOTECH presented to the amusement trade their production version of STORM. Employing a similar approach, the two-rider experience, however, had started at the first with an interactive element to the ride simulator. The company mounting on their HTC Vive headsets, Ultrahaptic hand trackers so the player could grab items as their traversed the speeding coaster track, scoring points. TRIOTECH also revealed its next ride experiences in development to keep a regular supply of titles, and the company was keen to reveal it had ramped up the production line to deal with a strong initial order book.
Following along this popular category, and formula of approach, amusement powerhouse Raw Thrills, chose the amusement trade show to present their prototype interpretation of the virtual ride simulator. This version called ‘King Kong of Skull Island’ – placed the two riders on motion seats, and also included in this case Ultrahaptic sensors in the seat restraint to track hand movement – the players dropped into a wild ride through the mythical movie Skull Island, home to giant beasts, dinosaurs and King Kong.
Based on the movie property, the early version of the ride/game experience, placed players in a frantic jeep chase across the island, avoiding the monsters, and interacting with the game in scripted quick-time events – finally placed face to face with the legendary giant ape. Still in an early stage of development, the system followed a proven formula, but also hope to offer a cost-effective solution for operators wanting a VR platform. Raw Thrills had worked with HP to deploy the new Reverb headsets with their 5G performance. The other example of the VR ride system at the show was a much more compact and basic offering. From Brazilian RILIX; the company presented an updated version of its non-motion pod called the ‘Rilix Coaster’. The original version of this system, first seen back in 2015.
Image credit: KWP
This system offered as a low-cost solution for areas with high-foot-traffic that want to offer a VR experience in a unique package. As a low-cost system, comprises only a sub-woofer and wind-effect system, with the simple Oculus Go headset arrangement. The platform offered in three flavours as a standalone arcade piece, a system operated by rental companies, and as a self-service (vending machine style) platform for players to walk up and try. To allow this the system and headsets are ruggedized. It is this category of “Self-service VR Kiosk” approach to VR entertainment systems, which had become a new aspect of the market gaining momentum.
On the show floor were other examples of self-service VR kiosks – the first from VRsenal the company have designed a sleek upright kiosk with a tethered headset. The platform called ‘Beat Saber Arcade’ running the popular and well recognized VR music rhythm game licensed from Beat Games (recently acquired by Facebook). The system has been deployed in several entertainment facilities in the West and made unique use of the HTC Vive headset in a wireless configuration. The systems’ appearance at AEI was also to promote new partnerships with leading amusement distributors to help support sales of the platform to a wider operator-base.
The other self-service VR kiosks on display at the trade event was from VR LEO USA – the company showing their ‘LEO’ platform. Another large screen video kiosk with a tethered VR headset. This system, however, was not a single game solution but offered three VR experiences to select from, developed by the Chinese parent company. A unique element of the ‘LEO’ is its automatic retention system, that pulls the headset free of use after the game; and lowers it for the next player. While pulled into retention, the platform self-disinfects the headset with high power ultraviolet lights.
Image credit: KWP
This hygiene element has started to be seen employed across all aspects of VR entertainment system deployment. Long before the global health crisis, the LBE VR scene has been employing measures to secure the continued health and safety of the users on this medium. Now with the full glare of the Pandemic on our doorsteps, the reality of how VR will be deployed in social entertainment is being re-addressed. The question is if unattended self-service platforms such as above will need to be re-evaluated for deployment in the new market.
This concludes the first part of our report on the developments in the commercial entertainment VR arena, now we move to the second part, and looking at emerging trends and the outlook for the sectors future #AfterLockdown.
Leap Motion, the optical hand-tracking firm, was acquired by Bristol, UK-based haptics company Ultrahaptics earlier this year. Now, Ultrahaptics is relaunching under a new name created to reflect its shared heritage: Ultraleap.
Before the acquisition of Leap Motion and the subsequent rebranding, Ultrahaptics was best known for its mid-air haptic technology which uses ultrasound to project tactile sensations onto users’ hands.
According to a press statement provided to Road to VR, both the Ultrahaptics and Leap Motion names will continue to be maintained as trademarks for existing products, however all new software and hardware launches will fall under the Ultraleap name.
“Rebranding isn’t a decision we’ve taken lightly. We’re immensely proud of what our companies have achieved,” explains Ultraleap CEO Steve Cliffe. “We’re also very excited for what’s to come. Our new name and brand reflects our ambitions in this new world, now and for the future.”
The company was, and still is, focused on using its technology across a variety of industries such as automotive, advertising, AR/VR, and simulation & training.
Notably, Ultraleap has licensed its technology to industry pros such as The Void’s Star Wars: Secrets of the Empire at Disney, and has been showcased in concept cars developed by Harman, and Bosch.
The news of the rebranding was first reported by Business Leader.
Thanks to Antony Vitillo of VR/AR blog Skarred Ghost for pointing us to the news.
We’re now over halfway through the year, and while it might be summer, it’s almost Christmas! Yey! With that horrendous thought now in your mind, it’s time to start planning. Be that presents, where you plan to celebrate or simply the office party. If last years gettogether was one to dispell from your memory a new job with new workmates might be in order. That’s where VRFocus’ VR Job Hub comes in.
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.
Leap Motion, the pioneer in optical hand-tracking, has been acquired by Ultrahaptics, the enterprise-focused immersive haptics company.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Ultrahaptics reportedly acquired Leap Motion for approximately $30 million.
The company maintains in a company blog post that the acquisition won’t affect support for the Leap Motion community, and that “new and exciting products” are coming down the bend.
Since its founding in 2011, Leap Motion has garnered over $94 million in outside funding. The latest round, amounting to $50 million, arrived in summer 2017.
Its flagship product, Leap Motion, struggled at first to find purchase in the PC peripheral market, although it decidedly found a home in VR among Oculus Rift DK1 and DK2-clad developers, making it a household name at least in the burgeoning niche. At the time of this writing, a Leap Motion tracker can be purchased for under $80 new.
Image courtesy Leap Motion
It seemed Leap Motion was on a continuous upward trajectory, however it was reported late last year that Apple was actually on the verge of acquiring Leap Motion, but the deal fell through days before it was expected to close.
Undeterred, the company then went on to engineer its open-source AR headset, Project North Star. Leap Motion has since released plans for the headset, although it seems adoption among the dev community has been less than favorable.
The Wall Street Journal reports that Ultrahaptics will receive Leap Motion’s patents and hire most of its staff. CEO and co-founder Michael Buckwald will reportedly leave the company.
Leap Motion couches the acquisition as a “strategic deal,” which combines the two companies to create what they call a “vertically integrated technology company that brings us that much closer to fully immersive, rich and physically intuitive virtual interfaces.”
The marriage between the two companies makes a certain amount of sense, as Ultrahaptics produces enterprise-level haptic tech that’s based on ultrasonic emitters, which can serve up variable tactile sensations to a user in mid-air. Vertically integrating Leap Motion’s optical hand-tracking tech could push Ultrahaptics yet further down its path to becoming a bigger name in its target markets, including automotive, digital signage and location-based entertainment.
Ultrahaptics announced a “strategic deal” with hand tracking company Leap Motion to combine their startups and technologies.
The Wall Street Journal reports Ultrahaptics bought the company for around $10 million.
The combination of the two means Ultrahaptics will have tracking and haptic technologies to provide a sense of touch in certain types of products. Ultrahaptics “projects ultrasound-drive tactile sensations onto users’ hands” while Leap Motion tracks the movements of the fingers. Some location-based VR experiences, like The VOID, use this kind of hand tracking for impactful immersive effects. We’ll be curious to see if, Leap Motion combined with Ultrahaptics, we might see more ambient immersive effects integrated into various entertainment or education initiatives.
Leap Motion made an early impact in the developer and early adopter community with its USB-connected sensor which could provide hand tracking without the need for a handheld controller. Though it received many software upgrades over the years which improved performance and interaction quality, Leap Motion’s input approach never saw widespread adoption. Some head-mounted displays include USB ports which can connect to Leap Motion sensors for integrated hand tracking. The consolidation of the two companies makes some strategic sense as the first VR and AR headsets haven’t integrated either technology yet into the core of their platforms.
We’re also curious what this might mean for Project North Star. The open source AR headset effort backed by Leap Motion includes instructions on how to build a wide field of view AR device with integrated hand tracking. We’ll provide updates as we learn more.
UK-based Ultrahaptics thinks it has the key to haptic feedback in VR. This week you can try it out for yourself.
The company partnered with Fallen Planet Studios to integrate its mid-air haptics technology into VR horror title, Affected: The Visit. The experience is showing at the ImmotionVR center in Cabot Circus, Bristol until the end of February. It’s the first UK showing for the demo, which has previously done tours in the US. Check it out in the trailer below.
Ultrahatpics’ solution uses ultrasound to apply feedback to the user’s hands. It’s previously been showcased as means of controlling other devices, but it could take on new meaning inside VR. Imagine paying a visit to Affected’s virtual house of horrors and not just seeing every jump scare but feeling it too. Or, y’know, something not as massively terrifying.
Haptics is a crucial area of R&D for VR right now. Current systems bring our hands into VR with full control, but they don’t help you feel the experience. Hands float through walls and surfaces and there’s no resistance to, say, pushing a button. Ultrahaptics solution is one of many potential methods to solve this problem, though all of them seem far off. Currently, you have to hold your hand over a platform laid on a surface in front of you. It’s a little similar to early versions of Leap Motion before it started integrating itself into headsets.
We’re not sure when Ultrahaptics might be ready for consumer-level VR (if ever), but the studio did raise $23 million in funding in early 2017. It’s a very promising concept.
Having open two new locations in the UK back in December 2018, location-based entertainment (LBE) specialist in virtual reality (VR) ImmotionVR has announced an upgrade to its Cabot Circus experience centre in Bristol, UK.
Working with Ultrahaptics and Fallen Planet Studios, the ImmotionVR location has seen the installation of AFFECTED: The Visit with mid-air haptic feedback technology. Harnessing Ultrahaptics ultrasound system, guests will be able to enjoy a specially adapted version of Fallen Planet Studio’s horror experience AFFECTED: The Manor.
For those that have the nerve, customers will be able to enter a virtual haunted house and experience a number of surprising events that have been augmented with mid-air haptic sensations. Previously shown at trade shows in the US such as the IAAPA Attractions Expo and CES, this will be the first time that the UK public will be able to experience it first hand.
Tom Carter, CTO and Co-Founder of Ultrahaptics spoke of the partnership: “Audiences have really loved AFFECTED: The Visit, but we have only been able to share it with the US so far. This collaboration provides an opportunity to showcase UK companies and what they have to offer the growing virtual reality market. We can’t wait to share it with our home audience.”
“We are delighted to be collaborating with Ultrahaptics and ImmotionVR on this exciting new installation,” said Alex Moretti, CEO of Fallen Planet Studios. “Immersion is key to the VR experiences that Fallen Planet Studios creates, by implementing Ultrahaptics’ mid-air technology we are able to deepen that level of immersion to new levels, without saddling the user with additional hardware for them to navigate. This combines to create a compelling out-of-home experience that really has to be felt to be believed. To be unveiling this installation in partnership with the ImmotionVR brand, is a testament to the quality of their arcades and highlights the UK’s fast-growing interest in location-based VR.”
The normal AFFECTED: The Manor can be found at all of ImmotionVR’s UK locations, with AFFECTED: The Visit only available at the Bristol location. To find out further details including opening times and how to book a slot, head on over to the official ImmotionVR website. For the latest updates from ImmotionVR, keep reading VRFocus.
British startup Ultrahaptics began life as a project within Bristol University in 2013, securing £17.9 million of funding in 2017. Today, the company has announced the successful completion of a Series C round of investment, securing £35 million GBP ($45 million USD).
The round was led by Mayfair Equity Partners, with further new investors including Hostplus, the major Australian superannuation fund. Existing shareholders IP Group plc, Woodford Investment, Cornes and Dolby Family Ventures also participated.
Commenting on the round, Ultrahaptics CEO, Steve Cliffe, said in a statement: “We’re delighted to welcome major new investor Mayfair, while receiving further endorsement and support from our existing shareholders for the company’s exciting next phase of development. Our funding has become ever more global, reflecting the potential of our technology in industry sectors and markets all over the world.”
The investment will enable Ultrahaptics to further develop and commercialise its haptic technology for user interfaces and experiences. Ultrahaptics’ core mid-air haptic technology creates the sense of touch in mid-air by using arrays of ultrasonic transducers to project haptic feedback directly onto users’ hands. Through the emission of ultrasound waves, developers can manipulate them so that the combined pressure of the waves interacting produces a force that can be felt.
“The potential for mid-air haptics systems within immersive infotainment systems and human-machine interfaces is very compelling and exciting,” adds Daniel Sasaki, Managing Partner of Mayfair Equity Partners. “We look forward to supporting the Ultrahaptics team in their journey to become the global platform enabling mid-air haptics.”
Earlier this year saw Ultrahaptics launch its STRATOS Explore development kit for enterprise customers who want to explore how mid-air haptics can enhance their products. The company’s most recent release has been the STRATOS Inspire plug-n-play haptic module for applications such as digital signage, location-based entertainment or interactive touch displays and interfaces.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of Ultrahaptics, reporting back with the latest updates.
