Weasel Labs – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

November 5, 2017

ZephVR Blows Past its Kickstarter Goal

It was only three days ago that VRFocus reported on Weasel Labs launching its Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign for its fan system for virtual reality (VR) head-mounted displays (HMDs). Today, VRFocus can report that the funding goal of $30,000 USD has already been passed with 28 days still to go.

Weasel Labs has so far managed to secure $38,766 from 364 backers and by the looks of the campaign’s popularity that amount is going to sizeably increase over the next month. Currently there are no stretch goals listed – a popular way to gain more funding – although its difficult to see what else the company could offer.

ZephVR Oculus Rift

Have you ever felt that VR isn’t immersive enough when flying through the skies, racing in an open topped car or holding onto dear life as you whizz round on a rollercoaster, then that’s the reason for ZephVR, to add a bit of wind to proceedings. Weasel Labs isn’t just blowing air into your face at high speed, like you’re inside a wind tunnel, no it is more subtle than that.

ZephVR uses machine learning to add a breeze to any VR experience. “We designed the ZephVR to recognize the sound of wind in any audio track, so the ZephVR will work pretty well with any game out of the box!,” states the team. “We did this by labeling hours of gameplay audio and using machine learning to find patterns in the sound of wind.”

The system has two modes depending on user preference, an ‘autonomous mode’ where the software will automatically activate the ZephVR’s fans to coincide with events in whatever videogame is being played. Or ‘always-on mode’ which just adds a steady breeze to keep players cool and comfortable – great for those intense workout experiences.

The device is compatible with Oculus RIft, HTC Vive and PlayStation VR, with the backing tier for Sony Interactive Entertainment’s (SIE) headset slightly more. The $49 super early bird offer for Oculus Rift and Vive is no longer available, so you’ll have to go for the $75 tier next (which also has limited availability). After that the standard price is $89.

For PlayStation VR on the other hand, the $79 super early bird offer is still available (at time of writing). Then it goes up to $99 for the early bird and then $119 for the standard price.

As the campaign continues, VRFocus will keep you informed on the latest updates.

November 3, 2017

Wind Simulation Accessory for VR Headsets Hits $30k Crowdfunding Goal on Day One

Launched on November 2nd, the crowdfunding campaign for ZephVR, a VR fan accessory that “adds realistic wind at the right moments” achieved its $30,000 goal on Kickstarter in just a few hours, with 30 days remaining in the campaign. VR hardware startup Weasel Labs aims to deliver the first ZephVR units to customers in May 2018.

As described on the campaign page, ZephVR is designed to work with all VR games and experiences by reacting to audio cues, using machine learning to trigger the two fans at appropriate moments, i.e. traveling at speed, or when a bullet whistles past your ear. If the cue is louder in one audio channel, one fan will spin faster.

This audio-based approach—if it works well—means the hardware should function with all VR headsets; the PSVR-compatible version is more expensive, as it requires an additional audio processing box and cable. There is a cheaper version for just Oculus Rift and HTC Vive: the ‘earliest bird’ version going to the first 150 backers for $50. At the time of writing, some ‘early bird’ offers remain, but the full price appears to be $90 for the Vive/Rift version and $120 for the PSVR/Vive/Rift version.

ViveNchill—a simpler dual-fan device meant to keep players cool—also managed a successful crowdfunding project via Indiegogo in July, and recently began shipping to backers. ZephVR’s two fans can also be run at a constant rate for cooling rather than reactive ‘wind’, but hanging below the headsets rather than above might make it less effective as a cooling solution compared to ViveNchill.

According to the campaign page, ZephVR has the potential to improve over time as the software recognises more specific audio cues, and Weasel Labs hopes to “team up with game developers to create customized experiences for their games,” meaning that more precise fan activation could be supported in the future with direct integration into VR experiences.

The video above gives a visual example of how the algorithm detects the sound of wind in the game Windlands. The text scrolling on the left is red when the fan isn’t active and green when it is; the left stream represents the left fan and the right stream represents the right fan.

The post Wind Simulation Accessory for VR Headsets Hits $30k Crowdfunding Goal on Day One appeared first on Road to VR.

November 2, 2017

VR’s About to get Breezy as ZephVR Launches Kickstarter Campaign

There’s no argument that virtual reality (VR) can be highly immersive with just a head-mounted display (HMD), some motion controllers and headphones. But this is only the start, with companies looking at making the tech even more engaging. Enter Weasel Labs and its new Kickstarter crowd funding campaign for a fan add-on called ZephVR.

ZephVR is a unique accessory that attaches to popular headsets like HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and PlayStation VR, automatically adding wind to any videogame. Weasel Labs has achieved this using machine learning, with the accessory recognising events in a title’s audio track, activating the two fans just at the right moment. So for example, whenever a player flies, falls or accelerates they’ll actually feel it.

ZephVR Cliff (Windlands)

“The ZephVR transforms any VR experience into a multi-sensory, physically immersive adventure,” said Sean Spielberg, the company’s cofounder and CEO. “Wind is one of the most critical elements in turning a game into a reality. Until now, experiences that incorporate wind have only been available at theme parks and exhibitions.”

The accessory is the brainchild of Paige Pruitt, cofounder and CTO, Weasel Labs, after putting her head in front of a window fan whilst using PlayStation VR. “It felt so real, and I couldn’t stop giggling,” she said. “I immediately started thinking about recreating moments like this for other games.”

The campaign has launched today, seeking to raise $30,000 USD and at the time of writing has already achieved just under $25,000. While backing tiers start from $5, to secure a ZephVR unit you’ll need to pledge a minimum of $49 for the early bird offer that’s compatible with Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. The PlayStation VR version costs a little more at $79.

“We think the ZephVR is a natural addition to virtual reality, just like the Rumble Pak was for the Nintendo 64,” Spielberg adds. “But wind is just the beginning. Longer-term, our technology could enable all sorts of peripherals and physical effects—temperature, vibration, rain, or anything else people can think up—so that they work with all VR content, automatically.”

As the campaign continues, VRFocus will keep you informed on the latest updates.