Wild VR gadget creates virtual objects feel solid at the touch of your hand
Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University want to make virtual reality a small less virtual and a lot more physical with a scheme that puts the feel of solid objects at your fingertips.
Wireality is a shoulder-mounted haptic rules that uses retractable wires attached to your hand to imparted feedback during a VR experience. It works by stopping the motion of your hand to match the geometry of the virtual just you are “touching.” A video shows the device in action.
“Our rules enables tangible interactions with complex geometries, such as progressing non-perpendicular, flat, and curved surfaces, wrapping fingers around railings and poles, and touching irregular objects,” wrote lead engineer Cathy Fang on the project website.
Wireality builds on a thought that has already been explored—the use of strings to form haptic feedback. Previous takes on this idea used motors to regulation the strings. “The downside to motors is they win a lot of power. They also are heavy,” said Fang in a droplet on Tuesday.
Fang’s version of the string-machine uses spring-loaded retractors—like the kind that keep ID badges attached to their owners—combined with a ratchet mechanism. “Only a small amount of electrical power is required to engage the latch, so the system is energy efficient and can be operated on battery power,” said Carnegie Mellon.
Wireality is lightweight and would be relatively inexpensive to beget. The research team estimates it could be built at scale for less than $50 (£40, AU$75). Fang sees a variety of potential uses for the rules in gaming, visiting virtual museums or checking out retail goods.
The researchers delivered their work this month in the Association for Computing Machinery’s Digital Library.
Virtual-reality equipment has been heading in the direction of providing more immersive bodily feedback to users. We’ve seen haptic vests, tactile gloves and a full-body suit in fresh years.
Engineers are still far from creating a full-on Star Trek holodeck recognized where the virtual feels entirely real, but at least we’re heading in that dreamy sci-fi direction.
