Ultrahaptics Lets You 'Feel' Virtual Objects

Virtual reality (VR) has been around for decades, but it's re-emerged as 'new technology' in recent years thanks to research work that is backed with the deep pockets of Facebook and Sony, among others.
However, while the visuals have improved significantly, there are still some big problems VR has to overcome. One of the biggest is being able to feel objects that only exist virtually.

One promising solution is haptic holograms, a concept that use sound waves to allow you to feel objects that don't exist in reality. Such ideas first came about in 2014, but the world is only now starting to see the technology come to market, with Ultrahaptics as a front-runner.

While not limited to use with VR, Ultrahaptics's mid-air touch-less haptic tech is sure to get a welcome boost through association and the promise of being able to feel the virtual objects at that users are looking. A Ultrahaptic Touch development kit is set for release in January next year and takes the form of a plug-and-play pad that can be set up in a matter of minutes.

The control system measures 29 x 18.6 x 22.1cm, has a focal point accuracy of 8.6mm and can interact with your hands at a minimum height of 50cm above the pad.



Users are also limited to a 60-degree cone of interaction from the center of the pad upwards. The development kit can be used with Windows 8 and 10 or Mac OSX 10.9 onwards. Ultrahaptics recommended an Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB RAM, and a dedicated graphics card as the specs to use if its Ultrahaptic Touch is to reach its full potential.

Ultrahaptics TOUCH pad in action
Placing your hands above the pad allows for a range of touch sensations. This is achieved through a combination of hand tracking and a 14-by-14 grid of ultrasound transducers. Invisible buttons, dials, and switches, as well as a range of textures and sensations, like bubbles popping against fingers, can all be simulated. Think of it like a gesture-control system, but being able to literally grab objects in mid-air to carry out the gesture.

According to IEEE Spectrum, the Ultrahaptic Touch dev kit costs around US$2,000. While it may seem high, it is a huge drop from the US$20,000 evaluation kit that shipped previously. It also bodes well for an eventual consumer version shipping for significantly less if the same drop happens again. A price of under US$200 would make it a very tempting proposition.

MIT Demos Wireless Connection for VR Headsets

The same technology that powers full-body scanners in airport security checkpoints could one day untether virtual reality (VR) headsets. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has devised a way to wirelessly connect VR headsets to the PCs.

This is all achieved with the use of a newly developed millimeter wave transmissions. In addition to powering Nude-o-Scopes (the affectionate name frequent flyers have bestowed on the TSA's scanners) these high-frequency radio waves also show promise for detecting cancer and delivering fast Internet.

MIT says its VR prototype uses the millimeter waves to enable untethered communication at a rate of multiple Gbps, or billions of bits per second. They have been able to successfully run it on a HTC Vive, but the technique should work on any high-end VR headset, including the Oculus Rift.

"The ability to use a cordless headset really deepens the immersive experience of virtual reality and opens up a range of other applications," said MIT Professor, Dina Katabi. "While millimeter wave transmissions can replace the cord between the headset and computer, they still rely on a separate device that must be plugged into the headset.

That device, which MIT calls MoVR, contains an array of two directional antennas about half the size of a credit card. They focus the millimeter waves so that there's always a line of sight between the headset and a separate receiver connected to the PC. If it's ever put into production, the researchers say the MoVR equipment could be smaller, perhaps smartphone-sized.

As is, Intel, Qualcomm, Oculus, and many others are already working on standalone VR headsets that offer the same power as today's generation without requiring a PC at all. Thus, even if the MIT research is innovative, it might be obsolete before it is ever produced.

Rivals Team Up for Virtual Reality Standards

Virtual reality has been a vague and scattered concept for decades now, with various companies offering their own takes on head-mounted displays, motion controls, and integration of the two, to varying levels of success.

The Oculus Rift rekindled interest in VR a few years ago, with the development kit's inexpensive price and relative ease of use. Now virtual reality is growing again, and this time several industry leaders are going to try to unify the different products under one standard.

A consortium of device manufacturers and developers have announced the Open-Source Virtual Reality (OSVR) ecosystem, a collaborative effort between multiple companies to ensure broad cross-compatibility with different VR devices. OSVR will use a standardized device interface that, with plugins, will ensure compatibility with different controllers and head-mounted displays.

Several major names in VR and gaming peripherals are currently supported by OSVR, including devices made by Oculus, Razer, LeapMotion, TrinityVR, and Sixense. OSVR is also compatible with several major game engines, including Unity 3D and Unreal Engine 4. Ubisoft, Gearbox, and the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) have also signed on with OSVR.

For hobbyists and small developers, OSVR is producing the OSVR Hacker Development Kit. The package includes individual modules for the head-mounted display's sensors, screen, and optics, along with a separate belt box for additional connectivity. It won't be a ready-to-use device like the Oculus Rift Devleopment Kits, but will instead encourage working with the different parts of a VR system. It's currently being distributed under limited developer access, and will be available to the public for US$199.99 in June.