Virtual Reality is an experience that detaches you from the real world and allows you to step foot inside another reality – completely different from ours. But wearing a bulky headset with wires dangling from the side of the head while immersing in the experience using controllers is not what the real world is about. You need to interact naturally with the virtual world and feel connected to it. But is that possible right now?
Well, Japanese hardware maker Cerevo is the opinion that a pair of bulky boots and gloves with haptic feedback are the answer to this sticky situation. The ‘VR shoes,’ as they’ve been called by the company allow you to walk on different surfaces and kick individuals to feel different types of vibrations (or feedbacks) for each action. While it is still a prototype, the VR shoes called Taclim have been built to create the feeling of stepping into the shoes of the virtual character.
While developing the boots and controllers, Cerevo worked with Nidec Seimitsu to integrate large 1.4-inch width haptic devices to generate a sense of reality even in the virtual world. The complete setup features eight feedback devices — where three are placed in each shoe whereas one is integrated into each controller as well. It packs an accelerometer, gyroscope, and geomagnetism to provide 9-axis motion sensing to users immersed in the virtual world.
These shoes have the ability to connect to your PC, mobile or VR headset, via either Bluetooth or SubGhz wireless modules. The latter even works in crowded areas like the CES show floor or in front of an audience but wireless connection is easy to establish without interference. The developers who’re looking to provide users with some real-life haptic feedback for the actions can use Taclim’s SDK which will be made available as a Unity plugin.
Due to these devices, the VR shoes have a large and clunky design and are a nuisance to operate with ease. People who’ve tried the boot at the show floor at CES’17 are of the opinion that the shoes are stuffy and fail to respond in at least 50 percent of situations. When an individual is made to walk on different surfaces, ranging from wood or sand to ice, then the shoe respond with a sudden tactile feedback – which coupled with the corresponding sounds is a new add-on experience.
The boots as well as the gloves are currently prototypes and do not provide a completely immersive experience of the virtual world, as stated by most individuals who tried’em out. The VR shoes and gloves are expected to be released in the second half of this year, with a hefty pricing of over $1000 — which adds to the already expensive VR headset, controllers, and the gaming setup.
