Monday, April 9, 2018

Virtual Reality, Now With the Sense of Touch

Virtual Reality, Now With the Sense of Touch

A scene from Steven Spielberg’s ‘Ready Player One,’ in which haptic technology allows the characters to feel and manipulate virtual objects.   

With technology continuously advancing and improving, it is amazing how far we have come in the world of video games. Video games submerge their players into another reality and allow them to play as different characters through the use of a controller and screen. As technology continues to advance, the boundaries between virtual and reality become thinner and thinner. With the invention of the VR, or Virtual Reality, in recent years, players are now able to feel completely immersed in a different world through a headset that allows the player to see the virtual world in a realistic way. Companies, such as Haptic Incorporation and Hardlight VR Inc., have taken Virtual Reality a step further by adding the sensation of touch into their VRs. 

Image result for virtual reality

Hardlight VR Inc. released a jacket lined with motors that produce sensations around the body in October 2017. This suit allows the player to feel as if their opponent's virtual sword in the game, actually entered and exited their chest. Haptic Inc. is even in the process of developing a full-body suit that will enable the player's virtual-reality avatar to simulate their movements and allow users in different locations to feel as if they are actually in a room together when they occupy the same virtual place. More than $10 million have already been invested into the company from investors such as Twitter Inc. and Walt Disney.

The continuous development of Virtual Reality systems will change not only the game industry, but every industry as we know it. With its continuous advancement, VR can be used for more than just game-play, but also as mechanism for training of health professionals, police officers, and other workers through its simulations. Virtual Reality is definitely a product that will continue to impact not only future markets, but our society as well.

WSJ Link
By Priscilla Phuong


2 comments:

  1. It is fascinating yet scary how our world continuos to develop in technology. I think VR's would be a great way to help others by giving them hope and aspirations, especially within the minority community. We should develop our technology not only as entertainment but also to help our community.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is very interesting. I can't even imagine how many investments this company is getting! Yet, I do agree with the previous comment above is kind of scary because how will people in the future know what is actually real? Is there even a point in traveling if you can just go to the location virtually? I'm intrigued with this development and curious what the gaming world holds in the future.

    ReplyDelete