Unless you have been living under a rock, you have probably heard that Virtual Reality is an area of technology that is quickly growing. Forbes called 2019 “The Year Virtual Reality Gets Real.”(1) They cite impressive growth in headset sales and mark a milestone as over one million people a month connected to the online site Steam VR for the first time. Headset sales will always be driven by applications. As we monitor various industries that are developing for virtual reality, we see VR’s growth in the areas of education, training, and entertainment. As the technology improves we see higher resolutions and more immersive experiences. It is probably human nature to crave a more intensive engagement as we experience VR. An exciting development in the world of virtual reality is to enhance the VR experience with haptic technology.
What Is Haptic Technology? The term haptic technology or haptics refers to tactile feedback technology. It refers to any technology that can create an experience of touch by applying forces, vibrations, or motions to the user. At Maverick VR we pride ourselves in offering a wide range of immersive experiences to our clients. As we began to investigate haptic technology that could enhance virtual reality we evaluated a number of options. Ultimately, we decided that the Haptic Vest offered by Woojer, would be a great addition to the experiences we provide to our customers.
Woojer is a pioneer in the field of haptic technology with a fundamental patent portfolio and products that deliver high fidelity tactile sensation which reproduce the rich emotion of sound.
Their team of visionaries understand the intertwined relationship between sound, vision, emotion and immersion. The Woojer team has a proven track record of bringing disruptive products to market and are backed by influential industry leaders. An Interview With Kfir Bar-Levav CEO of Woojer
Maverick VR recently began working with Woojer Haptic technologies. Our clients are amazed at how the Woojer Vest enhances their VR experience. We recently got the opportunity to speak directly with Kfir and learn more about the technology he and his team have created. We asked a few questions so that our clients who have not yet tried haptics can learn more:
Maverick VR: Does the OSCI or Oscillating frame actuator make noise when in use? Kfir: No. Unlike existing voice coils, the Osci is designed without a resonator and generates the haptic sensation while maintaining complete silence. Maverick VR: Can this technology be incorporated when a custom video or project is being created? Kfir: Absolutely. It is originally designed to translate any sound "out-of-the-box" into haptic feedback which makes it applicable to any existing content. Nevertheless, by using our proprietary SDK (currently available for Unity and Unreal), creators can add another layer of sensations which are not related to the sound. For example, you can FEEL, your heartbeat or someone touching you from the back. This opens up an entirely new dimension of "sound" which is felt. Not necessarily heard. Maverick VR: Your two current products are the vest and the strap. Are there any other products coming up? Kfir: Yes. We have plans for new products in the wellbeing area. While that is all I can say about them for now, We're also working on some very interesting projects with several Automotive brands to add physical sensations for various applications. Not just on the entertainment side of the car but also on the safety side of it. And there's the obvious Cinema industry where Woojer adds a true immersive experience that can literally change people's expectations when going out for a movie. Maverick VR: Why should a company hiring Maverick VR incorporate the Woojer Vest into their experiences? Kfir: "Feeling is believing". A true immersive experience means making the virtual as real as possible. It's one thing to SEE a dinosaur or a zombie standing right in front of you and another thing to actually FEEL it breathing on you. Woojer is bridging that gap between audio and visual and provides a real EDGE to any other experience that people can find today, which makes it truly unforgettable. Maverick VR: Is there anything else you would like to share today? Kfir: When Unbox Therapy (a technology YouTuber with 16 million subscribers) unboxed the first version of the Woojer Strap, he summarized the experience saying "if this wouldn't bring a smile on your face, I would question whether or not you're alive". After thousands of demos all over the world and seeing people's reactions, I cannot agree more. We bring huge smiles on the faces of people and that, at the end of the day, is all we need. Especially in times like these. Maverick VR: Kfir, Thank you so much for taking the time today to better educate our clients on your amazing technology. For more information, they can visit - www.woojer.com
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