Virtual and augmented realities are developing rapidly, to the point where they are a priority for many businesses. If it is indeed possible to interact with virtual items, the lack of information that the sense of touch conveys to us is usually deficient to operate accurately.
In order to address this, the first haptic feedback devices began to be developed. Scott Stein, Fellow from CNET.com had the opportunity to test out Senseglove Nova. Here are his impressions.
First Attempts
Delivered in a small box, the gloves look strange at first glance. They are a bit bulky, quite heavy, with covers and clips. Looks like a pair of over-fitted ski gloves. So, we put on a pair of knitted gloves, adjust the plastic ends, and then attach the holsters to the back of the battery pack before proceeding with the configuration.
The latter requires gloves to be removed and worn to handle the application in parallel with the various configuration steps. Ideally, someone should be asked to help.
You can then move the Quest 2 controllers in the stabilizers provided for this purpose until the movements are detected. Feature Unlike those manufactured by HaptX, the Nova is wireless. Another important detail, they are much cheaper.
So it is not accessible because the pair cost about $5000. So there will never be any question about daily use by an individual with Task 2.
VR hand extension
Furthermore, you should know that none of the apps (or games) available are glove compatible at the moment. To test them, an application is provided that involves picking up coins, pressing buttons, pulling levers and crushing cans.
By design, these gloves are not intended for video games, where tracking fingers or analog sticks is more appropriate. For Alex Kipman, designer of Microsoft’s Hololens 2, haptic feedback is a necessary step in the development of virtual reality.
For a few years, Microsoft’s headset has only used hand tracking, but without physical confirmation, it’s hard to be accurate with the tamper. Companies have understood this, which is why projects like the Meta Project (formerly Facebook) proliferate.
Do we have a sense of touch?
When one extends one’s hand, the impression is the same as one normally encounters with a trace. The difference comes when you touch something. Then the user feels a slight vibration (comparable to a watch or a connected gamepad), as well as a tightening of his fingers as if a puppeteer was manipulating his hands.
The feeling of connection is real (although sometimes a little asynchronous) without giving the impression of touching anything. Eyes closed, it will be impossible to determine what is happening, although some manipulations, such as crushing a can of soda, approach the manifestation of feeling.
But the purpose of these gloves is not to simulate the sense of touch. It is simply a matter of sending physical information in exchange for an action in a virtual world in order to provide more accuracy.
A step forward, but towards what?
The usefulness of virtual reality in a professional environment has not yet been clearly established. If these new concepts touch promising applications, it is difficult to predict the direction these technologies will take.
However, like the democratization of computing in its time, the transition to virtual reality could be a major step in the coming years, to the point of asking: “How did we do that before?”
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Article – Commodity CNET.com Adapted from CNET France
