Virtual Reality

In most body-tracking VR systems, users have to wear sensors on various parts of their body, and/or they must remain within the confines of a base station. The Surplex system, however, is claimed to track body movements via a single pair of shoes.

There are many potential uses for augmented reality (AR) glasses, such as real-time captioning for the deaf, training military pilots, and providing runners with virtual partners. Now, they may also help Japanese emergency medical technicians (EMTs) save lives.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is laser-focused on creating VR headsets that deliver visual experiences that are indistinguishable from reality, and has shown off some extraordinary prototypes of next-gen hardware to highlight the massive challenges ahead.

Along with providing users with sights and sounds, some VR systems also deliver tactile sensation to the hands. A new ultrasound-based setup, however, lets users feel the virtual world on and in their mouths – without making physical contact.

Although few people would describe roller coasters as boring, they can get a bit "samey" if you always ride the same one. That's where ROCO comes in, as it lets users create their own unique virtual roller coaster ride, every time they use it.

Haptic feedback can give virtual experiences an extra dimension, but it’s hard to achieve. Tech startup Emerge has now unveiled the Emerge Wave-1, a device that pairs with a VR headset and emits ultrasonic waves that let users feel virtual objects.

Continuing its drip feeding of details about the PlayStation VR2, Sony has finally revealed what the next-gen headset will actually look like. Turns out it looks a lot like the original, finished in the contoured white-and-black design of the PS5.

Sony has detailed the specs for the PlayStation VR 2, and it's surprisingly powerful, with a 4K OLED display, high refresh rates, eye tracking and a more robust movement tracking system. The first game for the platform has been unveiled too.

Last month, social media giant Facebook rebranded as Meta and revealed its vision for the future of online interaction. Much of the news so far has focused on what users will see, but the company is also working on bringing touch to the Metaverse.

Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced that the company is rebranding itself as Meta as it focuses its energy on its next great gamble: creating the backbone of an immersive VR/AR "Metaverse" it sees as the next evolution of the Web.

Donning VR headsets for training can bring some realism to a simulated training environment, but it would be better if you could feel objects you interact with in the virtual realm. That's precisely what the SenseGlove Nova gloves are designed to do.

Three years after finally launching its debut AR headset, Magic Leap has outlined plans for a follow-up. The announcement comes as it reveals a fresh round of funding to the tune of US$500 million, and continues a shift toward the enterprise market.

Canon's upcoming dual fisheye lens works with the EOS R5 full-frame mirrorless camera to create immersive 8K VR video, and is reported to be the first digital lens to allow for stereoscopic 3D 180-degree video capture to a single image sensor.

Saab and Varjo Technologies are developing new low-cost, high-resolution mixed-reality tech for flight simulators to train fighter pilots. Called Bionic Display, it cuts the computing power required by taking advantage of the way the human eye works.

It's been a while since we saw a hardware update to the Vive line, but HTC has made up for it by launching two 5K-resolution virtual reality headsets at the same time: the PC-connected Vive Pro 2, and the standalone Vive Focus 3.