Disney's Tactile Feedback

That is AWESOME.
Safe.
Scalable configurations.
3D printed parts.

I love it.

I can't imagine a scenario where this will work very well for VR, but I'll report back on it when I get back from Siggraph next week.

"zalo" wrote:
I can't imagine a scenario where this will work very well for VR, but I'll report back on it when I get back from Siggraph next week.

Imagine running RiftCoaster and right as you go down a drop, a blast of air shoots through your hair. Or playing a RPG and feeling the object you're picking up with your hands.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's really cool. I've been trying to concoct an aimable automatic vortex gun for while now, and I'm glad it's finally been done.

However, the first scenario is better served by a fan, a hairdryer, or even a full-size airzooka. The second scenario is better served by a "tech-tile" enabled object, an airborne ultrasound display, or one of those Tactical Haptics controllers.

Now that I check, this is the lounge, so I'm amiss in trying to bring it back to VR.

I wish they had a hand held version that I could fire into a crowd. ;)

I think skepticism is perfectly fine. But look at this tech, it's like Palmer's first prototype.

An evolution of this tech would be smaller projection units, more complex bursts, etc... having your eyes protected by the Oculus Rift you could be shot at from about any direction without the discomfort of it flying in your eyes.

Being such a new piece of tech it's hard to see all of the possible applications, but I look forward to new developments right here, thanks to the OP for linking it here :)

This is probably the best tactile feedback I have ever seen. Imagine a surround system with 1000 small emitters or even a million in the distant future. Most importantly, it does not require you to wear silly costumes. Honestly, even for us VR nerds having to wear 50 different things before we start "expierencing" VR is a hassle. The less stuff we have to wear the better. The good news is that VR even at its early stages seems like it won't be a "retro Rennaisance" and that's really really good. I hope the technology takes off.

I just tried it out today. It basically works as adverstised. It delivers a puff of air in any direction you like for about a meter. It's a weak puff, but noticeable. Rate of fire is impressive.

But it's not a super viable tactile feedback system. It's incapable of sustained pressure, it's bulky, there's a (small) delay between firing and impact, the intensity can't be adjusted, it requires a mysterious calibration step to sync it with any sensor, it makes a noise akin to a gunshot in the distance, and clothing almost completely dulls the impact. And these are all problems THAT ARE INTRINSIC TO ITS DESIGN! They're dealbreakers in the consumer arena making it useful in VR for nothing except perhaps some erotic game where you're kissed all around your body.

But technology very similar to it can covertly deliver clouds of areosolized fuel to be used as a thermobaric fuel-air explosive (ignited by enemy gun fire).

"zalo" wrote:
I just tried it out today. It basically works as adverstised. It delivers a puff of air in any direction you like for about a meter. It's a weak puff, but noticeable. Rate of fire is impressive.

But it's not a super viable tactile feedback system. It's incapable of sustained pressure, it's bulky, there's a (small) delay between firing and impact, the intensity can't be adjusted, it requires a mysterious calibration step to sync it with any sensor, it makes a noise akin to a gunshot in the distance, and clothing almost completely dulls the impact. And these are all problems THAT ARE INTRINSIC TO ITS DESIGN! They're dealbreakers in the consumer arena making it useful in VR for nothing except perhaps some erotic game where you're kissed all around your body.

But technology very similar to it can covertly deliver clouds of areosolized fuel to be used as a thermobaric fuel-air explosive (ignited by enemy gun fire).

Well it is still a prototype but I can see what you mean. I hope this can be improved over time. For example continuous pressure could be achieved with 2 emitters fast firing and overlapping the same area. I was indeed worried about the noise it would make. Maybe if you are playing a game/watching a movie with a headset would eliminate the effect.

It could be a few years until we see something like this usable for day to day home use. But just like how devices like the Rift were beyond normal price range and use, I'm hoping future improvements will make it viable. It sounds like the current build's noise could be covered up by headphones, but I think it'd drive the rest of my household insane when I get the itch to muck around on the computer at 3am.

With a lot of the parts being 3D printable, maybe some creative type will kickstart their own project to make a similar device and work out the kinks. I'd love the idea of mounting 4 (or more) around an OMNI, toss on the Rift, and just get lost in both visual and tactile VR.

so yeah, if it wasn't Disney this would sell like hot cakes for VR porn. This + Rift + wicket paradise = lots of mess