Virtual reality headsets can be pretty darn amazing, with the ability to transport us into other settings, locations and even lived experiences in a way that’s simply not possible in other mediums.
But while modern VR headsets are impressive, today’s handheld VR controllers are only passable when it comes to letting us interact with the virtual world. Unless you’re a 1980s action hero, chances are that you need a bit more that not every interaction you have is conducted by squeezing a pair of triggers.
Fortunately, some other more nuanced alternatives are out there — and they promise to make VR experiences as immersive as we’ve always dreamed they can be. Here are some of the most intriguing examples:
VR gets even more gripping
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Particularly when you’re dealing with specific-purpose VR scenarios, it’s possible to develop specialized controllers for realistically simulating experiences.
Earlier this year, we tried out a VR scenario developed by the London-based company Fundamental VR, which is busy making VR training tools for the next generation of surgeons.
In Fundamental’s demo, we carried out a sleeve gastrectomy, a weight-loss procedure in which surgeons must lift, cut and suture the stomach. Carrying it out using a dedicated controller allows the experience to be faithfully recreated in a way that could be useful for teaching.
Depending on the application, other VR controllers can be created or honed to simulate a wide variety of different tasks.
Walking forever
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The final sense — taste — can also be simulated in VR. Researchers at the National University of Singapore have developed a programmable cocktail glass called the “Vocktail,” which is capable of tricking your senses into thinking that you’re drinking … well, just about anything you can imagine, really.
By using electrodes, placed around the rim, the glass can stimulate the tongue so that it tastes the liquid contained in it as salty, sweet or sour. Interestingly, it then uses scent to fine-tune these flavors, since the subtleties of our taste palette rely on smell to complete the experience.
So there you have it!
The ultimate immersive VR setup will have us dressed in a full body suit, walking in circles, wearing a gas mask, goggles and a set of chunky headphones.
Let’s just hope you don’t get all kitted up, only to hear the doorbell ring. Because this could be a little hard to explain!
Source: Digital Trends