AxonVR - Feeling VR Sensation with HaptX Technology

Introduction

AxonVR is a Seattle-based company which brings in one of the solutions to experience the virtual reality like never before. This revolutionary product, the AxonVR Suit is a full body VR Haptic suit and a HaptiX exoskeleton walking platform. The VR haptic suit is not only being confined to this but brings a simulated pressure experience to its users to enjoy the virtual reality world as real as possible, along with the sensation of hot and cold. It allows you to walk freely in the virtual reality world with experiencing the actual gravity and resistance of the surface.
Jake Rubin, the Founder, and CEO of the AxonVR is the person behind the AxonVR suit and is the inventor of it. He has been researching about the VR Haptic Suit for around ten years and the last four years with Dr. Robert Crockett who is now the co-founder and lead engineer came up with this exciting AxonVR Platform. Along with Robert Jake successfully created a full body suit and a simulator to experience the Virtual reality world. Though the product is not yet in the market but will very soon be available for the masses too. For now, it is still in the developing mode, and new changes are being added to the product.
HaptX technology is a textile which allows you to experience real life kind of a touch and sensations. Now when we say real life kind of touch and feeling, it means being able to touch the objects of the virtual world feel the texture of the object, experienced the temperature of the object through the AxonVR Suit. Feel the vibrations in the virtual world not only virtually but also through your body. Along with this technology, AxonVR has also introduced HaptX Skeleton, haptX Skeleton is an exoskeleton that is made light in weight that allows you to experience the physical resistance and different forces on the body of the gaming world as if you were performing the activities in person.
Features and Technicalities

Behind the creation of this fantastic product and this realistic feeling, there are three main features that are involved or in other words it can be said that these are the technicalities that are involved.
A. HaptX

The haptic textile suit is called as HaptX, in this HpatX technology where the clothing is lined up with micro-fluid that works as the actuators. This micro-fluid is lined up across the complete body suit. Because of the presence of HaptX, its users can experience all kind of sensation of touch on the skin like one does in the real world. You can get the experience of the light breeze around you to an impact of a bullet or a punch. You can also sense the temperature of the different surface and the environment. All this is done by varying the temperature of the fluid and the pressure on the actuators. The suit synchronized so well with the visuals that there is no difference left for its players to differentiate between the real world and the virtual reality.

B. HaptX Skeleton

The HaptX skeleton is the advanced version of the HaptX technology. It provides the user with the force resistance or in other words, it is a force feedback. The force feedback means to experience the resistance that is offered in the real world by every object and the pressure that is needed to move the particular object. This was introduced with the idea that when moving in the virtual reality the body moves freely whereas for the brain it feels as if the work is done in the very form that is done in the real world, and hence it created the feeling of nausea. To overcome this, the HaptX skeleton was created. This skeleton moves along with the body and analyses the position of the body in the game. It offers the same resistance to the body that is delivered in the real world, you can instantly make out the difference when walking in water or on the sand, walking against the wind or in the flow of the water stream. Hence you experience the same thing as it is.

C. HaptX SDK

AxonVR has developed a software development toolkit for developers, where the developers can easily create advanced HaptX capabilities for best VR experience. The HaptX SDK comes with a framework that is used for haptX interaction is physical stimulation. The SDK is so developed that it works effortlessly with all leading gaming platforms.
What is Haptic Technology?

Haptic technology means a way to interact with the computer world in a physical way. There is basically four kinds of Haptic feedback i.e. Tactile Feedback, Vibration feedback, thermal feedback, and force feedback.
a. Tactile Feedback

Tactile Feedback is one of the most important feedback of the haptic technology and at the same time, it is one of the most difficult ones to deal with. With our eyes closed if we try to touch an object we can create its image in our brain imagining what kind of an object it can be. In the very same fashion, the tactile feedback also creates a sensation to the tiny sensory tips of users fingers to make the same surface impression so that the brain can relate to the object. By the combination of different pressure, the actuators work on the skin of the human body and give a real time feeling.

b. Vibration Feedback

This is the second form of feedback that is the feeling of sound. We all know that sound is in the form of waves and vibrates as it travels along a path. Because of every sound the particles in the air or a substance move to and forth. The human body is made in such an amazing way that it can pick such vibrations easily. Scientist says that we can experience many sound waves under normal conditions. Hence to make the virtual reality world experience more real these feedbacks are also used. If seen in comparison with the tactile feedback the number of actuators required to give the vibration feedback is very less.

c. Thermal Feedback

The thermal feedback is said to give more sensation than simple hot and cold sensation. The haptic technology allows one to have the feeling of heat Flux too. What the heat flux means it to differentiate between the same temperature but of the different object, for example, if five objects are kept in front of the user of the same temperature but of different material even then it will be easy for an individual to differentiate all the five material. Same is what the thermal haptic feedback does. It allows the user to find the difference between the absolute temperature and the heat flux making the experience even more real.

d. Force Feedback

This feedback is a bit different from the other three feedbacks. All the three feedbacks were related to the sensation part. But force feedback is related to the resistance offered to the muscles of the body, when a force is applied to a particular body part the muscle react to the force. This reaction with the muscles of the body is in combination with the other three feedbacks. Some forces are light and some are heavier. Just an example when you walk against the current of the water your body experiences a resistance offered by the water currents, which in turn reduces the speed of walking as well as it requires more of force for walking. This pressure and force that is experienced by the body in the real world are made possible to be felt in the virtual world with the help of force feedback.
Bottom Line

The AxonVR Suit looks to be exciting product and the future of virtual reality. The AxonVR Suit will be coming with an AxonSkin Interior Lining. That is, it will be having thermal and Tactile Feedback which will be the two piece suit, along with it will include the gloves and boots that offer a full body coverage, and will also have a quick “Snap” connector which will pair the AxonSuit with the AxonStation.
The suit will easily connect to the base station via a strong lightweight Exoskeleton, where the body will be able to easily change the position. The whole setup is definitely going to be expensive for an individual but is undoubtedly going to be a luxury to own. Not only confined to this it is also going to be incorporated in the hospitals and rehabilitation centers, in military and athletic training centers too. The VR haptic suit along with the complete setup is said to be in the market soon enough as the AxonVR is looking out for partners and will be launched in the initial stage in the markets, theme theaters and entertainment parks. AxonVR is going to be one awaited product that people will be eagerly waiting to experience.

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