Hapto Launching Indiegogo Campaign for their Newly Designed Haptic Feedback Controller
Hapto is currently looking into creating an intricate Haptic feedback controller that can be used on every big platform including Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, Google Cardboard, Google Daydream, and HTC Vive. They’ll be launching an Indiegogo campaign on May 31st to create a unique VR controller that has no analogues and provides realist haptic effect.
“Hapto is meant to give mankind the possibilities we have all barely dreamt about. It’s the sci-fi world come true,” said Alexander Khromenkov, CEO and Founder of Hapto. He added, “For many years, we studied all the medical research on how the human brain ‘forms’ tactical feelings. Once we understood that, we created a system that fully reproduces the impact from touching this or that object. You simply put Hapto on, start a game or an app, and get such a realistic haptic effect that you may even forget you’re in virtual reality.”
Hapto will be available for sale at $249, with a discounted early-bird price of $149 during the campaign. Hapto has promised that you’ll be able to touch, hold, throw, use, and change objects using their new defining controllers.
“Hapto is meant to give mankind the possibilities we have all barely dreamt about. It’s the sci-fi world come true,” said Alexander Khromenkov, CEO and Founder of Hapto. He added, “For many years, we studied all the medical research on how the human brain ‘forms’ tactical feelings. Once we understood that, we created a system that fully reproduces the impact from touching this or that object. You simply put Hapto on, start a game or an app, and get such a realistic haptic effect that you may even forget you’re in virtual reality.”
The first Hapto prototype was developed in 2013 and the project collected funding of $100,000 on Kickstarter. The company is looking to provide a more polished version with this new design. The haptic mechanism consists of 20 pushers that’s claimed to be accurately configured and programmed. When you touch anything in VR, these pushers react, providing the same haptic effect for your hand as if you were touching this object in reality. Hapto also has the movement-catching light circles placed on both sides that catch your every single move, an accelerometer or gyroscope for rotation detection and motion detection even when the camera can’t see the circle lights, and four buttons for any actions available in a game or app.
“It’s a totally different experience. It’s weird to have that sensation. I mean, I know I am not touching it, but it feels like I am touching it. I really like it. I like the idea of it. I can actually be involved with more than just my eyes; I can touch a thing and move it. That’s pretty cool,” said Bernard Jacobsen, one of the first people to test Hapto.
The new Hapto controller is ergonomic making it suitable for any hand and comes equipped with a comfort strap, allowing for adjustments.
The device is available in three colors (white and orange, black and white, and black and orange) and has a rechargeable battery that lasts two to three hours of constant gaming. Once the campaign ends on Indiegogo the controllers will retail for $249.