AxonSuit

While VR giants scrambled to produce the best VR visual experience, AxonVR is determined to deliver the magical digital touch experience in the VR world. However, instead of targeting VR gamers, the AxonVR haptic suit is expected to be developed into applications for design and manufacturing or as training simulators.

AxonVR Suit (Source : https://axonvr.com/)

The Haptx Technology

The driving technology behind this piece of futuristic VR marvel is the HaptX technology. It basically comprises of a haptic suit that allows a user to experience various sensation and temperature. Along with this suit, AxonVR also introduces an exoskeleton that delivers force-feedback experiences to the user.

The Haptx Skin

The core of the technology is the Haptx Skin, a suit made of microfluidic actuators that can vary the pressure and temperature you feel on your body. With HaptX skin, the wearer could experience the slightest of sensation like the brush of a feather to a punch to a kick landed by an opponent. The wearer could also actually experience the warmth of summer or the chill of winter as depicted in the VR world.

The Haptx Skeleton

Bringing physical sensation to the next level is the Haptx Skeleton. It’s an exoskeleton capable of delivering force feedback by sensing the movement of the wearer. The Haptx Skeleton is programmable to either assist or resist the motion of the wearer. This means a user could experience a more realistic experience battling strong winds in the VR world. Or users could learn to perfect their golf swing with the aid of the force-feedback technology.

The Haptx SDK

AxonVR intends to make development easier for VR developers with the HaptX SDK. It’s a software toolkit that enables developers to incorporate touch experience through a platform geared for physically simulating haptics interaction. The SDK is developed in a way that it works with leading game platforms.

Prototype Test Experience

While the Haptx skin and skeleton is yet to be finished products, visitors at recent Game Developers Conference got an expectation of what it will be through a palm fitting prototype that demonstrates the haptic suits and force-feedback exoskeleton. The array resolution on the palm sized prototype is relatively low, with only 200 actuators that sometimes provide an inaccurate representation of sensation. For example, a tiny spider crawling on your hand could feel like gigantic tarantula instead. On the other hand, the temperature system is reported to be accurate, as user realistically feel the changes of temperature as to what they experience in the virtual world.

Background Of AxonVR

AxonVR was founded in 2012 by Jake Rubin, an innovative software architect with a deep passion for virtual reality and Dr. Robert Crockett, who boasts 20 years of systems engineering and development experience. With a team of highly experienced engineers and designers, AxonVR aims to bring lifelike touch to digital experience with advanced haptics technology.

Release Date And Cost

At the point of writing, no exact pricing and cost has been revealed by the company. Judging from the jestful remarks by its digital marketing manager, the full HaptX skinand skeleton are going to be anything buy cheap.

References

• https://blog.visualpathy.com/axonvr-suit-haptx-technology/
• https://www.vrfitnessinsider.com/stumbling-axonvr-haptic/
• http://newatlas.com/axonvr-virtual-reality-suit/43179/
• https://www.roadtovr.com/axonvr-making-haptic-exoskeleton-suit-bring-body-mind-vr/
• https://axonvr.com/#haptics-enterprise
• https://www.theverge.com/2017/3/2/14773870/axonvr-haptx-vr-haptic-box-pressure-temperature-gdc-2017