It’s fair to say the XR landscape is growing increasingly advanced. The way we interact with virtual and augmented worlds is evolving, as more innovative people make their way into the development landscape.
One of the most exciting new trends in the XR space is “haptics”, the use of technology to provide vibrations, and pressure-related feedback in an XR setting.
Haptics work by allowing you to essentially “feel” the things you’re interacting with in an immersive environment. For instance, you might be able to feel the pressure of a table when you put your hand against it in VR, or the impact of someone hugging you in a game.
To implement this kind of transformative technology into extended reality software and hardware solutions, developers first need to experiment with the right technology. The STRATOS Inspire haptics technology from Ultraleap could be just the thing.
STRATOS Inspire Haptic Module Review: Features
The STRATOS Inspire haptics module from Ultraleap is a development and design tool intended to help creators bring haptic functionality into their designs. The solution comes with a leap motion controller, for hand tracking, and an exceptional 40hkz refresh rate.
While you can get similar development functionality from the STRATOS Explore Development kit, the STRATOS Inspire comes with an IPX4 cover integrated with an enclosure, and it’s certified for public use too.
The SRATOS Explore tracks user hands using the Leap Motion controller, then projects tactile effects to them using ultrasound.
Features include:
- Software development kits for C# and C+
- Unity plugin access
- Plug-and-play demos with UI control demos, and interactive marketing posters
- Sensation editor (a tool for adjusting haptic feedback)
- Leap Motion Controller hand tracking
- IPX4 splash-proof enclosure
- Partnership options with Ultraleap
- 256 transducers
- 40kHHZ update rate
- Maximum range of 70cm
- Certified for public use NRTL, CE, FCC, and PSE
The STRATOS Explore technology offered via the Inspire toolkit is available to purchase worldwide through Ultraleap distributors today. The Ultraleap team has also announced its willingness to partner with companies looking into the creation of unique haptic feedback experiences. There’s a full team of 3D interaction experts from Ultraleap ready to help your team with everything from creation to use-case testing and bespoke training.
Ultraleap partners also get priority access to software and hardware design guidelines as they emerge from the company too.
STRATOS Inspire Haptic Module Review: Benefits
Created specifically for research and development in the XR landscape, the STRATOS Inspire from Ultraleap is a comprehensive development kit combining the Stratos Explore technology for haptic feedback, with solutions to help bring your new creations to market.
According to Ultraleap, the technology is particularly valuable for automotive, kiosks, gaming, and smart home applications, but it can be ideal for anyone who wants to explore the potential of mid-air haptics.
The system works by using the world-leading Leap Motion Controller from Ultraleap to track the movement of your users’ hands and fingers, so you can deliver tactile effects to the hands through sound. The simplest effect is just one pressure point measuring 8.6mm in diameter.
Thanks to the rapid refresh rate of 40kHZ, the STRATOS Inspire solution can quickly move the pressure points around a 3D space, to create a range of effects in mid-air, from virtual buttons and sliders to immersive textures and presences for virtual objects.
Benefits of the STRATOS Inspire Haptic module from Ultraleap include:
- Exceptional hand tracking: The STRATOS Inspire haptic feedback module provides fantastic hand tracking functionality through the Leap Motion Controller, which can identify and monitor 27 elements in the human hand, including bones and joints. The controller can even see bones which might be covered by other parts of the hand. This ultra-accurate tracking leads to be more powerful haptic experiences.
- Versatility: The flexible and scalable Inspire module from Ultraleap is designed to be as versatile as possible. You can use the technology to create all kinds of real-world results, from marketing opportunities where people can interact with products, to unique VR gaming experiences. According to Ultraleap, 90% of VR arcade guests would replay experiences with hand tracking and mid-air haptics.
- Easy development access: Development tools are available through Ultraleap to help you get started with your haptic journey. There’s a software development kit for C#, and C++ included, as well as a Unity plugin, with access to a range of plug-and-play demos for things like interactive marketing posters and unique UI control systems.
- Adaptable to suit your needs: Once you begin implementing haptic feedback with Ultraleap technology, there’s no limit to the unique experiences you can create. The sensation editor in the system will allow you to create all kinds of immersive tactile experiences for your audience, whether you want to give them the sensation of touching a button or popping a bubble.
- Support: Ultraleap also offers extensive support and assistance for innovators in the XR landscape. You can partner with the Ultraleap team to get direct assistance from a selection of experts in design and 3D interaction implementations. This could be an excellent opportunity for developers who have never had a chance to explore the benefits of haptics before.
STRATOS Inspire Haptic Module Review: Verdict
As the world of extended reality continues to evolve and expand, there are countless new innovations occurring all the time, designed to make our experiences even more immersive.
The rise of haptic sensations in VR and AR environments is likely to be a growing and highly popular trend in the years to come. These solutions will allow companies to immerse their users in virtual experiences like never before, with real tactile feedback.
The STRATOS Inspire Haptic module from Ultraleap allows developers and designers to experiment with the potential of haptic feedback in a way that enables exceptional agile growth. We’d love to see some of the fantastic technology innovations that come from this technology.
