In 2016, Virtual Reality became a thing of the past. Not only did it jump competition to become one of the fastest pieces of technology, but it also became available to the masses. Nevertheless, companies - new and old - are not ready to settle with what is already in the market. The Consumer Electronics Show 2017 is proof of this, as VR Shoes have just been introduced.
Various tech companies like Sony, Samsung, and even Google have put a few cards into the virtual reality industry. And while there were innovations made within 2016 alone, such as controllers and several games, there is no doubt that VR still had its limitations. Movement in within wired controllers, for example, or any leg movement within the virtual world. New players are starting to step in and fill in these gaps.
As PC Gamer notes, Cerevo is a startup company trying to tread the VR waters. And its first course of action is to release the Cerevo Taclim, which is a pair of shoes that provide the wearer a more immersive experience in the digital world. With the use of haptic feedback, the wearables provide users with the feel of the virtual grown.
But more than just getting a feel of the terrain, Taclim allows the player to use the lower limbs in the came. Theoretically, a user will be able to kick and stomp within the virtual world. And because of the technology in the shoes, wearers will feel the same force - the softness of a body or the hardness of an armor.
Cerevo Taclim VR Shoes connect to several VR setups - PC or mobile-driven - via Bluetooth or Sub-GHz wireless. The wearables also have 9-axis motion sensing in the form of the accelerometer, geomagnetism, and gyroscope. And while the technology still leaves plenty to the imagination, it definitely has potential.
As The Verge reports, there are distinctions between the different floors, but some are not necessarily distinctive on their own. The vibrations provide the feel of wood, for example, through a creak, but it might not quickly register that it is indeed wood. Nevertheless, it definitely adds to making the virtual reality world feel a little more complete.
At the same time, however, the publication notes how a little unrealistic the shoes actually feel. The Cerevo Taclim VR Shoes are these clunky pairs of sandals that take some adjusting to wear. The wearable is not necessarily the most comfortable pair, nor is it the most secure in terms of footing. And in terms of proportionality in distance covered in the real and virtual world, there is an evident disconnect as well.
At this point, software producers need to work on support for Cervo Taclim VR Shoes, because the hardware is essentially useless without it. The technology, no matter how advanced will not stand a chance if there is no need for it. Moreover, the device does cost a relatively hefty amount of money. A set is priced at about US$1,000 to US$1,5000. The wearable is expected to be available sometime in the latter half of the year.
