Many people are still seeing virtual reality (VR) headset as a device that is very complicated and difficult to use. They are simply recognizing VR headsets as gadgets that are not worth the investment. A new concept for VR headset is making its great debut at the ACM CHI 2017 event. And according to sources, it is probably very absurd.
FaceDisplay On VR Headset
Visualize a future where people are no longer using their smartphones and laptops. Everyone is ignoring their physical surroundings and just focusing on their virtual reality headsets. That is the idea behind the new VR feature, the FaceDisplay. It is made by researchers at Germany’s Ulm University together with the MIT Media Lab, according to BGR.
FaceDisplay intends to solve the problem of VR headset being an isolating experience by enabling others to interact with the wearer of the device. It adds three external touchscreens, in which the FaceDisplay headset functions as an input device for both the wearer and other people standing nearby. Watchers can also touch the headset’s displays to help the wearer see in the virtual space.
The main purpose of this newly design VR headset is to make the device more of an inclusive experience and not just simply a portal for the wearer to look for. Tapping the monitor of the headset by someone outside the VR headset means guessing when and where the wearer is going to turn their head. Likewise, using the touchscreen feature as an input device for the player is also frustrating because it is terribly not useful or accurate.
Other Absurd VR Projects
Aside from the new feature of the VR headset, there are more absurd projects to unveil at CHI 2017, according to The Next Web. These projects include the BreathScreen, a feature wherein an ephemeral user interface is created with visible breath. Another absurd thing is the Project Telepathy which uses facial electromyography and extra kind of speakers to turn words of mouth into sounds.
Another promising project is the CarVR. It is a virtual reality headset worn while the car is moving. It uses the actions of the car to simulate the owner's movement in the virtual world.
