Are you one of the 171 million active virtual reality users in the world? If so, you’ll want to make sure you’re aware of the latest VR trends so you can get your hands on cutting-edge accessories and devices. In this article, we’ll go over some of the most immersive VR accessories. The ultimate VR setup will have you dressed head to toe in a haptics suit, experiencing simulated senses, and playing games like never before.
Wearable VR accessories
We usually think of virtual reality (VR) headsets and special electronic gloves as the most common gaming wearables. These devices create simulated, 360-degree landscapes and allow the player to control the game with their body motions. The results are more efficient gameplay and a more personal, enhanced experience. There’s also a growing list of other affordable wearables. Wristbands, rings, and body-mounted motion sensors are already available and creating incredible new gaming experiences.
Simulate taste with a virtual cocktail
Have you ever wanted to indulge in a beverage without the cost or calories? Researchers at the National University of Singapore have developed an interactive drinking utensil that simulates taste, smell, and color. The taste of the “Vocktail” is altered by two electrodes on the rim of the glass that send different currents to your tongue, simulating drinking. Air pumps release a scent of your choice and LED lights can project any color you like.
While this accessory is undoubtedly immersive and exciting, it has many practical uses as well. Those on a restrictive diet, such as people with diabetes or heart disease, can drink a Vocktail to avoid beverages they otherwise could not have. People who have a reduced sense of taste may be able to enhance their quality of life. Even those with allergies could experience tastes and flavors they’ve never had before. The possibilities are endless!
Never stop moving with redirected walking
While virtual reality is a wonderful form of accessible technology, it does have one major constraint: walls. You’re at the mercy of your space and its limits. Unless, of course, you have a multi-directional treadmill. These VR accessories allow users to move freely at full speed while stationary. Redirected walking tricks your brain into thinking you’re walking in a straight line when, in reality, you’re walking in a circle on the treadmill. You’ll be able to walk, run, and play without limits.
Replicate touch with haptic gloves
Haptx Gloves G1 promises a realistic touch for the future of the internet, the metaverse. The gloves are powered with microfluidic technology and internal mechanisms that allow the user to tense and relax their touch. By controlling the amount of movement the user can make, the gloves also offer resistance and simulated touch.
The G1 gloves are available for pre-order and will launch in 2023. Of course, to embrace next-level gaming, you’ll need internet speeds to match. To combat harmful scenarios, such as doxing or online stalking, players can enable a VPN on their gaming devices.
Suit up in full-body haptics
Teslasuit claimed they couldn’t find an immersive, realistic, high-performance VR suit, so they created it. This full-body haptics suit resembles a superhero suit from a Marvel movie—minus the danger. Their technologies include a haptic feedback system that provides users with realistic sensations using electro-muscle stimulation, a motion capture system that records and tracks body position, and a biometric system to monitor data signals.
You can purchase a ready-to-go VR kit or create your own based on your specific gaming needs. Teslasuit also has a haptic glove available for pre-order. With both the haptics suit and gloves, the virtual possibilities are endless.
The future of virtual reality
Extended reality—a blanket term for VR, AR, MR, and any other realities we might experience in the future—is changing the way we think of entertainment, manufacture goods, and trained healthcare professionals. Virtual reality is even changing how we treat and understand mental health. Therapists are using VR to help patients overcome fear, manage anxiety, and reduce depression.
How has extended reality impacted your life already, and how do you think it will affect you in the future? Leave us a comment with your thoughts below.
