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Virtual reality is getting physical. A new device is taking immersion to the next level
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letting users feel what they see in real time. It's a little like this scene from Johnny English Strikes Again. Okay, maybe not that dramatic
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but the concept not far off. The device is called Shiftly and it's built on an origami-like structure
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Users place their hand on it and the surface shape shifts in seconds, portraying curves, edges
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or flat surfaces, depending on what's happening in the virtual world. Shiftly takes direct
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inspiration from origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, to create a flexible and transformative
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base. And it could show promise. According to IEEE, around 150 users tested the device and reported
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moderate to high accuracy in shape matching. Right now, it's still a prototype, but it could
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become a strong contender in the VR accessory market. But Shiftly enters the chat just as
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other VR devices struggle to find traction Apple Vision Pro a spatial computer headset made headlines in 2023 But according to Apple Insider sales have been underwhelming And then there Disney Holatile Floor unveiled last year which lets users walk
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in any direction without moving an inch. It's not available for public sale yet, but testers say it
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feels straight out of a sci-fi movie. Virtual reality technology is usually met with excitement
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but why aren't some of these other devices selling? For one, the price tags are high
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and for many, VR could still feel nice to have, but not a necessity
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Then there's the issue of motion sickness. A 2023 study from the University of Waterloo took a closer look at why some users feel fine while others feel queasy
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A professor in that study said, Our findings suggest that the severity of a person's cyber sickness is affected by how our senses adjust to the conflict between reality and virtual reality
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Their goal there was to provide VR designers with information to help make the technology more enjoyable for all
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As developers explore more ways to bridge the gap between digital and physical worlds
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Shifley just might be the next step toward making VR feel real
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In the future, they tell IEEE they want their device to be able to sense a user's touch and pressure applied to the origami
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With Straight Arrow news, I'm Kennedy Felton. Download our app or visit san.com for more
