Somnium Join and my hands-on with Teslasuit

On Friday I used to be in Prague to attend the Somnium Join 2024. There I had the chance to fulfill with some wonderful pals from the VR group and to strive very attention-grabbing items of {hardware} like the Somnium VR1 headset (hands-on impressions coming quickly!) and the Teslasuit haptic go well with. Let me inform you the whole lot about this occasion and my hands-on with Teslasuit!

Somnium Join

Earlier than telling you about my expertise with the Teslasuit go well with, let me say a couple of phrases in regards to the Somnium Join, since chances are you’ll be taken with attending it sooner or later.

Somnium Join is the annual occasion by Somnium Area, the Czech firm constructing the eponymous Web3 social VR platform. The occasion is held in Prague, which is one my favourite cities on this planet as a result of its metropolis middle is stuffed with artwork, there are numerous attention-grabbing museums, there’s good meals (together with the trdelnik, which is my responsible pleasure), and its costs are reasonably priced. Then there are additionally shady folks within the central plaza who, as quickly as they hear that you simply converse Italian, instantly invite you to some nightclub, however that’s one other story… (I assume we Italians have a fame there).

Unluckily, the Somnium Join was not held in a nightclub, however in a Marriot lodge. It took a full day, the place throughout the morning there have been the keynotes with the announcement of the official launch of the Somnium VR1 headset and of the 3.0 model of Somnium Area, and throughout the afternoon the classes the place all of the Somnium companions talked about what they do and what are their future plans. After that, there was a celebration with folks DJ-ing within the bodily venue and in Somnium Area on the similar time. At half the occasion and on the finish of it, there have been two classes the place it was potential to strive the Somnium VR1 headset and the merchandise of the associate corporations. A number of the demos have been fairly cool as a result of they concerned simulators: for example, I used to be in a position to drive a racing automotive with all of the haptic results on the steering wheel inside a simulator.

The companions’ community is in my view what makes this occasion extra priceless: Somnium has been very good in the previous couple of years in strategically investing in lots of corporations within the XR sector, creating a whole ecosystem round it. Simply to say a couple of names, Somnium invested in VRgineers, the Prague-based PCVR producer behind the XTAL-3 headset; Lynx, the French startup that’s constructing a standalone headset; Hypervision, a sensible Israeli-based firm that’s inventing some optical techniques (particularly lenses) that give very extensive FOV to XR headsets; Teslasuit, one of many main corporations in creating haptic fits. In addition to the investments, it has additionally numerous strategic partnerships, like for example with Prusa Analysis, a 3D printing firm; TG0, which manufactures the Etee finger-tracking controllers; and Ultraleap, which has one of the best hand monitoring algorithms on the market. In order you’ll be able to see, Somnium Area is not only a small European startup with a social VR world, however it’s creating an entire XR ecosystem round it. That’s in my view what provides nice worth each to the corporate and to the occasion. Actually, not solely there have been all of the folks from these corporations, however it was additionally potential to strive all their merchandise: so if for example, you had by no means had the event to strive the Lynx headset, you can try this at Somnium Join.

Speaking in regards to the attendees, there have been largely folks from Somnium Area and its companions’ community; some creators for Somnium Area; and some journalists and influencers of our area, like Tyriell Woods, Scott Hayden from Street To VR, David Heaney from Add, SadlyItsBradley, and Robert Scoble. The occasion was managed by Artur Sychov, the CEO of Somnium Join, who was doing the whole lot to make the occasion succeed: he was presenting, doing talks, moderating panels, cheering folks throughout the social gathering, getting suggestions from the demos, fixing the technical points, getting ready the meals, cuddling the attendees, serving to previous ladies to cross the road… he was in all places doing the whole lot.

You could marvel if this occasion is value attending. And as ordinary, I’d say that it will depend on what you need to obtain. If you wish to join with folks from Somnium and its associate corporations, it’s positively value going. The identical holds if you wish to completely strive one of many units (e.g. Somnium VR1, Lynx, and so forth…) within the small expo space. In the event you simply need to benefit from the talks and listen to the information, in all probability you’ll be able to simply watch the stay stream, as an alternative. I’d additionally recommend going particularly in case you are in Europe, as a result of given Prague’s central place, normally you will get there with 1-2 hours of aircraft. In case you are from one other continent, in all probability I’d look forward to the occasion to develop in dimension earlier than touring explicitly for it.

For me, it was attention-grabbing for a couple of causes: I’ve been in a position to meet with some cool VR influencers, like Tyriell Woods, David Heaney, and Scott Hayden, whom I hardly ever met in actual life. I’ve lastly met Artur Sychov after a lot chatting on Discord with him, and I had a pleasant chat with Stan Larroque, the CEO of Lynx, who just isn’t solely a pleasant man, however he’s additionally very educated. I’ve met and linked on Linkedin with a couple of new attention-grabbing folks. After which, in fact, I’ve been in a position to strive cool stuff just like the VR1 and the Teslasuit. After which the meals was additionally fairly good, and you recognize, free meals is for me the primary motive to go to occasions! On the con aspect, I believe the afternoon classes have been a bit too many, and doubtless the occasion ought to have been a bit shorter.

Teslasuit hands-on

One of the attention-grabbing demos I had at Somnium Join was with the Teslasuit haptic suit. Teslasuit is essentially the most superior haptic go well with on the market, and it is ready to carry out physique monitoring, haptic rumbles, temperature modifications, and in addition ache induction through small electrical shocks. It’s outlined by some folks because the “haptic go well with of Prepared Participant One” and for positive it could actually present what’s the way forward for haptics in XR: a few years from now, XR techniques will have the ability to give your physique all types of bodily sensations.

Teslasuit has been in enterprise for a few years, however I’ve by no means been in a position to strive it, so I used to be fairly joyful to lastly have a hands-on session with it. The demo was about enjoying Half-Life: Alyx with the Somnium VR1 headset and the higher a part of the Teslasuit, to have essentially the most immersive setup potential for taking part in this recreation.

After I arrived on the sales space (I actually ran to be the primary in line), I used to be requested what’s the dimension of the shirts I normally put on, after which I used to be given the vest of my dimension. The Teslasuit worker on the sales space advised me to go behind a black curtain, take away my garments, and put the Teslasuit shirt on. Because the shirt should stimulate your muscle mass, it should be in direct contact with the pores and skin, so you can’t put on garments beneath it. Carrying the shirt is definitely simple and it’s like sporting a standard sweater, that you simply shut with a zipper in entrance of your torso. There are additionally a couple of buttons to shut on the forearms, however that’s it. It felt a bit tight and I assume this was the aim: if the shirt have been free, it may very well be distant from my pores and skin in some elements so the feeling it offered could have been much less convincing. It additionally felt a bit “artificial”: it isn’t one thing I’d put on exterior throughout the summer time.

After I had my go well with on, the folks on the sales space ran a calibration process: for numerous areas of my physique (proper arm entrance, proper arm again, again, abdomen, left arm entrance, and so forth…), they began giving me rising electrical impulses and I needed to inform after I began feeling one thing, like just a little tingling (min threshold) and after I began feeling ache (max threshold). It’s attention-grabbing how in each area, the max threshold was by no means above 30% of the max energy that the go well with may give me. I spoke with a couple of different folks they usually all reported the identical. I can’t think about the ache ranges that this go well with may give at 100% of its energy!

via GIPHY

After the system was arrange, I used to be given a VR1 headset, VR controllers, and instructed to play a selected a part of Half-Life: Alyx. I’ve to confess I used to be a bit rusty with Alyx, and issues received even worse as a result of they requested me to play it with the Index Controllers that I don’t personal, however I’ve managed to play a couple of taking pictures classes nonetheless. Each time I used to be shot by a soldier or harm by a headcrab I may really feel ache in my physique. Because the ache ranges had been calibrated earlier than, the ache was not insurmountable, however nonetheless, it harm. And it didn’t really feel just like the ache you usually really feel when you’re hit by one thing or are reduce by one thing… it was extra like being hit by a couple of dozen needles in your pores and skin. After some time that I used to be enjoying, my mind began associating being hit with the discomfort of the ache, so I didn’t need to be shot anymore. It was attention-grabbing that Teslasuit engineers additionally related taking pictures with my very own gun to some vibrations to the gun arm (the correct one within the demo). This was cool as a result of it made taking pictures extra sensible. In fact on this case, the aim was to not make me really feel ache (the electrical energy degree was decrease), however simply to make my arm vibrate due to the power utilized by the gun. The vibration additionally didn’t really feel just like the classical rumble (like with bHaptics go well with) however was extra like being touched (however not stung) by many needles on my arm.

The demo was very cool to strive, however on the similar time, I puzzled if I’d have saved enjoying that means for hours. I imply, a demo of a pair minutes the place you are feeling ache when you’re shot is enjoyable, however would I ever play for hours, getting steady electrical shocks each time I’m shot? Most likely not, as a result of my mind would begin associating enjoying Alyx with feeling ache and would cease me from enjoying it. I’ve sufficient expertise to additionally inform you that too many intense haptic sensations for an excessive amount of time can really feel “tiresome” on the physique, so in all probability this isn’t how I’d play video video games the entire day.

However we now have to do not forget that Teslasuit is a tool for enterprise utilization and never for gaming. And within the enterprise, throughout security coaching, the truth that your mind associates “ache I don’t need to really feel” with a mistaken operation that makes a machine explode is definitely good as a result of it signifies that you’ll by no means make that error once more to not really feel ache once more, so your be taught in a extra environment friendly means.

Unluckily I’ve not been in a position to strive the opposite options of the go well with, however solely the vibration and the ache simulation. Some individuals who tried it in different demos up to now advised me it has many cool options, like the flexibility to make your forearm rotate upwards after you shoot to simulate the recoil. Possibly I’ll strive them sooner or later. For now, I can say I had a constructive impression of it, even when I’d have appreciated the ache to really feel a bit extra like actual ache (I do know, this sentence sounds a bit BDSM) and never like needles on my pores and skin.

In the event you’re curious in regards to the worth: the gadget prices $13,000 however universities can get it for analysis initiatives with a 30% low cost.

After my demo, I went again behind the black curtain, eliminated the haptic go well with, and whereas I had my torso bare, a man from Somnium entered the area. In any case these invites to nightclubs, I used to be ultimately the involuntary stripper for somebody, I assume. However I used to be upset he didn’t go away any cash in my underpants. Younger folks don’t know good manners anymore…

Earlier than you go, for those who may share this publish together with your friends or subscribe to my newsletter, I’d be very glad about it. And keep tuned for a hands-on article in regards to the Somnium VR-1 headset to be revealed this week!

Associated