The 5 Most Innovative AR and VR technologies from Augmented World Expo 2018

This year I attended Augmented World Expo in Santa Clara, California, the premier event for showcasing augmented, mixed and virtual reality technology. There were nearly 6000 attendees and almost 400 journalists, almost double the attendance I saw from when I attended last year.

That gives you an idea of just how fast the technology is being adopted. And with good reason too. Immersive technology is where some of the most exciting innovation for humanity is taking place. These products really push the boundaries of what’s possible in terms of what we can see, hear and even touch. Here are five of the most innovative technologies I was lucky enough to demo at the conference.

Meta: Touch and manipulate your visual reality

This mixed reality headset is the direct competitor to Microsoft’s Hololens, but has a field of view that is double the size of the Hololens. It allows you to overlay images onto your actual vision, but best of all, it allows you to manipulate those images seamlessly using your hands (think Tom Cruise in Minority Report) By wearing the headset, you can pinch, drag, select and stretch 3D image projection that interact with your reality. Use cases include architectural design, medical training, creating art and repairing complex machinery.

Ultrahaptics: Experience physical sensation without touching anything

If Meta allows you to virtually touch and manipulate objects, Ultrahaptics gives you the ability to physically feel those sensations. It does this with a small speaker-like grid that generates blasts of ultrasound waves mirroring your movements in the virtual realm. These waves create the feeling of pressure and touch on your fingers. Imagine pressing a button, or rolling a ball in a virtual reality environment, but actually feeling the sensations from those actions on your fingertips.

This is the next level of experiencing virtual reality, where in addition to being immersed in a completely imaginary audio and visual environment, you can now physically experience it as well. 

Vyking: Virtually demo physical products

Furniture and home goods store IKEA has already been receiving rave reviews for the AR feature on its mobile app that allows you to virtually “place” a furniture item in your real bedroom to see how it looks. AR marketing platform Vyking has developed the next level of that technology, which allows you to virtually try physical products with even greater detail. In the demo video below, you can now try on a pair of virtual sneakers and see how they look on your real feet, all through your mobile screen.

This is a remarkable feat of innovation, and it removes a huge hurdle for most online shoppers who won’t go through with a purchase unless they’re fully confident in the value of a product.

Holosuit: Create a virtual replica of your body and its motion

If you’ve ever seen the movie Pacific Rim, you’ll know that it’s all about giant 250 feet warrior robots who only act by mimicking the physical actions of the tiny humans inside them. The Holosuit allows you to do exactly that, (although sadly, the robot in the demo video below is only a foot tall.) Not only is the suit is able to track the wearer’s motions and transmit it to a robot or virtual avatar, it can also relay sensation feedback through the suit. So for example, if you robot avatar is getting punched in the stomach, the suit can relay the pressure sensation to your actual body, in the same place. This has huge implications for people who have hazardous occupations that require physical dexterity for example, firefighters, nuclear plant workers and bomb disposal experts.

Hard to believe this technology is still without funding, instead choosing to raise capital through Kickstarter. You can find its page here.

Nuheara IQ Buds: Augment and enhance what you hear

Although the bulk of AR and VR technologies are focused on altering what we see, what we hear has an equally big impact on or perceived reality. Audio tech company Nuheara has created the first “augmented hearing” device, which allows you to manipulate what you hear by using its “IQ Buds” wireless earphones. For example, in a crowded bar, you can adjust the audio frequencies to turn down background noise, and turn up the voice of your companion to have an easier conversation. In the newest IQ Buds device, users will be able to create a personalized audio profile that dynamically adjusts external sounds so they can hear better. This is a fantastic innovation for hearing impaired people whose specific needs can’t be met by generic hearing aids.