HaptX opened pre-orders Tuesday for its Gloves G1, an enterprise-class haptic device for $4,500 per pair — a cost reduction compared to previous models. The company plans to ship the G2 product in the third quarter of 2023.
Jake Rubin, Founder and CEO of HaptX, believes that haptics is the cornerstone of next-generation human-machine interface (HMI) technologies. He noted that the immersive business opportunities are endless thanks to the HaptX Gloves G1 hardware.
Gloves G1 includes many new features such as improved ergonomics, multiple glove sizes, wireless mobility, improved haptic functionality and multiplayer collaboration. Customers can leverage the G1 device for enterprise and industrial use cases such as training, remote instruction, and collaboration.
Creating realistic and responsive haptics
The G1 device comes with a rich Software Development Kit (SDK) that allows customers to integrate HaptX branded realistic feedback into custom immersive applications using Unreal Engine and Unity.
The HaptX SDK includes tools to control G1 feedback and input while a user is in an immersive application. Developers can manage feedback for microscale surface texture simulation, robotics integration, and multiplayer functionalities.
The multiplayer integration included with HaptX enables a distributed workforce to work in a shared, immersive environment and collaborate using gestures and responsive feedback.
Joe Michaels, Chief Revenue Officer of HaptX, said
“Too often we see companies and industry leaders turn to game controllers to interact with business applications in the metaverse. Organizations developing theirs
metaverse Strategy now has a touch feedback solution so effective their jobs can depend on it. With HaptX Gloves G1 at such a low price, you don’t have to settle for controllers or hand tracking.”
The Gloves G1 device mimics the sensation of touch by physically displacing a user’s skin using microfluidic actuators to make a virtual object feel real.
In addition, the device uses a lightweight airpack that generates compressed air and controls flow to provide realistic haptic feedback. Employees can place the Airpack accessory on their back for a room-scale application, or place the device on a table for a seated virtual reality (VR) experience.
The company’s latest product comes just months after it raised $32 million to expand its product portfolio in line with customer demand. Investors added that his solution is critical for building Web3 and Metaverse services.
