Red Rift

Eye tracking technology

One of the easiest ways of interacting with the world is by our eyes. When we meet people, first of all, we exchange a look and only then say “hello”. Similarly, in games: first we look at the menu, and only after that press the play button. But we can't exchange glances with the character of the game without special devices. What devices exist to control the game through gaze? What are the prospects of the technology for tracking the gaze of a player? Let's find the answers to these questions. All modern eye tracking devices work on the same principle. The infrared light integrated in the device is reflected on the cornea of ​​the user's eye, while the cameras of the device record a video. The final image is processed by a special algorithm that takes into account the location of the lens flare relative to the pupil. There are several eye tracking devices, but the most suitable for video games are Sentry and Tobii 4C. The first one is a thin black and red bar that is mounted on a computer monitor and scans the user's eyes 50 times per second. This device is convenient not only for the players, but also for the audience. For example, if a gamer broadcasts on Twitch using Sentry, then the audience sees where the gamer's gaze is directed, and this helps better understand his actions. Tobii 4C is a game eye tracker that is manually configured by the company's engineers directly for each game. At the moment, more than 135 games support eye control, while using Tobii 4C. Also a great advantage of Tobii 4C is the support of control by gaze of the Windows 10 operating system. Recently, Nvidia, in collaboration with SMI, has shown how to fully immerse yourself in the virtual world by integrating the eye tracking module on HTC Vive. When VR technologies with built-in sensors for tracking the player’s gaze become available to everyone, a new era of video games will begin. Just imagine users will not only look at images of game characters, but also communicate with them in the virtual world, looking directly into their eyes. On the one hand, a slightly frightening perspective, reminiscent of the plot of a science fiction movie, but on the other hand, there are thousands of new opportunities, impressions and sensations.

Facebook Tasbi

The development of VR technology has gone far ahead despite its recent appearance. And like any device, the VR system has its own controllers. However, the use of currently existing gamepads in virtual reality distorts the effect of presence. Facebook tackled this issue and, at a recent global tactile technology conference, introduced the Tasbi bracelet concept, which is a virtual reality controller like a mouse on your computer. WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE The device is a kind of electronic watch with a rather large screen, the strap of which consists of individual elements that can transmit vibrations and dynamically adjust the pressure at the points of contact with the body. DEVICE CAPABILITIES According to the developers, Tasbi bracelets are able to reproduce vibrations and compressions when the user interacts with the content of the virtual world. Moreover, the bracelet makes it possible to control holographic objects, allowing the user to feel them (for example, you can feel how you are stroking a holographic animal). RELEASE DATES AND PROSPECTS The developers plan to finalize this concept: add additional sensors on other parts of the body, build in finger tracking sensors for the most accurate control; therefore, the release date of the device is still unknown. But surely the developers will not just leave this interesting idea, and finally we will see Tasbi on store shelves.