We all want virtual reality (VR) to get to the stage where it’s fully immersive to the point of reality. There’s still a fair way to go until that happens but every year is another step closer. FeelReal Inc. is one company looking to push multi-sensory immersion, with a device called the FeelReal VR Mask, designed not only to provide smells, but also vibrations, and blasts of air or mist onto a player’s face.
The company has been working on its design for several years now, originally holding an unsuccessful Kickstarter campaign back in 2015. Now FeelReal Inc. is back with a new and improved design for VR headsets, with plans to launch another Kickstarter in the near future.
Unlike the VAQSO VR scent device for example, which purely releases smells according to what the VR player is seeing, the FeelReal VR Mask takes this idea and pushes it another step further with the addition of tactile sensations. When it comes to odour, FeelReal has developed a scent generator that holds replaceable cartridges with 9 individual aroma capsules. Users can choose and combine any of the 255 scents available in the store, with all FeelReal aromas exclusively designed by acclaimed perfumer, Olfactologist, and perfume critic Bogdan Zubchenko.
As for the tactile sensations, these are essentially different haptic solutions, with the FeelReal VR Mask able to produce Water Mist, Heat, Wind and Vibration, to cater for any virtual situation. Whether that’s watching a 360-degree movie feeling the rain on your cheeks or racing through the hills, feeling the cool mountain breeze on your face.
FeelReal Inc. hasn’t confirmed when the Kickstarter will go live or how much the company is planning to raise. The previous campaign aimed for $50,000 USD, only achieving $24,000, with development devices starting from $250. A lot of time has passed since then, with new images of the device making it look like a much more consumer-ready device, compatible with a wide variety of headsets including Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Oculus Go and PlayStation VR.
When FeelReal Inc. releases further details regarding the device and its Kickstarter launch, VRFocus will let you know.