Hapto: the World's First VR Controller That Provides a 100% Realistic Experience for Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and More
Its Indiegogo campaign set to launch on May 31, Hapto is expanding the VR landscape by allowing users to move freely and feel objects as if they were real in a virtual space
May 31, 2017, 09:00 ET
SAN FRANCISCO, May 31, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Hapto, a Singapore-based VR startup, launched its Indiegogo campaign today (http://bit.ly/2qnAiaL). A virtual reality controller unlike any other in the world, Hapto provides realistic haptic effect for its users. With Hapto users can make any movement in VR: touch, hold, or throw objects, deftly wield weapons, and experience a virtual space as if it were real. One of the primary benefits of the Hapto controller is that it is very easy to use; the user simply has to put it on and is ready to go. Hapto is compatible with PCs and Android devices, as well as most popular VR headsets and platforms, including Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, Google Cardboard, HTC Vive, Google Daydream, and Merge VR Goggles. Hapto will be available for sale at $249 USD, but the discounted early-bird price during the campaign is $149 USD.
"Hapto is meant to open up the VR possibilities we've all been dreaming about. It's the sci-fi world come true," said Alexander Khromenkov, CEO and Founder of Hapto. He added, "For many years we studied the latest medical research on how the human brain forms tactical feelings. Once we understood the science, we created a system that fully reproduces the impact on the brain when a person interacts with an object. You put Hapto on, start a VR game or app, and experience such a realistic haptic effect that you may even forget you're in virtual reality."
The first Hapto prototype was developed in 2013 when the project collected 100K in funding on Kickstarter. Since then the company has completely redesigned Hapto to achieve a totally unique and improved controller. The haptic mechanism that now powers Hapto consists of 20 pushers that are configured and programmed to provide the same haptic effect for the user's hand as if she was touching an object in the real world. Hapto also has movement-capturing light circles placed on both sides that catch the user's every move, an accelerometer or gyroscope for rotation detection and motion detection, and four buttons for basic navigation in any game or app.
"It's a totally different experience. It's weird to have that sensation. I mean, I know I am not touching it, but it feels like I am touching it. I really like it. I like the idea of it. I can actually be involved with more than just my eyes; I can touch a thing and move it. That's pretty cool," said Bernard Jacobsen, one of the first people to test Hapto.
Hapto is perfectly ergonomic, suitable for any hand, and equipped with a comfortable strap, allowing for perfect adjustment. The device is available in three colors (white and orange, black and white, and black and orange), and has a rechargeable battery that lasts for two to three hours of constant gaming. Hapto is currently compatible with the most popular VR headsets, such as Samsung Gear VR, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Google Cardboard, Google Daydream, and Merge VR Goggles. Support for PSVR, OSVR, and Hololens will soon be added. To integrate Hapto into games, developers can use Hapto's SDK.
The Hapto team is thrilled to get its product out to VR users, and invites backers to claim their controllers at the early-bird price of $149 USD, available on Indiegogo starting from May 31st.
For more information, visit http://bit.ly/2qnAiaL.
Press kit available here https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/0Bz4z7kyX56zQaUFFVXVYQmFLb3M
About Hapto
Hapto was founded in 2012 by Alex Khromenkov and Vlad Lukashevich—both experts in IT development and sensor-neural reprogramming. Combining their experience with the latest medical research, technical innovations, and a belief that VR presents a full hand of opportunities for the whole world, they decided to exclude the only thing that stopped VR from being 100% usable and perceivable—the absence of haptic feelings. In 2013, they created the first Hapto prototype controller providing full interaction with the VR space. Now, Hapto is ready to introduce the next generation of VR controllers with a realistic haptic effect and complete interaction with any objects. Simple in usage and integration (considering ready-to-add SDK), the Hapto controller is set up to become a new stage in VR, not just in gaming but in every sphere of VR and AR.
For more information, visit http://hapto.me or follow Hapto on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hapto.me/.
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SOURCE Hapto
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