In an exciting development in virtual reality technology, a group of eight mechanical engineering students from ETH Zurich, a prestigious Swiss university, has taken a bold step into the future. They have created the Meta Suit, a tactile suit that could change the way we interact with the metaverse and bring our virtual reality experiences into a more real-life world.
In this article, we'll tell you what this costume consists of and how it was created.
Suit with artificial muscles for a VR experience
This innovative suit uses revolutionary artificial muscles called Hasel, which allow users to "feel" the virtual objects they interact with in the virtual world. Gone are the days when virtual reality felt disconnected and alien, only possible through audiovisual means. With the Meta Suit, immersion is tactical as well.
Maximilan Eberlein, the project leader, explains that the inclusion of these artificial muscles, HASEL (hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic actuators), is what makes the experience so extraordinary. He noted: "It's amazing. Like, the first few times we tried our technology, we all had to laugh because it was an incredible feeling, something I'd never felt before. You're in a completely different environment. You could be on Mars, and if you feel something, it feels real."
What makes this suit so special?
Instead of relying on cameras for motion tracking, the Meta Suit uses an innovative method called proprioception. The artificial muscles send out a tiny electrical current as they contract and expand, allowing users to physically feel what they're experiencing in the virtual world. Eberlein illustrates this with an example: "You have bags filled with a special fluid, and spraying electrodes into them and applying a voltage to these electrodes causes these muscles to fuse together, and this leads to a contraction of the muscle."
The main idea behind the Meta Suit is to create greater interaction with virtual reality. The ability to "feel" virtual objects adds a new dimension to VR experiences and could have a major impact in fields ranging from entertainment to education and medicine.
This breakthrough is not only exciting for its potential applications, but also because it's a testament to the power of student innovation and creativity. The Meta Suit is a reminder that the future of technology lies in the hands of young, passionate minds who dare to dream big.
Although still a prototype in development, the Meta Suit promises to open new doors in the world of virtual reality. The ability to "touch" and "feel" virtual objects could fundamentally change the way we experience gaming, training, design, and many other areas.
As we continue to explore the limits of what's possible in virtual reality, the Meta Suit stands as an important milestone in this exciting journey. We look forward to seeing how this technology evolves and integrates into our everyday lives, giving us immersive experiences we could only imagine a few years ago.
The future of virtual reality looks brighter than ever thanks to the Meta Suit and the ingenuity of these Swiss students! And at GSMPRO.CL, we're closely following the development of all the accessories that make VR immersion more enjoyable.