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 Virtual reality technology has been touted as the next social and
communications platform, with companies like Oculus VR one of the
market leaders with their "Oculus Rift" virtual-reality glasses. But
FOVE's co-developer and chief technology officer Lochlainn Wilson
says their unique technology offers an immersive experience like no
other.
"Eye-tracking is game-changing in VR. It allows for much more
complex and subtle interaction than has been possible previously. By
knowing exactly where the user is looking, characters in virtual
reality can react to your gaze and return it naturally or avoid it
or respond or question," he said, adding: "But what really sets us
apart is eye-tracking, of course. So, with eye-tracking we enable a
whole new world of interaction in VR. We enable really sensitive
emotional experiences that could only otherwise be experienced in
real life."
FOVE's eye-tracking technology uses two in-built cameras in the head
mount to recognize the users' eye movement. At present users perform
a short calibration sequence, where the device scans the user's eye
and tracks the movement of their iris. The team says the next
version of the device will use iris recognition to load user
profiles.
 Wilson says the device delivers an experience previously only
possible in science fiction.
"In the control sense, we enable science fiction-like user
interfaces like Tony Stark's Ironman and Jarvis; just at a glance
user interface respond and updates information, targets an enemy,
hits another button and they're blown up. It's pretty cool in that
sense. In a more technical side of things, we enable what is known
as foviated rendering; where you focus the processing power exactly
what the user is looking at. By doing this, we drastically reduce
the computing power required to deliver a believable scene."
The Tokyo-based start-up was founded by Wilson alongside CEO Yuka
Kojima. And while they clearly have the games industry in their
sights, the makers of FOVE say their device could also bring virtual
reality to cinema, allowing viewers to interact inside the headset
with objects and characters.
Wilson said the technology also presents an opportunity to
re-imagine various tasks and social interactions in areas like
medicine and education.
"We always thoughts that our technology would have application well
outside of gaming. I mean, it's suitable for education, training,
research, psychology, neuroscience; there's a lot of fields that can
benefit from having this kind of technology," he said.
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To demonstrate the versatility of their device, an early
proof-of-concept prototype was developed alongside the University of
Tsukuba's Special Needs Education School for the Physically
Challenged in Japan. Together they created the 'Universal Piano'
where the user's eye movements trigger a note on a piano. The
standard piano keyboard was rearranged for an interface that can be
played by sight; with an accurate and rich musical performance
possible through combined application of the mono-tone mode and
chord mode.
Wilson says the technology delivers a freedom of expression and
creativity for people with certain disabilities; and could even
provide a level of communication that was previously impossible.
"There's a lot of people who could benefit from this technology;
people who, for example, have limited freedom with their hands and
cannot use computers very well. This can completely change that by
giving them a private space that they can completely control
themselves. And it might be use, like we've done it for playing
musical instruments, also accessibility robots that are completely
controlled by the users' eyes. So for profoundly disabled people
suffering from advanced stages of ALS, for example, they can be
given a window to see their family that they can manipulate,
activate gestures and even type to speak using their eyes."
Wilson said the expected price point for a FOVE headset would be
about $400 USD. The company is now launching a crowd-funding
campaign on the Kickstarter platform to raise $250,000 to perfect
the product and start manufacturing its headsets.
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