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Could there be a boom in VR Arcades?

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Taiwanese electronics manufacturer, HTC, push the concept of VR arcades with new ‘Vive’ software

Viveport Arcade offers arcade operators curated software with a pay-per-use license

One of the biggest issues with high-end virtual reality experiences right now is that they often require people invest thousands of pounds in powerful computers in order to work. One solution to this is the VR arcade, where operators buy machines and then rent time on them to the public.

HTC recently announced a new software platform that aims to help with the creation of such arcades. ‘Viveport Arcade’ is designed to help arcade operators find games that are well-suited to the sort of public experience that they’re building, while also helping developers better monetise their creations. It’s built for the Taiwanese hardware maker’s Vive headset, one of the leading offerings in the realm of high-end virtual reality headgear.

It’s a move by the company to try and democratise access to virtual reality, while also getting a cut of the burgeoning VR arcade business. Rikard Steiber, senior vice president of Virtual Reality at HTC, said that these arcades are a big hit in China.

“We see this moving very strongly in China, where there are basically thousands of these arcade operators opening up,” he said in an interview. “It’s everything from the traditional internet cafes, to the arcades that are linked to cinemas, to basically independent operators and shopping malls opening them up as well.”

Viveport Arcade can help drive that business in a couple of ways: first, operators get curated, frequently refreshed software that’s licensed for use in an arcade. Developers then have an opportunity to sell their software to those businesses and make money on its ongoing use.

Arcade operators pre-buy time through Viveport Arcade that they can then use to let users run VR experiences. When the credits are expended, HTC splits the proceeds evenly with the Vive developer whose software is used.

In the future, HTC may also work with developers on creating titles that can only be used in arcades because they require special hardware or a particular physical setup.

To inspire the creation of VR arcades, HTC also recently launched a VR theme park called Viveland in Taipei. It’s meant to serve as an example of what VR arcades could be, to inspire other people to operate their own and spread virtual reality.

Viveport Arcade is launching first in China and Taiwan. HTC says that it will then roll out to “thousands of locations” worldwide by the end of next year.

 

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– Blair Hanley Frank

Bone Conducting Headset Creates 360 Degree Sound

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Prototype headset sends sound directly through the skull, converting experiences that we usually see into something we can hear.

A team of inventors have created a prototype headset that they claim could give us an extra sense.

Sonna uses bone conduction to transmit sound directly through the skull – and because it bypasses the ear canal, you do not need headphones.

“We have these little vibrating pieces that send sound vibrations into your skull and those then travel to your ears,” said Allison Rowe, Sonna’s co-creator.

“Then your brain does a whole lot of the work to sort of trick you into thinking that those sounds are coming from some location out in space around you.

“So you can actually sense as if these are in some 360 degree radius around you.”

Bone conduction is not a new idea but those behind Sonna think they have come up with an original use for it – helping cyclists to navigate their way through cities.

They hope to be able to turn their prototype into a device which sends audio instructions directly into riders’ skulls.

These sounds would then be targeted at specific areas of the head, so all the users would need to do is follow where the audio is coming from.

The technology that Sonna uses could also benefit people with visual impairments, by sending them audio cues which might usually come from apps that you need to be able to see.

However, Sonna is not the only device using sound in an innovative way. Grammy-winning music producer Timbaland has teamed up with Android co-creator Andy Rubin to create Subpac.

This transmits low frequency sound through the body so you can ‘feel’ what you are listening to. It is already used for gaming, virtual reality and music but it could also benefit people with hearing loss.

“As we focus on the low end and the physicality of the music, it allows people who are on the hard of hearing spectrum to really engage with music in a whole new way,” said James Williams from Subpac.

But despite the potential benefits that devices such as Sonna and Subpac offer, they might struggle to achieve mass appeal.

“I think it’s a very difficult sell to have things like bone conduction technology, because it is quite scary, but it depends on the audio experience,” said technology journalist Gareth Beavis.

“It could catch on. Maybe not mass market…but definitely there will be a niche for people that want to buy this stuff.”

– The Swipe Team

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