A virtual reality system allows users to feel the vibrations of water being poured into a cup

Solidray, a Japanese firm that specializes in virtual reality systems, has developed an intelligent system that mixes visual and tactile feedback to simulate a virtual water jet’ that is poured into a real cup.

The Japanese company Solidray has developed a new virtual reality system that fuses visual and tactile feedback so that the user can see and feel how water flows in a virtual space. This new virtual development is based on a cross-modal immersion system, a perception that involves interactions between two or more different sensory modalities. In this case, touch and visual mode.

By projecting a 3D sequence, where you can see a manga character pouring water through an amphora, The user can see and feel how the 3D water jet falls directly and collect that liquid using an accessory prepared for it that he himself carries..

The system includes glasses that have a magnetic sensor capable of measuring, precisely, user's line of sight in 3D. This allows the system to dynamically change the 3D viewpoint, in line with viewing position, so the user can see the 3D scene played from all directions.

Regarding glasses, its creators have explained: “When you put on 3D glasses, the scene appears before you. You find yourself in a virtual world created on the computer. The most important thing is that things appear life-size, so the female character appears life-size before the user's eyes. Therefore, It seems like she's really in front of you.. Besides, water is flowing out of the 3D scene. When the user has a drink, and places it against the water, the vibration is transmitted to the cup, which makes you feel like water is pouring into the cup “.

As for the other accessory, which will carry the tactile condition of the glass-shaped system, use a TECHTILE kit, a group of tools developed by researchers at Keio University that enable haptic recording and playback. Starting from an infrared camera, located in the glass and responsible for measuring its position, the sensation of poured water is recorded using a microphone and, when the position of the glass overlaps with that of the parabolic line of water, the sensation is reproduced.

In the touch section, the creators have pointed out: “Here, we have added touch technology, as well as visual sensations. Taking things that bring up other sensations in the brain. You can really feel like you have entered a virtual space. All we're doing is shaking the glass, but some users even say it feels cold or heavy”.