FOVE is the first

virtual reality headset A virtual reality headset (or VR headset) is a head-mounted device that provides virtual reality for the wearer. VR headsets are widely used with VR video games but they are also used in other applications, including simulators and trainers. VR ...

to utilize built-in

eye tracking Eye tracking is the process of measuring either the point of gaze (where one is looking) or the motion of an eye relative to the head. An eye tracker is a device for measuring eye positions and eye movement. Eye trackers are used in research ...

technology. It was created by a Tokyo-based startup founded by Yuka Kojima (CEO) and Lochlainn Wilson (CTO). Announced in 2014, FOVE's technology uses infrared sensors within the headset to accurately track the user's pupils and eye movements with low latency, allowing the user to target and interact with objects by making eye contact with them. Kickstarter Campaign for FOVE began in May, 2015, with an initial funding goal of $250,000. The goal was reached in less than 4 days. Backers who contributed $349+ were originally promised to receive a FOVE HMD in May, 2016. FOVE's Kickstarter campaign ultimately raised a total of $480,650.

Features

* Eye tracking with an accuracy of 1/20 of a degree *

Foveated rendering Foveated rendering is a rendering technique which uses an eye tracker integrated with a virtual reality headset to reduce the rendering workload by greatly reducing the image quality in the peripheral vision (outside of the zone gazed by the fovea ...

– The user's gaze is tracked and calculated so the graphical resources are allocated to where he or she is looking. The different areas of VR world sharpens and blurs depending on where the eyes are focusing. * Move the head naturally – With eye tracking, users can avoid unnecessary head movements and minimize

simulator sickness Simulator sickness is a subset of motion sickness that is typically experienced while playing video games from first-person perspective. It was discovered in the context of aircraft pilots who undergo training for extended periods of time in flight ...

. * Aim with the eyes – The user can target and interact with objects by glancing at them. They can use their gaze to aim weapon crosshairs in compatible FPS games, or create contextual menus for a gaze-based interface. * Make eye contact – The user can easily make eye contact with virtual characters in-game, which could potentially be used to communicate emotions. Characters' behaviors and reactions could change when they are watched.

Hardware

FOVE will utilize

SteamVR Steam is a Digital distribution of video games, video game digital distribution service and storefront by Valve Corporation, Valve. It was launched as a software client in September 2003 as a way for Valve to provide automatic updates for their ...

's Lighthouse technology for

positional tracking In virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), a pose tracking system detects the precise pose of head-mounted displays, controllers, other objects or body parts within Euclidean space. Pose tracking is often referred to as 6DOF tracking, for ...

Developer

FOVE SDK - integrates content from

Unity Unity may refer to: Buildings * Unity Building, Oregon, Illinois, US; a historic building * Unity Building (Chicago), Illinois, US; a skyscraper * Unity Buildings, Liverpool, UK; two buildings in England * Unity Chapel, Wyoming, Wisconsin, US; a h ...

Unreal Engine Unreal Engine (UE) is a 3D computer graphics game engine developed by Epic Games, first showcased in the 1998 first-person shooter game ''Unreal''. Initially developed for PC first-person shooters, it has since been used in a variety of genres ...

and

Cryengine CryEngine (stylized as CRYENGINE) is a game engine designed by the German game developer Crytek. It has been used in all of their titles with the initial version being used in ''Far Cry'', and continues to be updated to support new consoles and ...

. Developers can port existing VR content into FOVE or create new content. API for Foveated rendering.

History

September 9, 2014 - FOVE was revealed at Tech Crunch Disrupt SF 2014. May 19, 2015 - Kickstarter Campaign began. May 23, 2015 - Kickstarter Goal of $250,000 was reached June 25, 2015 - FOVE announced that it received an undisclosed amount of funding from Samsung Ventures, the venture capital arm of the Korean conglomerate. June 25, 2015 - FOVE announced that it will use

Lighthouse A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of physical structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses and to serve as a beacon for navigational aid, for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways. Lighthouses mar ...

for

. March 23, 2016 - FOVE closed an $11 million Series A funding round, but delayed shipment to Fall 2016 because of difficulty sourcing components.

References

{{Reflist Head-mounted displays