It still feels strange to be able to say with certainty that, within the next decade or two, virtual reality will reach a level equal or close to that of what we’ve been seeing in science fiction for years. Obviously we still have a ways to go, but we’re progressing, and one of the companies helping us to do that is Fove. This Japanese startup is working on bringing eye-tracking control to a level that not even the likes of Google, Oculus VR, or Sony have been able to do.
Forget the cheesy 80s movies and failed attempts of the 90s – virtual reality (VR) is back, with current technology finally ready to match its science fiction-level ambition. The resurgence of virtual reality gizmos aimed at gadget buyers like you and me, in the form of head-mounted displays (HMDs), is being led by Oculus VR. The company launched a Kickstarter campaign for its gaming-focused development kit, dubbed the Oculus Rift, in 2012. Its goal was to raise US$250,000. Backers ended up pledging more than US$2.4 million. Oculus, and the VR revolution the company appeared to be ushering in, has met its fair share of skeptics. Many were silenced last June, when social media behemoth Facebook finalized its acquisition of the company for a staggering US$2 billion. Even before Facebook’s surprise acquisition, Oculus had piqued (or, perhaps, re-piqued) consumer interest in virtual reality. Sony entered the budding space with the announcement of its Project Morpheus headset in March last year. Facebook chairman Mark Zuckerberg allegedly tested out Sony’s VR hardware, designed for its Playstation 4 console, a week before announcing his company’s intent to buy Oculus.
