We already know that a brand new virtual reality headset is likely to set you back a couple of hundred dollars — and there will probably be some necessary upgrades to your rig to get things running smoothly. However, you may not have considered that a proper VR experience might call for some new furniture as well.
Next week will see the start of a Kickstarter campaign for a gaming chair known as the VRGO. The product attempts to solve two problems; to give players a platform to sit on while they’re experiencing a virtual world, and to give them another method of interacting with it.
VRGO pairs the natural movement of the user’s body with a Bluetooth connection to the computer or smartphone running the VR program. Anything from a slight tilt to a full-on lean will then control the character’s movement in the game, or correspond to any other input that developers might dream up.
This leaves your hands free to interact with the experience in another way — and remaining seated also makes sure you’re not going to wreck your living room while you’re wrapped up in a virtual world. Player controls are one of the biggest challenges virtual reality faces ahead of mainstream acceptance, but this approach could prove fruitful.
The device’s creators also claim that it can help cut down on some of the sickness certain users have been known to experience in VR simulations. This problem is attributed to the disconnect between turning in a virtual space but staying still in reality, which VRGO serves to eliminate.
The team behind VRGO are looking to raise £20,000 on Kickstarter, a sum that equates to just over $30,000. If you’re interested, a limited number of early bird backers will be able to secure one of the first chairs for the bargain price of £150 or $230. The campaign begins on November 3.
