Random VR And AR Tech Stole Show At CES 2020 (5 items)

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  (#1) Earthquake Sound

  The innovative speaker company Earthquake Sound made a big splash at CES with a sizable exhibition featuring not one, but two VR-based driving simulators. VR goggles provided the visual experience of a driving video game while a hydraulics-based gaming chair jostled back and forth with the movements of the driver. Of course, surround sound speakers were there to complete the immersive experience and place the driver in an entirely different world.

  There were a few different driving simulators on display at CES 2020, but Earthquake Sound's was by far the most impressive looking. It's hard to imagine putting that setup in your home (unless you're a true racing game fanatic), but it could easily become a staple of arcades in the near future. 
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  (#5) am gläss

  Unlike the bulk of AR/VR options on display at the convention, which either relied on digital displays like TVs or smartphones or on bulky goggles, am gläss from the Hong Kong startup Pacific Future uses a relatively lightweight pair of glasses to project a new world around users. The archery game that the company set up for the project was incredibly popular, with hundreds of convention-goers taking the time to wait in line and blindly fumble with the game's bow-shaped controller. 

  This setup's primary advantage in the AR gaming market comes down to two factors: weight (just a little over three ounces) and price point (a little more than $1,000). That may seem simple, but breaking into this emerging market requires not just immersive graphics and gameplay, but simplicity and accessibility, as well. 
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  (#3) Leo - the VR Arcade

  One of the biggest hurdles of VR is all the work that goes into setting it up and connecting it. It's unfortunately never as simple as putting on the helmet and pressing play — or is it?

  By rolling the whole system up into a traditional arcade cabinet, Leo eliminates a lot of the hassle surrounding VR while bringing a touch of nostalgia to this very futuristic-seeming gaming technology. And if you're worried about wearing a mask that the sweaty guy ahead of you in line just had over his eyes, don't worry: the goggles come with UV lights that automatically disinfect them after each use. 

  The games were new, but incredibly simple, and had names that are very typical of an arcade shooter like "Guardian of Crystals" and "Battle Monsters." While plenty of other VR rigs won attention for being flashy and immersive, this one impressed us with its dedication to making VR fun in the same way traditional gaming has always been. 
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  (#4) RealMax

  RealMax really brought an innovative twist to the AR experience by capturing a live performance in 3D at the beginning of the convention, then replaying that experience for goggle-wearing attendees throughout the rest of CES. The performer was Lindsey Stirling, aka "Violin Girl," a violin virtuoso who's best known for improvising over electronic tracks at festivals like Bonnaroo and Burning Man.

  A DJ on a stage up front helped to guide participants through the system's interactive functionalities, including the ability to draw shapes or write messages that hang in the air for other participants to see and add on to. While most of the other AR and VR platforms being exhibited were used to demonstrate various gaming capabilities, RealMax showed how the technology might be used to create incredibly immersive (and, potentially, pretty trippy) concert experiences. 
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  (#2) "Holo World" from Ximmerse

  Ximmerse is a VR company based in Guangzhou, China, but they've recently begun to make inroads into the American market by establishing a new HQ in Los Angeles. On display at CES was Ximmerse's "Holo World," a version of their "Holo Museum" product that is largely geared towards children.

  Inside the dimly lit dome pictured here, visitors put on Ximmerse's unique VR helmets and used handheld controllers to interact with undersea life. Though the technology obviously has potential gaming applications, it can also be used to give students and museum-goers an interactive method of learning about ocean life, prehistoric Earth, and much more.

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