Roto VR Explorer chair could make VR less nauseating and more immersive

[A new “Made for Meta” rotating chair for virtual reality is designed to reduce motion sickness and increase immersiveness (presence), as reported in short story from The Verge and excerpts from coverage in several other publications that follow. Most of the original stories include more pictures and the Roto VR Explorer chair trailer (also available on YouTube). See an April 2015 ISPR Presence News post for details about an early version of the new product. –Matthew]

This head-tracking spinning chair could make VR less nauseating

The Roto VR Explorer chair matches the rotational movements of a VR user’s head, helping to make navigating virtual worlds feel less disorienting.

By Andrew Liszewski, a senior reporter who’s been covering and reviewing the latest gadgets and tech since 2011, but has loved all things electronic since he was a kid.
August 14, 2024

The Roto VR Explorer chair is designed to make VR experiences feel more immersive (and less nauseating) by pairing real-world movements with what’s seen in a headset. By simply spinning a sitting user in place, it’s able to do that in a much smaller footprint than other solutions like the Virtuix Omni treadmill or Disney’s Holo Tile treadmill.

It looks like an office chair, but the Roto VR Explorer is distinguished by an oversize wheeled base with an integrated electric motor that can spin a seated user at speeds of up to 21 revolutions per minute. The chair will automatically rotate left and right to match the head turns of a user wearing a Meta Quest headset, but instead of relying on movement data captured by the Quest, the Roto VR Explorer uses its own motion-sensing head tracker attached to a head strap.

The Roto VR Explorer comes with the Made for Meta stamp of approval, meaning it’s “authorized by Meta to meet our high-quality standards,” but since the head tracking is all handled by a proprietary sensor, the chair should also work with other VR headsets, as long as you’ve got a head strap to attach it to.

The speed of the chair matches the speed and intensity of a user’s head movements. A small head turn will result in barely noticeable turns or, in some cases, no movement at all, but a fast head turn will have the chair quickly accelerating to its maximum speed.

The chair claims to reduce motion sickness — a long-standing issue for many users of devices like the Meta Quest — because it adds real-world movements that coincide with what’s seen in a VR experience so the brain is less disoriented. Could you recreate a similar experience by just rotating a regular office chair with your legs? Potentially, but the movements wouldn’t be as closely matched as what’s claimed here.

The Roto VR Explorer won’t eliminate motion sickness entirely. Users may still experience it when moving forward or backward or quickly teleporting to other areas in a VR world using a controller. Being able to physically walk around while experiencing VR is still a better approach, but the chair is designed as a compromise for smaller spaces, where full-body movements may be restricted.

Other useful features include a rumble pack mounted under the seat, providing force feedback, a modular design for attaching other unannounced accessories, and a USB port at the base of the chair that rotates so users can keep a VR headset charged without cables getting wrapped up. Locking wheels also ensure the Roto VR Explorer doesn’t slide around during intense VR experiences.

It’s available for preorder now for $799 (or £799 in the UK), and according to TechCrunch, it’s expected to ship as early as October. If VR fans are experiencing a sense of deja vu, it’s because the company introduced a more complex version back in 2020, which sold for over $2,000.


[From PC Gamer]

If you want a comfy VR experience or if you don’t have the space to circle your lounge like an under-exercised dog, sitting down for VR gaming is where it’s at. But, unless you’re an owl, this means using your controller to turn around—which isn’t as much fun or as immersive as actually turning your body around. If the Roto VR Explorer fixes this problem, I can see why the company says it might create an “unparalleled immersive experience”.

It’s also worth noting that turning around for 360º viewing when on your feet isn’t always pleasant, either. Many times I’ve opted to stand and move forwards and backwards but use the controller sticks to flip around rather than turning my body. It’s just easier that way, especially for fast-paced action games.

This chair does seem to be targeted for certain kinds of game, though. Roto says it’s “compatible with all seated VR experiences,” and I can see why it might not be useful for certain kinds of gaming. If the seat turns when you move your head, that surely means you won’t be able to have much body-and-head separation—no looking left while moving right.

I also wonder what the felt-experience will be like spinning around on this thing. In some thorough scientific testing, I sat and span around in my office chair for a few seconds, and I can confirm that you can definitely feel the spin. You know, physics and all. I doubt people will be spinning on this thing at high velocities, but I do wonder what the interplay between real-life spinny and in-virtual-reality spinny physics will feel like.


[From GamesRadar+]

Not all VR experiences lend themselves to standing up – think racing games, for example. In fairness, playing while standing can be tiring after a while, so a chair like this will help take a load off.

A couch, or one of the best gaming chairs can be awkward when using a VR headset because their shape can end up getting in the way of all-important arm movements. The Roto VR Explorer has a shorter backrest, meaning your arms will be free to move around, uninhibited by a bulky seat and armrests.

The immersion doesn’t stop there though, because this new throne also has a built-in rumble pack that provides whole-body haptic feedback. If that reminds you of Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Mirage Haptic Feedback shirt, you’re on the right track.

[snip]

A gimmick, or here to stay?

I’m always pretty skeptical about full-body VR controllers, because I don’t think they’re ever practical as a mainstay piece of tech you can have in your home without uprooting other living room furniture. I’ve had a few of these land in my inbox in the last 12 months, and while they’re incredibly inventive, they’re usually great bulking body braces that just aren’t viable for the average gamer.

The same goes for Disney’s Holotile Infinite Floor – it’s incredibly clever technology, but not something that people will be able to roll out and use whenever they feel a VR urge coming on.

Similarly, Virtuix has an incredible Omni Arena that holds you in place as you fully commit to VR gameplay, but that isn’t something that will ever really be viable for use at home.

I feel differently about this chair though, because while it has a fairly outlandish design that would give the best pink gaming chairs a run for their money, it is an unassuming bit of furniture that you could get away with having around the house. Depending on how heavy it is, and how much of a faff it is to roll out and set up when you want to use it, it could go either way for me.

I also like that this is a refined iteration of something Roto tried to make successful a whole seven years ago – which I realized from a quick look at the brand’s YouTube channel.

Still, your average VR gamer could get some use out of this new model since it has some versatility as a chair on its own. For VR veterans who want to invest in a full-time setup, this could be like one of the best racing wheels for PC that are constantly attached to a desk or play space.

I’m optimistic about this chair, and I think it has legs beyond a gimmick. I hope I get the chance to test it out.


[From Mixed Reality News]

In addition to Meta Quest, the Roto VR Explorer also supports other standalone headsets such as Vive XR Elite, Pico Neo 3, and soon Apple Vision Pro. Support for PC VR headsets will follow soon with a PC cable magazine that will allow USB connectivity through the chair.


[From Gizmodo]

It may not be the most comfortable setup, though the company says it’s working on a “Pro” version that comes with adjustable armrests and a back-of-head cushion. That should supposedly add even more haptics to your spine, though we’re curious to know if it’s as capable as other haptic cushions we’ve used from companies like Razer.


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