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Hands-on
Pepcom's the perfect place to find things you might not hear about otherwise — like Sensics' Smart Goggles, which we got a chance to play with tonight. The Smart Goggles are basically an insanely heavy helmet containing a heads-up display that runs Android (Android 4.0, to be exact, though we're not sure if that really matters) — it's kind of like the virtual reality helmets many of us played with as a kid at science museums, with a few 21st-century upgrades. You can run regular Android apps inside the device, and pair it with a smartphone or wireless controller, but where the Smart Goggles really get fun is gaming. Sensics developed a test game for the Smart Goggles that turns you into a robot, traipsing through a city. As you walk around and press a button, the robot punches; jump, and your robot jumps as well. The gadget works 360 degrees and is fully 3D, making for an impressively immersive gaming experience as you walk around.
The Smart Goggles' graphics aren't very good (the Wii puts them to shame, really), but the company promised that its games would get more immersive and more impressive over time. Sensics is also planning to completely remove your controller from the equation, so instead of pressing a button to punch you'll actually punch. No word yet on pricing, or when the Smart Goggles will be available (they seemed rather unfinished in our time playing with them), but we're hoping they're expensive — otherwise we're going to be seriously dangerous to others while we crush the city around us.
Comments
sounds awesome, needs more details
(FIRST) my third of the day
coletrain - January 9, 2012
Agreed. I need to try this.
Jacob Schulman - January 10, 2012
So disappointing this should have been built for the Xbox with Kinect in mind making truly the most impressive Gaming Experience ever. Android allows for a lot of cool innovations but it seems to be spreading things thin resulting in less innovation due to extra cost to constantly reinventing the wheel. So now another platform for developers to build on extra cost. This will try to compete with Sony, Wii and Xbox A LOT of advertising, extra cost. Sadly it will fail unless they join teams with one of the big players and Kinect is the best fit by far.
bladerunner1976 - January 9, 2012
What kind of goggles go over your head like that? That’s a freaking helmet.
iRichiepoo - January 9, 2012
If see a photo on the inside you will see why you would call in goggles. But you are correct, not exactly the typical goggles.
bladerunner1976 - January 9, 2012
Yeah, but seriously? = “Sensics’ Smart Helmet” ??
CalxDesign - January 10, 2012
They could make it black, and call it the Sensics Dark Helmet.
Dr0idAttack - January 10, 2012
What about a preview of what you see in the googles/helmet? It’s really exciting that you can build app for it. Want!
akhmad.fathonih - January 9, 2012
Pretty damn cool.
How heavy is the thing though? Neck cramps aren’t on my shopping list.
gorskiegangsta - January 9, 2012
u do look like a robot with that David~
AndrewYZ - January 9, 2012
I’ll buy one just because it looks so damn cool
AzureAlert - January 10, 2012
How many years-salaries would you pay for a Darth Vader helmet version of this?
brockorr - January 10, 2012 via mobile
If you get killed in the game, the helmet force chokes you.
hehheh
Greasy_Taco_Aficionado - January 10, 2012
I think we just wrote SAW VIII
Greasy_Taco_Aficionado - January 10, 2012
Instead of having the CPU, GPU and battery inside the helmet they should be outside.
The only thing that the helmet needs is video Input and some sensor output. That way it can be much lighter and you can connect it to your PC or perhaps a console that you wear on your back for good performance.
Zarnikon - January 10, 2012
I also think the goggles should be made to fight nicely around a Headset so people can use their headset and amplifier and don’t have to use the crappy build in headphones.
Zarnikon - January 10, 2012
fit* (We really need an option to Edit posts)
Zarnikon - January 10, 2012
Yeah leaving the logic to other devices and implementing some low-latency wireless tech would cheapen and lighten the device. That would also probably make it more appealing for a lot of people and different usage scenarios. These days it seems everyone tries to stick ARM SoCs anywhere they can think of.
Oskar Dahlberg - January 10, 2012
Doesn’t look too affordable. How much? Instead of creating games, smart goggles should stream PC or console games to its helmet. Turning your head would move the camera in the game. Such a concept would totally blow up.
Emmanuel A. - January 10, 2012
All I can think of is .hack :D
LOLDSFAN - January 10, 2012
What a fun preview. Look forward to punching some buildings on my own lol.
r@fael - January 10, 2012
I don’t see this mentioned yet: http://youtu.be/kVUi4wU27RA — scan to 8:41. The Plague was rocking these ages ago ;)
MNyCoop - January 10, 2012
I wanted to see him punch the flat screen tv by him while he was “destroying” stuff in that godzilla game!
conyeje2 - January 10, 2012
Any of you guys old enough to remember this monstrosity from the 1990s: http://museum.bounce-gaming.net/vfx1.html?? Similar, eh? It didn’t work then and it won’t work now, for the same cost, technical and human factors reasons. Same with the recent Sony headset, and they were saying that was going to resurrect Viirtual Reality!! Nah!!! And if this one is priced like other Sensics HMDs, then get that mortgage application going!
Profbobstone - January 10, 2012
Ugh, these videos are driving me nuts. Can’t get it to work unless I reload like 5 times. Using Chrome.
estark13 - January 10, 2012
estark13 - January 10, 2012
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