The VR market is growing quickly, with competitors left and right trying to make their device the definitive virtual reality headset. Tech giants like Sony and Samsung have introduced their own projects in the niche market, while Oculus remains the first name mentioned when discussing VR. Now, though, a new competitor is trying to burst into the market through Kickstarter with a device that adds several much needed touches to the VR headset concept.
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Vrvana's Totem puts a heavy focus on compatibility. The device is said to work with all three major computer operating systems and both iOS and Android mobile operating systems. It also boasts compatibility with four game consoles: PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One.
On the Kickstarter, Vrvana mentions that the Totem works with several of the most widely used game engines like Unreal, Unity, CryEngine and Havok. Vrvana also advertises the Totem's compatibility with any 3D source material. If it can broadcast through an HDMI output, the developers say, the Totem can put you into that world.
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One of the Totem's significant improvements in terms of hardware is the addition of on-board, front-mounted cameras. Not only do the cameras help track the wearers movements wherever he goes, but they also allow the headset's screen to display what's going on in the outside world. If you're deep into a VR game but need to take a minute to have a quick conversation or find that Coke bottle you seemed to have misplaced, you don't even have to remove your headest. Just a quick button press is enough to get you back into the real world for a minute before planting yourself right back into the action.
Much of the Totem's hardware is specially made for the VR experience Vrvana is trying to create. The Totem's specially crafted lenses let users focus the display on their own, allowing nearsighted or farsighted players to leave their glasses on the table while strapping into the headset. The company has also teamed up with an audio company to provide its customers with accessories that will provide them with the best sound quality.
Totem's Kickstarter will continue into mid-October. If they succeed, the developer kits are slated to ship out in April for the first production run and in July for the rest.
