BeBop Sensors announces Forte Data Glove, a haptic glove designed for use with the Oculus Quest

In Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality News

October 28, 2019 – BeBop Sensors, a company that uses smart fabrics and sensor technology to create sensor solutions for OEMs, has announced that it has integrated the exclusively designed BeBop Sensors Forte Data Glove with the Oculus Quest.

According to the company, the Forte Data Gloves allow users to “feel” the actions they carry out in the virtual world by providing touch feedback to hand and finger movements performed by the user. The gloves therefore allow users to have an experience that feels like the virtual world is tangible, something that BeBop Sensors believes will aid in more realistic and safer training for business.

To combine the BeBop and Oculus VR technologies, BeBop Sensors integrated its hand tracking technology with the Oculus controllers’ 3D tracking; and customized BeBop Sensors’ full SDK and haptic feedback system to the Oculus Quest environment. The lightweight, one-size-fits-all Forte Data Glove has an adapter that straps an Oculus controller onto the gloves so users can “feel” their hands and surrounding environment for hands-on VR training.

Targeted to the enterprise market, the glove provides real-time haptic feedback that allows users to feel textures and surfaces, and move digital objects around as if they existed in real life. Currently in use by Fortune 500 customers, Forte Data Glove applications include Virtual Reality enterprise training, VR medical trials/rehabilitation, robotics and drone control, VR CAD design and review, and more.

The company states that the gloves feature an under 6 millisecond response time and all-day battery life, as well as a comfortable design that fits almost everyone. Furthermore, the Forte Data Gloves are able to provide different feedback for different textures, allowing for a more realistic VR experience when touching a solid object – such as a table or robot, versus a softer material, such as a piece of velvet or a person’s face – resulting in an accurate and immersive experience.

Forte Data Glove Enterprise Edition Features and Specs:

• Comfortable, hygienic, breathable, and universal open-palm design that fits most users;
• 160Hz sensor speeds that provide accurate instantaneous response;
• Waterproof sensors;
• 160 frames per second data rate eliminates lag for instantaneous response times;
• 10 smart fabric bend sensors located above each knuckle provide bend accuracy and repeatability at +/- 1.5 degrees;
• 9 degree IMU (Inertial Measurement Units) provide low drift and reliable pre-blended accelerometer and gyro sensor data;
• 6 haptic actuators are located on 4 fingertips, the thumb, and the palm;
• Up to 16 unique haptic sound files can be resident on the glove with new files rapidly uploaded over Bluetooth or USB;
• Micro USB-C connector charges an internal lithium battery in 2 hours for an all-day battery life;
• Proprietary finger bend sensors with an under 6 millisecond response time;
• Universal support for a variety of development environments (Unity, Unreal, Windows API, Java Support, and more);
• Quick and easy integration within hours with an API and documentation;
• Calibration in under 5 seconds.

The new Forte Data Glove designed for Oculus Quest support is in production and available for order now at: www.bebopsensors.com/order-now.

Image credit: BeBop Sensors/Thomas PR

About the author

Sam Sprigg

Managing Editor

Sam is the Founder and Managing Editor of Auganix. With a background in research and report writing, he covers news articles on both the AR and VR industries. He also has an interest in human augmentation technology as a whole, and does not just limit his learning specifically to the visual experience side of things.