Emerge, a social virtual connection company, has announced the launch of the Emerge Home system. It is the first product to enable immersive 'bare-hands' tactile experiences in the Metaverse.
The Emerge Home system consists of three components: the Emerge Wave-1 device, the Emerge Home social virtual experience, and the Emerge Home mobile app.
A recent study from National Research Group, uncovering consumer views of the Metaverse found that the majority are excited about the Metaverse, but 78% of consumers say "when interacting with people virtually, I miss the ability to physically touch and interact with them."
The Emerge Wave-1 is a tabletop device that invites bare hands to be the controllers. Around the same footprint as a 13-in laptop, it emits sculpted ultrasonic waves that allow users to feel and interact via touch in the virtual world. Through the use of Emerge's technology, the Emerge Wave-1 creates a mid-air field of interaction up to three feet above the device and 120 degrees around it.
"Emerge represents what we hope could be a next paradigm shift in human interaction," said Sly Lee, co-CEO and co-founder of Emerge. "Emerge Home's goal is to take people beyond the screen and allow them to connect emotionally in a natural way, no matter the distance between them."
Emerge is building a family of products that makes it possible for users to physically feel tactile experiences with bare hands in a virtual space without the need for gloves, controllers, or any wearables. "Emerge Home is the first step in a broader journey to create a new language of touch in the virtual world," said Isaac Castro, co-CEO and co-founder of Emerge. "We are starting with virtual reality today, and exploring other interfaces in the near future".