Japanese startup Diver-X has finally launched the Kickstarter campaign for HalfDive, a uniquely designed VR headset designed for lying down.
HalfDive isn't a brain-computer interface like SAO's NerveGear, but it does promise to let users play SteamVR games like VRChat and experience some very interesting object interactions through its tether feedback solution.
At Kickstarter, which has been launched, the project has raised more than $70,000 in funding, about a third of the way through.
Diver-X offers two unique models through Kickstarter, called "HalfDive Low Edition" (starting at $750) and "HalfDive Basic" (starting at $1,050).
The low-end version includes a headset and base, a pair of HalfDive controllers, and a proprietary head tracker. The basic version includes a low-end version plus a force feedback module and a pair of wind feedback modules for greater immersion and cooling.
The company has previously said it will offer a more expensive version of the zoom lens, but creators say the version is too difficult to mass-produce. Diver-X says they've decided to focus better on development and production.
The controller has also not been revealed. Ostensibly, creators are still developing their promised foot-worn ankle controllers and Vive Index-style manual controllers. Its force feedback cuffs seem to provide at least one place to install the Vive tracker. The company says it is also working to consolidate support for Tundra Trackers.
As for functionality, unlike standard VR headsets, which need to be tied to the head for optimal fit and image clarity, HalfDive is more of a passive experience. Diver-X CEO Yamato Sakoda adjusted himself to a prone position and slipped on two hand-worn cuffs that were tethered with retractable wires to the force feedback module at the bottom of the unit.
Diver-X says its design primarily allows users to operate in VR without putting any pressure on the head, thus covering 99% of all human head sizes.
Diver-X previously described the headphones' range of motion as 4.5 degrees of freedom (DOF), further referring to it as "virtual 6DOF.". Mass production of the mold is said to begin in February 2022 and is expected to be completed in May. Shipments are said to arrive sometime in the summer of 2022.
Specific configuration:
Screen: 2880 × 1600 LCD 90Hz (1440 × 1600 per eye)
FOV: Estimated 134°
Adjustable IPD: 58-84 mm range
Tracking: HalfDive Tracker, support for Vive Tracker (tundra Tracker will soon be supported)
Audio: Built-in 4-spear array, microphone
Supported operating systems: Windows 10 (Linux will be supported soon)
Minimum PC specifications: Dual-core CPU with hyper-threading, 8GB RAM, Nvidia GeForce GTX970 / AMD RX 480
SDK: Unity (feature dedicated to VRChat)/Unreal Engine