Out of the box, the base virtual reality equipment you can buy is great for an immediate jump-in and go (check out our previous blog “Virtual Reality: Headset Comparison”). This will last users potentially years, but is there more that can be done to the equipment to increase the user’s experience? There are and this blog will focus on some recommended purchasable items as well as some items that can be 3D printed from a user's home printer!

Purchasable Items

The easiest way one can upgrade their VR equipment is by purchasing items through popular websites. With a couple of quick clicks, your VR equipment can get a major upgrade in areas such as user comfort and portability. Right off the bat, one item that is recommended is a set of tripods. Many of these virtual reality headsets that base stations come with a fixed mounting solution, but nothing for showing off the technology in other locations. Figure 1 below is an example of a simple tripod that can be purchased for as little as, in some cases, $39.99. These can collapse into an easy-to-carry size and extend to reach the recommended height above users. The tripods aren’t fitting for every virtual reality headset, but only a select few. These are geared more towards the HTC Vive, but the idea of quick setup/takedown for ease of portability is what these are conveying.

Another purchasable item one might consider to increase their comfort (and other users’ comfort) is a replacement face pad. After extended use of the provided face pads with the purchase of virtual reality equipment, it can begin to deteriorate or compress to allow for light bleed (light showing in gaps between the user’s face and headset). These can be purchased from most companies that produce the VR headsets and many online stores. Prices can vary depending on the headset used, but for the most part, these replacement face pads can be purchased for less than $60.

These are just a handful of items one could consider purchasing to improve their VR equipment/experience! With technology advancing each day, from smaller companies to larger corporations, the experiences will become better and better from one year to the next. It was thought at one point in time that the ability to view virtual environments with a wireless headset was impossible. However, now we have headsets that are exclusively wireless as well as upgrades like the HTC Vive Wireless Adapter where with just a few cords and connections, your older model HTC Vive will allow for more movement with fewer restrictions. There are other items such as headphones where if you invest a little more money on a pair of higher-quality headphones, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in the environment. We haven’t touched on the other items that are still being refined and revised so they’re more readily available on a more massive scale. A couple of these items, for instance, are the immersive vests and walking mats or treadmills. The vests, for example, allow for better interaction to simulate things like touch through vibration points in multiple locations on the vest. Companies are producing these items – bHaptics is a leader in producing these vests. For the low price of $499, you can purchase your own wearable haptic vest that includes 40 vibration points with 15 hours of use time. Figure 3 below shows the inner workings of one of these vests.

3D Printed Items

With the increase in 3D printers around the world becoming more and more affordable, the ability to print your upgrades is as simple as finding the correct files and printing! Websites such as Thingiverse has a large community with ideas to share. Some of these items include headset storage, breakout box mounts, and vertical controller charging stands. Being that these are designed to be 3D printed, the total time to print these 3 items (if printed separately) comes in around 22 hours (time will vary based on speeds, infill, etc.). Best of all, it’ll only use approximately 1/5” of your spool so there is still plenty of material to keep printing upgrades (based on 1.75mm, 1kg spool of PLA)!

These items will aid in the longevity of the equipment for use over many years. One item with huge benefits is a lens protector for the headset while not in use. With the potential of the equipment transferring through different hands and being exposed to different environments, preventing anything from scratching the lenses is crucial. Since the lenses are the eyes in a virtual reality world, keeping them clean can be achieved with a 3D-printed cover. Most virtual reality starter kits will come with a paper cover for the lenses when not in use, but there is always something bigger and better out there. For instance, I took the challenge of designing a lens cover, and after 8 minutes with some measurements, I have something ready to print! Figure 2 is a simple lens cover designed in SolidWorks. The next step is to turn the file into a printable format and test it out. At Perception Engineering, we have the skills and knowledge and can help develop your product ideas even if they start out as a napkin sketch! For more information or to request a free quote, follow this link to our “Contact Us” page.

Conclusion

In conclusion, there is a wide variety of items that can either be purchased, designed yourself, or printed from a previously created design that will help increase the life and overall experience of your VR equipment. Luckily, many of these options are low cost enough to where your pocketbook won’t be too affected. With virtual reality’s popularity growing daily, spending the time upfront will lead to a better virtual future!

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