There’s a new standalone VR headset on the way, but it’s not designed for your living room.
RideVR, as the device is called, is specifically made for theme parks, meaning you’ll use them on roller coasters and other attractions. Created as a collaboration between VR Coaster and Sensics, the all-in-one VR headset is built to address some of the key issues of location-based VR headsets, which can see hundreds of users in a short space of time and are at bigger risk of damage than the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift sitting on your desk right now.
Firstly, the kit aims to minimize some of the issues you might find in other VR headsets, thus reducing the overall maintenance required and in turn increasing throughput. It’s designed not to overheat, for example, and a separate battery unit allows the unit to be charged even while in use. It also features centralized management for easy operation across devices. With reduced issues such as this, visitors can get up and running on VR rides faster, and thus the number of people that can experience it in total increases.
As for hygiene, the device uses a face mask that is machine washable and, according to the companies, inexpensive. You can easily replace it, meaning guests won’t be using unsanitary masks that a previous user has sweat in. The all-in-one nature of the kit, meanwhile, means that customers won’t also need to buy expensive smartphones or PCs to run the devices.
We don’t know the specs for the kit, other than the 2880×1600 display resolution. It sounds sound like the device will boast positional tracking, though the need for that this is somewhat reduced when you’re strapped to a chair moving so fast it’s hard to push your neck forward.
RideVR is expected to roll out to customers in early 2018, and it will also be on display in Las Vegas next January.
