Less than 24 hours after its release, it was refuted. Was Meta's Metaverse Haptic Gloves a copycat?-EEWORLD

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HaptX CEO: We showed this technology to Meta executives, and they copied it all.

Meta (Facebook) claims to have developed its first prototype in 2015, but HaptX says it has been working on the core technology since 2012.

This may be another leap forward in human-computer interaction after the keyboard and mouse. The important new product unveiled by Meta on Tuesday brought a new dimension to the metaverse: the company's founder Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated the technology of using force feedback gloves to build blocks in the virtual world.

Zuckerberg demonstrated using the gloves to roll dice, play chess, shake hands, and other actions in the virtual world.

The new interactive mode has given many people a glimpse into the future and generated bold ideas. However, the technology is also facing competition from peers and even controversy over its originality. Less than 24 hours after the new product was released, a startup called HaptX claimed that Meta’s gloves were actually almost identical to its own patented technology. More importantly, the technology had been demonstrated to Meta executives many times before.

After Meta released the gloves, a statement from the CEO of HaptX was also made public.

HaptX founder Jake Rubin noted that the Meta haptic glove’s “silicone-based microfluidic tactile feedback laminate” and “pneumatic control architecture” appear to be essentially the same as HaptX’s patented technology.

"Microfluidic tactile feedback" is HaptX's name for pneumatic silicon actuators, which can create precise pressure by inflating and deflating bubbles, allowing the human hand to feel the sensation of touching real-world objects. Meta introduced the concept of "pneumatic actuators" when introducing its haptic gloves on Tuesday, which is similar to the principle of HaptX.

Meta's haptic feedback component.

“For a decade, HaptX has pioneered the field of microfluidic haptic feedback. Our technology has been recognized and widely reported in the media, and we have been committed to developing and promoting the unique advantages of microfluidics as a high-fidelity haptic feedback method. We have also obtained an industry-leading patent portfolio to protect our technology and products,” Rubin said in the statement. “In our interactions with other companies in the VR industry, we have always believed that collaboration is critical to the development of the entire industry. Over the years, we have hosted many engineers, researchers and executives from Meta to demonstrate our groundbreaking haptic technology.”

In September 2019, HaptX demonstrated force feedback gloves. The picture comes from the company's internal records.

Gloves proposed by Meta and HaptX.

Rubin said Meta had not contacted HaptX. He said: "We look forward to working with Meta to obtain a fair and equitable outcome that addresses our concerns and allows Meta to incorporate our innovative technology into their future consumer products."

Meta's gloves have not yet been commercially designed for consumers and are still in the R&D stage. Perhaps this is also a good time to collaborate with other organizations and resolve conflicts.

Startup HaptX

Founded in 2012, HaptX focuses on building tactile feedback technology for VR. In 2019, HaptX partnered with two other companies to create a pair of giant robotic hands that can be remotely controlled with gloves. Amazon founder Jeff Bezos tried the technology at a conference in June 2019 and said it felt "very natural."

Image source: https://www.businessinsider.com/jeff-bezos-played-with-giant-remote-controlled-robot-hands-2019-6

In July this year, HaptX received $12 million in financing to continue developing its tactile glove product HaptX Gloves DK2, which is said to be able to physically and accurately transmit touch to people's fingers and palm skin. To date, HaptX's cumulative financing has reached $31 million.

In HaptX's vision, corporate customers can use this glove to train employees, design and test new cars, and remotely control robots. In the nearly ten years since its establishment, HaptX has reached partnerships with many companies. For example, HaptX has established a strategic partnership with Advanced Input Systems, a leading global manufacturer.

What are the differences between the HaptX Gloves DK2 demo and Meta’s?

Meta has been asked about this but has yet to respond.

Keywords：Meta Reference address：Less than 24 hours after its release, it was refuted. Was Meta's Metaverse Haptic Gloves a copycat?

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