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Many thought leaders talk about how virtual reality might change the manufacturing industry. Far fewer have given thought to how radio frequency welding, heat sealing and commercial sewing are used in manufacturing VR equipment. Yet, these manufacturing methods make VR feel both more comfortable and more realistic.
Examine almost any VR headset and you’ll find pads designed to make the rig more comfortable. These are heat sealed or RF welded. You may find adjustable straps held together with commercial sewing. The closer you look, the more you see that virtual reality would not be possible without a range of manufacturing processes.
Right now, a standard home virtual reality setup involves a headset that is worn like a pair of goggles. A strap wraps around the back of the head, and often across the top of the head, to keep the unit in place. Hand-held controllers can be used to navigate in the virtual world.
Some entertainment-based businesses add additional equipment to enhance the experience. This might include surround sound systems, seats that move, or pressure pads that sense footsteps.
Most consumers use VR for gaming, but it has professional uses as well. In manufacturing, VR is most commonly used for product design and development. Some companies also use it to facilitate skills training.
Long before VR became popularly accessible, science fiction imagined what the technology could become. Star Trek’s holodeck may be the best known example, but the possibility of a fully immersive, headset-free VR experience is still a long way off. (Or might never materialize.) In the meantime, we need real-world manufacturing processes to make headsets, pads, and other VR gear.
The close future might include something more like the gloves and body suit pictured in the movie Ready Player One. This equipment includes haptics — technology that uses sensations like pressure and vibration to transmit information. Real-word companies are already working on versions of this.
One type of haptic technology works by forcing air or liquid through small bladders in a glove to create the sensation that you are touching or holding objects. Someday, the technology could be expanded to full-body suits.
The prototypes that exist today are too bulky and complex for home use, but that could change as technology evolves. Several companies have patents with some version of this technology.
Pads, bladders and other such equipment, may not be as flashy as other elements of virtual reality. Yet they serve an important purpose. Manufactured elements like these add comfort and increase immersion.
The custom shaped pad lining the headset helps cushion pressure points. The heat welded seams make sure it holds its shape through hundreds of hours of gameplay or training simulations. Sewn straps keep equipment in place and prevent slippage as the user moves.
In the future, inflatable bladders may provide haptic feedback so users can really feel objects in VR. As the equipment evolves, so will the demand for reliable VR manufacturing companies.
If your business needs support for manufacturing VR components or other precision equipment, contact the manufacturing experts at Sealwerks. Trusted by medical, government, and industrial organizations, we provide prototype services, product re-engineering and quality assurance in addition to a range of manufacturing processes.
Contact us today to request a quote or discuss your product needs with our engineers.
Are you looking to create a new product, re-engineer an existing product, or find a full service solution for your product production? Contact us and talk to an expert today!
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