By Samson Amore
Marina del Rey-based startup Emerge is looking to bring physical touch into the digital universe after unveiling a series of devices designed to make the metaverse more realistic.
The Emerge Home system lets users interact with a virtual world and feel feedback with their bare hands—an alternative to the clunky controllers or gloves that typically accompany virtual reality experiences. It includes the Emerge Wave-1, a tabletop device about the size of a 13-inch laptop that works by emitting “sculpted ultrasonic waves that allow users to feel and interact via touch in the virtual world,” the company said in a press release Friday.
Emerge said it closed US$13 million in new funding to finance the product’s launch, bringing the company’s total amount raised to US$31 million. New investors backing the project include Riot Games co-founder Marc Merrill, Twitch co-founder Kevin Lin, metaverse advocate Matthew Ball, inventor Kurt Petersen and patent firm Schox. Existing investors include M13 and Vulcan Capital.
Emerge will publicly launch the Wave-1 alongside a companion VR headset and mobile app via a Kickstarter campaign next month. The entire package will retail for US$499.
