True, accessible virtual reality seems so tantalizingly close yet so very far at the same time. Big names like Oculus Rift are mentioned in the news every day but are never actually seen outside of events like trade shows, limiting the kind of effect VR is supposed to have on technology and culture.
The Pinć VR is a virtual reality kit folded into a 15mm smartphone case that, when unfolded, can be worn around the head. The system is really a marvel, managing to tuck away a pair of glasses and the necessary optics to allow users to manipulate virtual elements with the help of Pinć Rings. These small input devices are worn on the finger and allow gestures like scroll and rotate while in the virtual world. With help of the introductory Pinć apps like Browser, Video, and Mall, the grander possibilities of the true portable virtual reality system are getting closer and closer.
Pinć VR is already an engineering marvel, but the company behind it has a lot of work going up against the cultural rejection Google faced in their bid to introduce a similar, wearable, augmented reality in Glass. As impressive as it is, it isn’t sure to be a hit, although curiosity is at an all-time high. The $99 CAD (~$85) case can be purchased for iPhone 6, 6 Plus, and an array of popular Android devices. A successful $50,000 CAD (~$21,500) campaign will see Pinć VR shipped in July 2015.