Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Computing
  3. News

Nolo is a phone-based SteamVR Project that Kickstarter backers love

Lulu Chang
By
One Day with NOLO VR
Who says virtual reality has to be virtually inaccessible? Certainly not Nolo, the company behind a motion tracking system created for mobile VR gaming that is trying to bring down the often astronomical price tag associated with headsets so that more people are able to enjoy the experience.
Recommended Videos

While VR has certainly proven popular, particularly within the gaming community where immersive experiences are key, enjoying the experience has been pricey, to say the least. The HTC Vive, after all, costs $799. The Nolo? Just an eighth of that price.

Related

The Nolo tracking system is comprised of a base station, a headset marker, and two controllers that promise to work seamlessly with your mobile device. “Our team created Nolo with a vision to make the benefits of technology available to all walks of life,” the team notes on its website, “We believe that mobile VR is the perfect platform because of its affordability and ease of use.”

Better still, Nolo says that it is fully compatible with SteamVR, which means that in theory, you could access the entirety of Vive’s content library for a fraction of the price. The headset marker can sit atop any smartphone-containing VR device (such as a Gear VR, Google Daydream, or Cardboard), while the base station claims to have a 100-degree field of view.

As it stands, the Nolo setup is compatible with Android devices, though the company says it will work with iOS at a later date. And while the SteamVR compatibility is probably the biggest draw for folks interested in Nolo for now, the team says that the device can also be used with native mobile VR games.

With three weeks still left in the Kickstarter campaign, Nolo has already raised nearly $190,000 from more than 1,300 backers. But don’t get too excited too soon — as Upload VR points out, Nolo’s wireless setup needs you to stream content from a PC over the Riftcat and VRidge apps, which will come with latency issues. While Nolo supposedly can keep the delay to under 20 milliseconds, even if they’re off by a minute amount, it could make gameplay near impossible. But hey, maybe you’ll have  a chance to test it out for yourself to see.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Lulu Chang
Lulu Chang
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Fascinated by the effects of technology on human interaction, Lulu believes that if her parents can use your new app…
VR gaming appears to have hit an all-time high
Meta Quest 2 makes virtual reality affordable

VR gaming seems to have reached an all-time high, with a notable report suggesting a nearly four-times increase in users in the past month. Those figures come from a survey and might not be exact, but do indicate an ongoing trend of more and more people joining the VR gaming revolution.

It's really not surprising since very affordable and solid VR systems have been around for several years. As early adopters help work out the bugs and introduce new players to the experience, virtual reality will undoubtedly continue to grow until it becomes another mainstream option.

Read more
The most common HTC Vive problems, and how to fix them
amazon prime day htc vive cosmos vr deal

Virtual reality (VC) headsets are all the rage these days. They offer a more immersive experience to the gaming world and the chance to move around -- if everything's working properly. HTC's latest Vive headsets, including the impressive Cosmos and new Vive Pro 2, are more stable than ever, but sometimes things can still go wrong. 

From “headset not found” errors to pairing issues, we’ll cover common HTC Vive problems users face. Then, we’ll suggest possible fixes and provide step-by-step instructions on how to address the issues you might encounter with your HTC Vive.
Issues presented with an error code
(Error 108) Headset not found
There are a couple of ways this error can manifest, either as an error message (error 108) or blinking red light on the headset. This is usually the result of either a USB or a driver issue.

Read more
The best VR headsets for the iPhone
best VR headset for the iPhone

If you want to sample virtual reality (VR) without spending loads of cash, a VR headset built for smartphones is the best option. They're affordable, equipped with a slot to cradle your phone, and support many VR apps and games. Our current pick for the best VR headset for the iPhone is the family-friendly Merge VR. We also list five additional options that may be a better starting point for your mobile VR journey.

Before you embark, be sure to pay attention to device compatibility. Some models only support specific iPhone sizes, while others may require a sensor not included in your phone. To determine if a specific headset supports your device, try VR Test Ninja.

Read more