Ex-Valve staffers launch Kickstarter for augmented and virtual reality glasses

By Adam Rosenberg October 15, 2013

ex valve staffers launch kickstarter for augmented and virtual reality glasses castar — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Oculus Rift is no longer the only hot virtual reality tech around. Enter castAR, a “projected augmented reality system” that works using a combination of heavily kitted out glasses, a motion-sensing “Magic Wand,” and an RFID Tracking Grid. It is the creation of Jeri Ellsworth and Rick Johnson, a pair of ex-Valve Software staffers who spent their final months at the company working on an augmented reality project. After leaving Valve, they formed Technical Illusions together and are now seeking $400,000 in crowdfunding on Kickstarter.

The castAR glasses are quite a bit more complicated than Oculus Rift, which is ultimately just a monitor that you wear on your head. The glasses themselves are fitted with two micro-projectors, one for each eye, and make use of active shutter technology to limit what each eye can see. Between the two lenses is a camera that enables head-tracking, using infrared ID markers placed on an included reflective surface. This is where the castAR’s holographic projections appear. Then there’s the Magic Wand, a Wii Remote-like device fitted with buttons and a trigger, an analog stick, and motion tracking tech.

Recommended Videos

Various funding tiers allow backers to choose whether they want just the glasses/reflective sheet, just the Magic Wand, or the entire bundle. There are additional options as well for those who want to accessorize with RFID tracking bases (for use with, say, action figures). Give the Kickstarter page a read; castAR is a nifty piece of tech, but it’s a bit more complicated to explain than something like the Rift.

Fans of virtual reality: this is great news. Oculus VR is generating a lot of interest out in the gaming world, so much so that Sony may be prepping its own VR goggles for the PlayStation 4. Competition is a good thing, and castAR is yet another contender. The more options there are, the more the respective creators and engineers are pushed to innovate.

Developer kits for castAR are expected to ship in late 2014. Take a peek at the Kickstarter and see what Ellsworth and Johnson have been up to.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Previously, Adam worked in the games press as a freelance writer and critic for a range of outlets, including Digital Trends…

Cars

Rivian offers $3,000 off select EVs to gasoline, hybrid vehicle drivers

Second-Gen Rivian R1S on a road

Early November typically kicks off the run-up to the Black Friday sales season, and this year, Rivian is betting it’s the perfect time to lure gasoline drivers toward its EVs.
If you own or lease a vehicle that runs on gasoline, which means even a hybrid vehicle, Rivian is ready to give you $3,000 off the purchase of one of its select fully electric vehicles -- no trade-in required.
The offer from the Irvine, California-based automaker extends to customers in the U.S. and Canada and runs through November 30, 2024. The program applies to Rivian 2025 R1S or R1T Dual Large, Dual Max, or Tri Max models purchased from R1 Shop.
Rivian’s new All-Electric Upgrade offer marks a change from a previous trade-in program that ran between April and June. There, owners of select 2018 gas-powered vehicles from Ford, Toyota, Jeep, Audi, and BMW could trade in their vehicle and receive up to $5,000 toward the purchase of a new Rivian.
This time, buyers of the R1S or R1T Rivian just need to provide proof of ownership or lease of a gas-powered or hybrid vehicle to receive the discount when they place their order.
Rivian is not going to be the only car maker offering discounts in November. Sluggish car sales from giants such as Stellantis and rising inventories of new cars due to improving supply chains suggest automakers and dealerships will be competing to offer big incentives through the year's end.
This follows several years of constrained supply following the COVID pandemic, which led to higher prices in North America.
According to CarEdge Insights, average selling prices for cars remain above what would be called affordable. But prices should continue improving along with rising inventories.
Stellantis brands are entering November with the most inventory, followed by GM and Ford, according to CarEdge. Toyota and Honda, meanwhile, have the least inventory, meaning they probably won’t be under pressure to offer big incentives.

Cars

AT&T, Voltpost bring internet connectivity to EV charging lampposts

att voltpost streetlight charging newlabdetroit 63

Move over, Supercharger network.

EV charging networks have been fast expanding across U.S. roads and highways over the past year, led by the likes of Electrify America, Tesla, and Chargescape, to name a few.

Cars

Volvo’s much-anticipated EX30 EV to reach U.S. before year end

Front three quarter view of the 2025 Volvo EX30.

Volvo is switching gears again, this time to accelerate deliveries of its much-anticipated EX30 subcompact electric SUV so that it reaches the U.S. before the end of 2024.

The Swedish automaker last summer had postponed the U.S. launch of the EX30 to 2025, citing “changes in the global automotive landscape." The move followed the Biden administration’s 100% import tariff on electric vehicles made in China.