Protective Vest Created for Better In-Game Experience

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BY Tony McElroy Jul 18, 2014 09:13 PM EDT

If you are quite familiar with idea of protective vests, like the kevlar, there's a vest for gamers that protects the wearer from harm, at least the torso and abdomen, since the limbs are often left no more defended than what the vest can protect.

Immerz has just introduced a totally different purpose. While it undoubtedly resembles the bullet-proof ones. Aside from protecting the chest, the haptic technology is built into the underside of the wearable electronic device.

The KOR-FX vest, as what they call it, generate sensations that would have the gamers experience would as if you were actually inside the virtual world of the game running on your computer. Usually, the gamers rely on sight and sounds to form an idea of what is going on. This apparel will enhance your experience.

You won't feel pain, of course, and the sensations definitely won't be rendered truly faithfully, since the technology basically converts audio into tactile feedback, as strange as it sounds. Meaning, whatever sound that was produced in-game is converted into touch. The more "3D" it is, the better the haptic feedback. The bullets will certainly make you feel a kick or constant hammering on your chest if you get showered with a machine gun. You can even set the intensity of the KOR-FX if the kick is too strong, or too weak.

Maybe in the future games will include haptic response signals specifically meant to be transmitted through the electronic apparel. However, Immerz has to make do with audio-to-touch concept for now.

The method is called 4DFX technology. And no, the vest isn't just a fancy rumble pack, as it doesn't use spinning motors to produce vibrations. It genuinely creates the sensation of touch from brushing past an extended fir branch, or the ghost feeling of a kick to the gut.

The Immerz KOR-FX still has to go through a Kickstarter crowd-funding campaign before it goes up for sale. Interested gamers can pledge $150 / €110 in order to be the first to receive this amazing apparel.