HTC’s Vive Focus 3 VR Headset Is Heading For ISS: Here’s Why
On November 7, an HTC Vive Focus 3 will be sent to the International Space Station. However, The VR headset is not for astronauts to play the latest games but to improve their mental health. In a press release, one of the key players in the project, XRHealth, noted the need for mental health aid in space, citing a lack of stimulation and a highly stressful environment in the space station.
XRHealth is a company that offers at-home virtual reality therapy and, soon, in-space therapy with the help of Nord-Space ApS and HTC Vive. Eran Orr, Chief Executive Officer at XRHealth, stated that this venture would “relieve the pressure and stress so astronauts will be able to keep top performance while doing crucial space missions.” The treatment is also said to account for the specific needs of each astronaut.
The HTC Vive Focus 3 that will be employed at the ISS was precisely calibrated to work in microgravity environments. This kind of thing has been tried before but had so many issues it was unusable due to a lack of gravity vectors for the device to latch onto. But with a new simulator mode and controllers with particular tracking methodology, it is now possible for VR to work in space, opening the door for a new treatment option.
HTC’s Vive Focus 3 VR Headset Is Heading For ISS: Here’s Why
