Your face will control Samsung's next VR kit

Samsung C-Lab VR concept

Whether you agree or not, virtual reality is the trend of the moment. All the tech companies are pumping millions of dollars into the development of the VR technology and incorporating it with the smartphone ecosystem. While some are focussed on providing VR for the masses (Google’ cardboard), there are others who are preferring to improve the core experience, regardless of any “marketing” factors (Oculus, HTC). One such company is Samsung, who has been busy these days working on improving the hardware on the smartphone side (the Samsung Galaxy S8) to aid its existing Gear VR products. But things in the world of VR are about to get more real with Samsung’s current experimentation.

At the VRLA Expo 2017 in Los Angeles, a group of Samsung employees demonstrated a culmination of the following efforts: an experimental, hands-free VR interface that they call FaceSense. According to Samsung, our facial expressions have the capability to generate electricity, which in turn can be used aid input of data to VR system. When we speak or change our expression or even gaze at something, our facial muscles can generate electricity. This electricity can be collected by compatible sensors on a VR headset to record input data, which can be used to control various elements in the VR interface.

The benefits of implementation of this technology can be immense. With modern VR headsets like Oculus VR, HTC Vive or even Google Daydream, you are given a physical out-of-sight control interface in the form of a remote control. The core concept of VR is the provision of an unbridled virtual experience to the user. A physical remote controller takes away a lot to be experienced from a VR kit.

With a VR headset like this though, you can enjoy all those immersive VR content in the way it was supposed to. Imagine playing a VR game where you can simply control your character by looking at things in a way you would do in the normal world.

To provide a hands-free immersive experience, the FaceSense prototype works by recognizing and translating biometric signals from the user’s face. The prototype can also record audio inputs for basic interface controlling, i.e. The prototype is currently capable of recognizing voice commands such as ‘home’, ‘back’, ‘select’ and ‘cancel’.

The FaceSense prototype was shown on the Gear VR platform at the expo. It has been developed by C-Lab (Creative Lab), Samsung’s start up business fund program.