Page 10 - EE Times Europe Magazine | April2019

10 EE|Times EUROPE

Kemet’s CTO Talks Virtual Reality

We’re involved with haptics, Everybody laughed a few
but the other sensations of sight years back with the Google Glass
and sound and what you can do fiasco, but it looks like the whole
with the vision systems and the idea of smart glasses is starting
accelerometers and other tech- to come back. I think what’s
nologies are equally important. happened is the electronics has
caught up, and miniaturization
EP: Does the capability to feel has caught up.
different textures open up That’s where very small-
new opportunities? case-size ceramic and tantalum
Lessner: I think it does. Without polymer parts and other minia-
a sense of touch, you’re sort of turized components are targeted.
just poking into the air.
We actually have a pilot EP: Designers tend to forget
program to implement some about the passives and the
VR systems for manufacturing interconnects, but these
training to train technicians on components also have to
how to set up some of Kemet’s Thr Novasentis haptic actuators can be applied to equipment, the shrink, so does there have
complex machines. There’s no body, and gear to create very fine haptic feedback. to be innovation in these
sense of touch yet; you press (Image: Kemet) areas, too?
buttons or turn dials on the Lessner: You’re right. With
machine, but you’re doing this our acquisition of NEC TOKIN
in thin air, so you’re missing part of the We’re using headsets that still need to be in 2017, we got the capability to do those
feedback experience. connected to a computer, but I think the next small case sizes in polymer tantalum, and
I think having this sense of touch and generation will cut the cord. That’s where 5G we’ve taken advantage of it in applications
some rich experience around that will greatly comes in, or some type of wireless connection like these.
enhance the user’s enjoyment of these between the computer and the headset.
systems, and in the more industrial case that The Clemson students and professors EP: Do you see any emerging applications
we’re working on, a sense of reality and feed- developed VR simulations of what they had for VR — outside of training or machine
back will help them learn how to set up these seen a Kemet master technician perform maintenance or virtual gaming?
complex machines. in real life, using a game engine and other Lessner: One is virtual travel. I was reading
On the consumer side, I think it would open software, to develop the VR training module. about some high-end VR system that was
up more opportunities in gaming. Virtual The VR gloves transform the hand actions to released the other day. The article on CNET
reality will primarily be around gaming, while digital inputs, allowing trainees to manipulate said it felt like you were being transported to
augmented reality has other applications, virtual controls, press buttons, and adjust someplace else. They’ll be increasingly used
which will open up more realistic experiences. calibrations to operate the virtual equipment. in those types of applications where people
The first generation of haptics is beginning I really see the continued untethering want an experience — sort of experiential
to be incorporated into the next generation of of the headset from a computer system instead of game-like applications.
game systems and VR systems. Based on press and the continued miniaturization of the
releases from Sony about its PS5 console, sensors, so everything is in the headset and EP: What do you think are some of the
which will have some haptic devices in the nothing needs to be placed in the external biggest technology challenges today
game controller, users will have a greater environment. associated with XR?
sense of touch. They use the example of pull- I think we’re probably about one or two Lessner: Miniaturization and power con-
ing back a bow. As you pull back a bow, there years away from having VR systems where you sumption. In general, the amount of energy
is more and more force exerted, and with the can walk the street immersed in virtual reality and power that’s required to make these high-
sensors and haptic controllers in the PS5, and have a pretty realistic experience. end computer and sensor-laden systems work.
the user will be able to feel that, for a more Power consumption has to come down. The
realistic experience. EP: Is Kemet primarily targeting other is compute power and really miniaturiz-
industrial-type applications? ing the electronics, such that they fit into the
EP: What are the most important Lessner: We’re targeting both consumer and size of a smartphone.
technology improvements/specifications industrial applications — across the board And adding more sensory experiences:
for sensors in these applications? but more toward high-end headsets. We’re We’re working on haptics, but there are other
Lessner: One of them is miniaturization. engaged with a set of customers for both VR experiences with other simulated senses.
From personal experience, when we started and XR. We’ve either been designed into or As time goes on, we’ll see more and more
out with the VR project for training, we are sampling into products such as Oculus, multi-sensory experiences to go with today’s
had goggles and four set camera sensors on Microsoft HoloLens, and Magic Leap. We’ve 3D vision-type experience.
tripods placed around the room to get the been working with Magic Leap for a while, We’re in a unique position with a very thin
realistic experience. As we’ve gone through which has advanced augmented reality. and flexible sensor that is easily integrated
this project, which we’re doing in conjunction The initial driving force will be more of an into gloves or other wearable devices, but I
with the School of Computing at Clemson industrial application. There’s a lot of activity think there will be other types of sensors that
University, the headsets have advanced to the in that area, especially around the high-end will be needed in the future. ■
point at which we no longer need these bulky headsets for training industrial workers
external cameras and sensors. It’s really all in and also from an AR point of view for doing Gina Roos is editor-in-chief of Electronic
the headset now. machine maintenance. Products.

APRIL 2020 | www.eetimes.eu