Nefes Data Kit Untethers USB Devices For Wireless VR Setups
The Nefes Data Kit is a low-latency solution that untethers USB peripherals without interfering with other wireless solutions, such as TPCast’s wireless HMD upgrade.
Virtual reality hardware hit the market a little over a year ago, and it simultaneously impressed and left something to be desired. There’s no denying that the current crop of VR HMDs offer wonderful experiences that everyone should have a go at. But there’s also no denying that there are still hurdles that VR technology must get over before VR will reach ubiquity, such as doing away with the bothersome tethers.
The HTC Vive and Oculus Rift provide the freedom to wander around a limited space within VR, but the cable attached to you limits your freedom of movement. Several companies offer solutions that untether the HMD from your PC--we recently tested Sixa’s Rivvr wireless prototype-- but what about any peripherals you might want to use with your VR setup, such as a Leap Motion camera? Hendesehane Nefes believes its Nefes Data Kit is the answer.
The Nefes Data Kit uses technology that Hendesehane Nefes developed called Wireless VR USB Link Technology, which severs the physical USB connection without adding interference and introducing less than 1ms of latency. The system provides a wireless data transfer over an independent channel on the RF spectrum so that it doesn’t interfere with the wireless data systems in wireless HMD upgrade kits. The company also said you can run up to four Nefes Data Kits in close proximity to each other without adding more interference.
Hendesehane Nefes said the Nefes Data Kit supports up to four USB devices at once, but only one high-data rate device at a time. The hardware is compatible with a wide range of products, including Rift trackers, Razer Hydra controllers, Leap Motion controllers, and a variety of other devices. Hendesehane Nefes also sells an OSVR-compatible package to untether the OSVR HDK 1.4 HMD from its web of cables.
Hendesehane Nefes didn’t say how much the Nefes Data Kit costs. You can find more information see the company’s website.
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Kevin Carbotte is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware who primarily covers VR and AR hardware. He has been writing for us for more than four years.
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Jeff Fx I'd hope you could run a USB peripheral like Leap Motion from the USB port in a Vive headset while using one of the upcoming wireless VR solutions. Is that not the case, due to bandwidth already being maxed out by the headset?Reply -
derekullo They never say which frequency or frequency ranges they are using for said wireless.Reply
All I can find is a "Each Kit supports 30 Mbps of bandwidth and 4 USB devices" quote on their website.
They say it won't interfere with other wireless devices so I assume they are using a frequency lower than 2.4 gigahertz? -
kcarbotte Reply19575930 said:I'd hope you could run a USB peripheral like Leap Motion from the USB port in a Vive headset while using one of the upcoming wireless VR solutions. Is that not the case, due to bandwidth already being maxed out by the headset?
That's something we'll have to find out.
As soon as I have my hands on a finalized wireless kit I will be testing that sort of thing.
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jowen3400 There is no way that they could the FCC States what Ranges we can use. I bet it is in the 5GHz there are 130+ non over lapping channels and can use channel bonding.Reply