Virtual Reality Air Hockey

The idea:

Virtual Reality Air Hockey is a multiplayer haptics-driven twist on the arcade classic, using a physical table is the basis for the interactions.

This idea originated from us joking around while trying to figure out novel ways to integrate haptic feedback into a VR experience. My teammate Juan turned a VR controller upside down, pretended to hit an invisible puck and said "what about air hockey?" Though he was initially joking, the team took the idea and ran with it.

The process:

We developed a custom table calibration feature using the Meta Quest's camera passthrough mode to align the virtual table with its real life counterpart. Then we 3D printed controller attachments with fabric glides to mimic the experience of air hockey strikers on a physical table. Finally, we conducted a study with 25 participants and prepared the findings in a research paper examining the impact of passive haptics on immersion in VR.

Aiden created this dingy basement environment, fitting for a crusty air hockey table

I created a desert start screen with a mysterious hatch that leads into the basement

Matt designed the user interactions, featuring an interface on the table itself

With Justin's 3D printing expertise we built custom controller attachments

Note the player on the left reaching for the virtual puck in real life