About Face is an accessory, aimed at the Oculus Rift DK1 and DK2, designed to improve comfort and hygiene with enhanced cushioning and weight distribution using custom, washable liners. 24 hours after launching on Kickstarter, the accessory has already blasted through its funding goal.
Check out the About Face Kickstarter
The human head is one of the most active areas radiating heat from the body. When you cover up a large portion of the face, with a VR headset for example, you’re bound to end up with some sweat, especially in the summer. Beyond sweat, everyone has oils naturally present on their skin. Combined, both of these factors can lead to a seriously funky bit of foam which cushions user’s faces on the Oculus Rift DK1 and DK2, especially if the headset is used by many users in a public setting.
Eric Greenbaum, Founder of the NYVR Mettup and Jema VR, has been working on an accessory for some time now to allow interchangeable liners to solve this problem. Yesterday he took his project to Kickstarter looking to raise $12,000 to bring his idea, now called About Face, to market. So far, the VR community has responded powerfully, pushing the project past its goal in just one day!
About Face is comprised of two parts: first is the ergonomic insert which attaches to the Oculus Rift DK1 or DK2 in place of the existing foam and acts as a mount for the liners. Second are the liners themselves which come in two types: M (microfiber encapsulated dual layer open celled foam) for personal use, and H (impermeable top surface layer that can be wiped down with alcohol or other disinfectant) intended for demo situations where many users will be wearing the VR headset. Both types are washable.
Here’s a look at the core Kickstarter support levels:
$32 – Early Bird, About Face System Type M+H (Recommended) [limit 200]
1 ergonomic insert, 2 washable removable microfiber encapsulated foam liners, 1 hygiene liner (designed for public demos/installations) with impermeable top layer that can be wiped down between uses. Compatible with Oculus Rift DK1 and DK2.
$32 – About Face System Type M
1 ergonomic insert, 2 washable removable microfiber encapsulated foam liners. Compatible with Oculus Rift DK1 and DK2.
$32 – About Face System Type H
1 ergonomic insert, 1 hygiene liner (designed for public demos/installations) with impermeable top layer that can be wiped down between uses. Compatible with Oculus Rift DK1 and DK2.
$36 – Last Change Early Bird, About Face System Type M+H [limit 100]
1 ergonomic insert, 2 washable removable microfiber encapsulated foam liners, 1 hygiene liner (designed for public demos/installations) with impermeable top layer that can be wiped down between uses. Compatible with Oculus Rift DK1 and DK2.
$44 – About Face System Type M+H
1 ergonomic insert, 2 washable removable microfiber encapsulated foam liners, 1 hygiene liner (designed for public demos/installations) with impermeable top layer that can be wiped down between uses. Compatible with Oculus Rift DK1 and DK2.
Since the DK1 and DK2 are just development kits and are will eventually be succeeded by new hardware, speed of delivery is key; the Kickstarter page says that backers can expect to see their orders shortly after the end of the Kickstarter campaign:
We’ve spent a lot of time and effort to set up our manufacturing back end before launching this Kickstarter in order to be able to get our backers their rewards quickly. The tooling for the injection molded insert is set up, as is the thermoforming machinery for the microfiber encapsulated foam liners. We should be able to start sending out About Face systems within a few weeks of the conclusion of the Kickstarter campaign.
About Face is not only about comfort and hygeine, it’s also a cool way to customize your Rift. The Kickstarter page notes that one of the liners will come in dark grey while the other color will be decided by a poll provided to Kickstarter backers. There are some custom colors shown for the ergonomic liner as well, but it isn’t clear if backers will be able to choose their color. We’ve reached out to Greenbaum for clarification.