Technical Illusions Head To Maker Faire 2014

CastAR, the augmented reality gaming glasses that project stereoscopic, holographic style images in front of the player, is heading to Maker Faire 2014 in a shiny new package. In a Kickstarter update for backer of the project’s enormously successful $1M+ campaign, the team have released some snaps of both the new glasses and demonstrated progress with the required retro-reflective sheets, needed for CastAR to work.

ces 2014 castar hands on hd prototype augmented reality virtual reality
The CastAR glasses as tested by us at CES 2014

The new design is quite a departure from the hand-crafted prototypes we’ve seen before and got our hands on at CES this year. The driver / control board for the glasses seems to now run alongside the legs with a much sleeker and robust housing for the dual LED projectors and IR sensor that are mounted along the top of the unit. It’s a huge improvement, although it looks as if this new design precludes folding the legs of the glasses for easy transportation / storage.

It must feel a a little like coming home for Technical Illusions, the company started by founders Jerri Ellsworth and Rick Johnson to build the CastAR platform. Early pre-Kickstarter prototypes were debuted to enormous enthusiasm back in March 2013. Things sure move fast in the VR / AR world.

No further technical details were forthcoming in the update, but we’ll keep our eyes peeled for updates from Maker Faire which runs 17th / 18th May.

You can keep up to date with Technical Illusions at their website here – and if you missed their original Kickstarter you can pre-order from their store here.

Seems the website is undergoing a redesign, there also a new store online with concept renders for the final product designs. We’ve included them below.

Newsletter graphic

This article may contain affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product we may receive a small commission which helps support the publication. More information.


Paul James
Based in the UK, Paul has been immersed in interactive entertainment for the best part of 27 years and has followed advances in gaming with a passionate fervour. His obsession with graphical fidelity over the years has had him branded a ‘graphics whore’ (which he views as the highest compliment) more than once and he holds a particular candle for the dream of the ultimate immersive gaming experience. Having followed and been disappointed by the original VR explosion of the 90s, he then founded RiftVR.com to follow the new and exciting prospect of the rebirth of VR in products like the Oculus Rift. Paul joined forces with Ben to help build the new Road to VR in preparation for what he sees as VR’s coming of age over the next few years.
  • Darshan Gayake

    Glad to see more polished product and of course final render images are even more amazing looking device. Only complain is its gone little costlier as KS basic model was 194$ with surface and 01 glass. which was well under 200$ Now they made interaction wand part of basic experience and steep the pricing to 345$ that’s
    100$ increase even if you consider glass+Surface+Wand old pricing. but then every thing goes costlier day by day, ain’t they?

    The only girp i see is their basic experience + VR Visor goes now 345+85=430$ that’s just above the OCULUS RIFT DK2. its hard to judge these at 430$ pricing for 720p projected glasses for VR Experience that won’t likely to stand even against Oculus RIFT DK2 level.

    Let’s see how consumer version rolls out to be. I have crossed fingers to read reviews of consumer model.though at new price band it simply isn’t that attractive.

  • Curtrock

    The CastAR headset looks really cool, and I’m totally rootin for Jerry & Rick. I would have bought 1 instantly, but with a steady steam of Oculus products (DK1, DK2, CV1), I had to choose 1 or the other. Looks like this product will be the clear front runner for the premiere AR experience.

  • Darshan Gayake

    That’s a point if you look for VR first experience. there is hardly anything come in between you and rift for PC VR experience dame sure. AR-VR @ 430$ isn’t too expensive either, but you will not wish to shell out twice a good amount when your preference is VR.