Clarinox embeds wireless connectivity to Actronika’s Skinetic haptic vest

Aiming to take virtual reality experiences next level, Clarinox announced that it has integrated a high-performance wireless connectivity solution into the Skinetic haptic vest from Actronika, a leading supplier of high-definition haptics.

Actronika uses haptic technology to create tactile sensations and immersive sensory experiences for the wearer. The collaboration shows how small, power-efficient wireless technologies enable new types of immersive gaming experiences.

Clarinox created a custom high-performance wireless connectivity solution that combines Bluetooth and Wi-Fi technologies seamlessly to achieve smooth and reliable connectivity. ClarinoxBlue and ClarinoxWiFi protocol stacks served as the backbone of the solution. The Actronika Skinetic vest runs on an NXP i.MX RT1050 chipset featuring 512 KB of SRAM in conjunction with an NXP 88W8977 Wi-Fi/Bluetooth system-on-chip (SoC). Clarinox engineers skilfully delivered all requested functionalities and overcame memory limitations, notably achieving the integration of WPA3 security in a final package size of 168 KB.

“Our ClarinoxBlue and ClarinoxWiFi protocol stacks provide embedded developers with a comprehensive solution for wireless connectivity that supports both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi,” said Trish Messiter, CEO, Clarinox. “Built by engineers for engineers, this wireless middleware enables developers to easily connect and communicate with other devices, sensors, and networks, providing opportunities for innovative embedded systems.”

Creates an immersive sensory experience

The wireless Skinetic haptic vest from Actronika creates an immersive sensory experience by producing vibrations that people use to understand a virtual environment. The vibrations create tactile illusions that people interpret as touch—from the pitter-patter of raindrops to the reverberation of an explosion. Wireless connectivity to the vest increases ease of use and enhances the visceral, tactile experiences created by game developers, training professionals, and artists.

“Working with Clarinox shortened development timelines dramatically, alleviated the previously time-consuming task of merging separate wireless stacks, and enabled the engineers on my team to focus on our haptic technology,” said Hugo Bouchard, the software team lead at Actronika. “The modular design of the Clarinox solutions streamlined an otherwise complex integration process and technical support from Clarinox, including customized solutions and debugging tools, enabled us to swiftly resolve issues and optimize our Skinetic vest.”