Woojer Vest Edge
| Woojer Vest Edge | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Haptic Vest |
| Subtype | Wearable haptic feedback device |
| Platform | Cross-platform (audio-driven) |
| Creator | Woojer |
| Developer | Woojer |
| Manufacturer | Woojer |
| Announcement Date | 2019 |
| Release Date | 2020 |
| Price | $499 (MSRP) |
| Website | https://www.woojer.com |
| Versions | Woojer Vest Edge |
| Requires | Headphones or headset (audio source via Bluetooth, 3.5mm or USB-C) |
| Predecessor | Woojer Vest |
| Successor | Woojer Vest 3 |
| System | |
| Operating System | N/A |
| Chipset | N/A |
| CPU | N/A |
| GPU | N/A |
| Storage | |
| Storage | N/A |
| Memory | N/A |
| SD Card Slot | No |
| Display | |
| Display | N/A |
| Resolution | N/A |
| Refresh Rate | N/A |
| Image | |
| Field of View | N/A |
| Horizontal FoV | N/A |
| Vertical FoV | N/A |
| Optics | |
| Optics | N/A |
| Ocularity | N/A |
| IPD Range | N/A |
| Adjustable Diopter | N/A |
| Passthrough | N/A |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | N/A |
| Base Stations | N/A |
| Eye Tracking | N/A |
| Face Tracking | N/A |
| Hand Tracking | N/A |
| Body Tracking | N/A |
| Rotational Tracking | N/A |
| Positional Tracking | N/A |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Built-in Texas Instruments analog headphone amplifier; 3.5mm pass-through |
| Microphone | N/A |
| Camera | N/A |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0 (aptX, aptX Low Latency, aptX HD, AAC, SBC), 3.5mm audio in/out, USB-C audio |
| Ports | 2x 3.5mm jacks, USB-C (audio and charging) |
| WiFi | No |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 |
| Power | Rechargeable lithium-ion battery |
| Battery Capacity | 3350 mAh (14.5 V) |
| Battery Life | Up to 8 hours |
| Charge Time | ~3 hours (bundled fast charger) |
| Device | |
| Dimensions | Adjustable straps, fits torso ~80-180 cm |
| Weight | ~2 kg |
| Material | Synthetic breathable fabric with foam padding |
| Headstrap | N/A |
| Haptics | 6x Osci (OSCI TRX52) polyphonic haptic transducers (1-200 Hz) |
| Color | Black |
| Sensors | N/A |
| Input | Audio signal (low-frequency content converted to haptics) |
| Compliance | Works with any device with Bluetooth, 3.5mm or USB-C audio output |
The Woojer Vest Edge is a wearable haptic feedback vest developed and manufactured by the Israeli company Woojer. Released in 2020, it converts the low-frequency content of an audio signal into silent physical vibrations felt across the wearer's torso, functioning effectively as a body-worn subwoofer. The Vest Edge is marketed for Virtual Reality gaming, conventional video games, music listening, and watching films, where it is intended to deepen immersion by letting the user feel explosions, bass drops, engine rumble, and other low-end sounds rather than only hearing them.[1][2] It is part of Woojer's "Edge" product line, which also included the smaller, single-transducer Woojer Strap Edge.[3]
The vest contains six of Woojer's patented Osci haptic transducers and reproduces frequencies from 1 Hz to 200 Hz. It is an audio-driven accessory rather than a tracked peripheral: it has no motion tracking, cameras, or display, and produces feedback purely from the audio stream supplied to it over Bluetooth, a 3.5 mm cable, or USB-C.[2][4] Because it relies on the audio mix for its cues, the haptics are tied to whatever the application is playing rather than to discrete in-game events, which distinguishes it from event-driven haptic suits.[1]
Background and development
Woojer was founded in 2011 and is based in Kfar Saba, Israel. The company specializes in wearable haptic audio products, beginning with a small clip-on device and later the Woojer Strap, both funded through crowdfunding campaigns.[5][3]
The Edge series, comprising the Vest Edge and the Woojer Strap Edge, was launched on Kickstarter in 2019. The campaign set a goal of $20,000 and went on to raise over $1.7 million, with early-bird pricing of $299 for the Vest Edge and $99 for the Strap Edge; the campaign closed on October 10, 2019.[3] The products subsequently shipped to backers and entered retail in 2020. At retail the Vest Edge carried a manufacturer's suggested price of $499, though Woojer frequently sold it at lower promotional prices over its lifespan.[2][1] The Vest Edge succeeded Woojer's earlier, costlier Vest Pro, which had targeted VR arcades, by offering a more affordable consumer-oriented design.[3]
Design and hardware
The Vest Edge is a sleeveless, jacket-style garment made largely of black synthetic fabric with foam padding and adjustable straps. It uses a one-size-fits-all design, with the straps accommodating a torso circumference of roughly 80 to 180 cm (about 31 to 70 inches). The complete unit weighs approximately 2 kg.[2][6] A control ring on the left strap lets the wearer adjust haptic intensity and headphone volume independently of the source device, and an LED status ring indicates charging and connection states.[1][2]
Haptic transducers
The core of the vest is an array of six Osci haptic transducers, identified in teardown coverage as the OSCI TRX52 model. The transducers are arranged in stereo pairs: two at the front, two at the sides, and two across the back.[4][2][3] Woojer describes the Osci actuators as polyphonic and silent, meaning they can reproduce multiple overlapping frequencies as physical motion without generating audible noise of their own. The transducers have a stated frequency response of 1 Hz to 200 Hz, covering deep sub-bass and low-bass content.[4][2][6]
Audio and connectivity
The Vest Edge can receive audio in three ways: wirelessly over Bluetooth 5.0, through a 3.5 mm cable, or over USB-C. Its Bluetooth implementation supports the aptX, aptX Low Latency, and aptX HD codecs in addition to AAC and SBC, which helps reduce the lag between sound and vibration.[2] The device passes audio through to the user's own headphones via a built-in analog headphone amplifier supplied by Texas Instruments, and it provides two 3.5 mm jacks for input and headphone output. The USB-C port carries both digital audio and charging.[2][6] Because the vest does not contain its own speakers and is meant to complement rather than replace headphones, several reviewers noted that headphones or a headset are effectively required to use it as intended.[2][6]
Power
The Vest Edge is powered by an internal 3350 mAh, 14.5 V lithium-ion battery. Woojer rates it for up to 8 hours of playtime on a single charge, with reviewers reporting figures in the range of roughly six to seven hours depending on content and intensity. A bundled fast charger refills the battery in about three hours.[4][2]
Software
Settings such as haptic intensity, volume, latency, Bluetooth pairing, and the color of the LED ring can be managed through Woojer's companion mobile application, the Woojer Device Manager, which is available for both iOS and Android. On-device controls on the strap provide the same intensity and volume adjustments without a phone.[7][1]
Use with VR and other media
In Virtual Reality, the Vest Edge connects to the audio output of a headset or PC and reacts to the game or experience soundtrack, adding a tactile layer to titles where low-frequency sound plays a prominent role. Reviewers highlighted rhythm and action games as particularly effective use cases.[1] Outside VR it can be used with consoles, PCs, televisions, and phones for gaming, films, and music, behaving in each case as an audio-reactive haptic layer rather than a content-specific peripheral.[2][6]
A practical consequence of the audio-driven approach is that the vest cannot localize effects to a specific direction based on game state; it responds to the overall low-frequency mix. Reviewers therefore described the feedback as immersive but not positional or multidirectional in the way a dedicated event-driven haptic suit might be.[1]
Reception
The Vest Edge was generally well received by reviewers, who praised its build quality, comfort, and the visceral sense of immersion it added to gaming and media. TheSixthAxis scored it 8 out of 10, calling it a "hugely enjoyable addition to a VR gaming setup" while noting the absence of multidirectional feedback as a limitation.[1] NikkTech awarded the vest its Golden Award, its highest honor, citing the strength of the haptics, the codec support, and the integrated headphone amplifier, while criticizing the requirement to use headphones with it.[2] Other reviewers similarly noted the relatively high launch price and the dependence on headphones as the main drawbacks.[6]
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Type | Wearable haptic vest |
| Transducers | 6x Osci (OSCI TRX52), stereo array (2 front, 2 sides, 2 back) |
| Frequency response | 1-200 Hz |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth 5.0 (aptX, aptX LL, aptX HD, AAC, SBC), 3.5 mm in/out, USB-C audio |
| Audio amplifier | Built-in Texas Instruments analog headphone amplifier |
| Battery | 3350 mAh, 14.5 V lithium-ion |
| Battery life | Up to 8 hours |
| Charge time | ~3 hours (bundled fast charger) |
| Weight | ~2 kg |
| Fit | One size; adjustable straps (~80-180 cm torso) |
| App | Woojer Device Manager (iOS, Android) |
| Release | 2020 |
| MSRP | $499 |
See also
References
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