Emerge

Emerge, a consumer technology company established in 2015, is developing a platform to deepen emotional connections in virtual interactions. The company was founded by Co-CEOs Sly Lee and Isaac Castro, along with Mauricio Teran, whom he met at Singularity University's Global Solutions Program at NASA's Ames Research Park. The founders share immigrant backgrounds and a passion for using technology to foster human connection. Lee, a first-generation Asian American, previously worked in marine science, using technologies like 3D mapping and sonar, and founded the non-profit The Hydrous. Castro, an immigrant from Colombia, holds a master's degree in telecommunications engineering and was recognized as an 'Innovator Under 35' by MIT Technology Review for inventing a medical device for cancer treatment.

The company's core offering is the Emerge Home system, which aims to integrate the sense of touch into the metaverse. This system comprises three parts: the Emerge Wave-1 device, the Emerge Home social virtual experience, and a companion mobile app. The business model centers on the sale of the Wave-1 hardware, which had a planned retail price of $499, and creating a platform for tactile-first games and social experiences. The initial launch was facilitated through a Kickstarter campaign that raised over $224,000. Emerge targets consumers who use virtual reality for social gaming and interaction, seeking to enhance these experiences beyond current audio-visual limitations.

The anchor of the platform is the Emerge Wave-1, a tabletop hardware device that uses patented technology to project sculpted ultrasonic waves into mid-air. These forcefields create tangible points of pressure that users can feel with their bare hands, eliminating the need for gloves or controllers. This technology generates a field of interaction approximately three feet high and 120 degrees around the device, allowing users to feel sensations like a virtual high-five or the texture of in-game objects. Initially, the system is compatible with the Quest 2 headset, with plans to support other platforms as they become available. The company has secured significant financial backing, raising a total of $25 million over three rounds, including a $13 million Series B in January 2022. Notable investors include Vulcan Capital, M13, and the co-founders of Twitch and Riot Games.

Keywords: haptic technology, virtual reality, metaverse, ultrasonic waves, human-computer interaction, social VR, consumer electronics, emotion AI, tactile feedback, sensory communication