A Cincinnati startup is turning heads this week at CES, the world’s largest tech show in Las Vegas, with its proprietary technology that brings the sense of touch to virtual reality.
Contact CI, considered a metaverse darling in the local ecosystem, is presenting its flagship product on the CES floor, thanks to financial support from startup catalyst group Cintrifuse and REDI, a local economic development organization.
It’s the first time Over-the-Rhine-based company has attended in person, and the second time Cintrifuse and REDI have worked together to take a local startup to CES. HeyHerbie, which has developed tech to adapt any TV into a video-chat system, had a booth at the 2020 show.
CES, which kicked off Wednesday, is considered the most important and influential trade show in the world.
Contact CI CEO Craig Douglass is on site giving hands-on demos of the company’s latest Maestro haptic gloves — the hardware and software Contact CI has developed aims to add the sense of natural touch to virtual reality.
Due to Covid-19 concerns, he made the trip solo.
Douglass is a Kings High School graduate who co-founded Contact CI at Syracuse University before bringing its tech back to Cincinnati in 2015.
He said haptic technology, or 3D touch, is a highly hands-on experience, making Contact CI a perfect fit for the show floor.
“Multiforce ergonomic haptics is the stuff of sci-fi novels,” he said. “Being able showcase that the tech is real, functional and available is part of why we are (at) CES.”
John Stieger, director of startup and entrepreneurial services at Cintrifuse, said Contact CI is a Cincinnati rising star. The company is a two-time “Startup to Watch” and previous “Inno on Fire” honoree.
“They have developed unique intellectual property that is incredibly important to a growing market,” Stieger told me. “Their product is being used in sophisticated training applications, and they have the support of some of the biggest players in virtual reality.
CES runs through Saturday.
