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AblePlanet's haptic headset adopts Linx Fusion moniker, we go handson

In case you hadn't noticed, "next-gen" is sort of the theme of E3 2013, and the term applies to far more than just video game consoles. Take headphones, for instance -- Able Planet tells us that it's developed what it believes to be the next generation in personal audio: a haptic headset outfitted with ViViTouch technology. Put simply, these things subtly vibrate with an audio source, but in a non-distracting way. The company first showed us this device back at CES 2013, but that prototype was unnamed, rough around the edges and had limited control options. Today, AblePlanet introduced us to the final prototype for what it now calls its Linx Fusion headset. We gave the cans a listen to see what had changed.

Filed under: Portable Audio/Video

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Headsets with vibrating haptics aren't exactly novel -- we've already seen such offerings from Skullcandy as well as Sony. Now AblePlanet is coming out with something similar, but the underlying technology makes it considerably smarter than anything currently on the market. The company recently announced it's pairing up with haptics firm ViviTouch to make a gaming headset that offers different-feeling vibrations depending on what kind of music you're listening to, or what's happening in the game. The as-yet-unnamed headset will go on sale within the next six to nine months, according to AblePlanet, with pricing to be announced at a later date.

Additionally, the companies plan to team up on other projects, including ear canal devices for field workers (firefighters, etc.) and even products for the hearing impaired. Before we get ahead of ourselves, though, we want to give you a quick preview of the headset, which we tested for a few minutes here at CES. Unfortunately, the set we tested today was merely a retrofitted NC1000CH plugged into a control box. Still, it gave us a good sense of what we can expect when the final product drops later this year. Meet us after the break to learn more.

Gallery: AblePlanet preps a gaming headset with smart haptics