The mega-popular Sword Art Online franchise has introduced many great technologies that people could only dream of -- along with new phobias like being stuck in a virtual world. Although there are plenty of VR consoles, two of the most popular FullDive gadgets in SAO are the NerveGear and the AmuSphere.
While one of them blazed a trail with its novelty, the other prioritized the player's safety and still took things one step further. But which of these two is the superior tech?
Sword Art Online's NerveGear Is Groundbreaking Technology
The NerveGear is the second generation of FullDive technology that started the journey for Sword Art Online's main characters and the show's fans alike. The gadget was produced by Argus under the direction of Akihiko Kayaba -- later revealed to be the series' first antagonist -- who was very eager to replace the real world with a virtual one.
The NerveGear helmet covers a player’s whole head with its single interface and controls the player’s consciousness. It interferes with the signals the brain sends to the body and sends its own instead to stimulate the five senses. To use the NerveGear, the player must wear the console over their head and find a comfortable position. Afterward, the only thing the player must do is utter the words “link start,” which will load the game immediately.
This headgear was initially used in puzzles and educational/environmental games but once Sword Art Online was released, gamers were thrilled with excitement. However, the wind was taken out of their sails when they found out they were trapped in the game – and could only be set free only if they complete all 100 floors of the game. Anything else would cause the NerveGear to fry the user’s brain. After this incident, known as the Death Game, Argus stopped producing the NerveGear and almost everyone went for equivalent replacements.
Sword Art Online's AmuSphere Emphasized the Player's Safety
Like its predecessor, the AmuSphere is also a second-generation FullDive machine. After Argus' bankruptcy due to the Death Game incident, a company's -- RECT Progress Inc. -- FullDive division took charge of the SAO servers, created a new game called ALfheim Online and co-developed the AmuSphere. The system is basically the same as the NerveGear but was modified to make the experience safer, by replacing the microwave transmitter with a low-frequency one. The gadget was designed to monitor the player's blood pressure and brain waves continuously -- a safety logout feature was also included in case anything abnormal occurred.
In addition to those features, the AmuSphere's design and less powerful transceivers do not block out signals from the body as the NerveGear did. That means the FullDive experience is not as realistic because it is less successful than the NerveGear in excluding the sounds and sensations from the outside world. However, with an extra payment, the player can access specialized rooms designed to make the virtual experience more realistic.
Which One Is Superior: The NerveGear or The AmuSphere?
The NerveGear may have changed the gamer experience forever in Sword Art Online, but the AmuSphere is the superior tech by far. The latter made all the provisions for anything that could happen -- which is perhaps its most vital feature after the SAO incident.
Although some aspects of the AmuSphere diminish the realness of the virtual reality, it is far better than wearing the NerveGear and risking one's life. Still, let’s not forget that the company that developed the AmuSphere is the same one that created ALfheim Online – and devoted SAO fans know how that ended.