Good news for busy, urban anglers: Japanese toymaker
Tomy will release an augmented reality fishing rod allowing users
to feel a bite and reel in a heavy fish regardless of their
location.
"Virtual Masters Real" -- a palm-sized rod with an antenna-like
tip equipped with a reeling handle and small screen -- will go on
sale in Japan in July for 6,279 yen ($76), Tomy said on
Tuesday.
The rod's camera uses special technology to augment any location
shown on the screen with "fishing opportunities", potentially
giving offices, streets and shopping malls the refined air of a
relaxing day by the lakeside.
Or, depending on the size of the fish, users could find
themselves haunted by a virtual obsession to rival Captain Ahab's
pursuit of Moby Dick.
A whirring sound accompanies the simulated casting of the line,
as well as a satisfying "plunk" when the sinker hits the water, the
company said.
The harder the user casts out, the further the line flies on the
screen. A bite on the line is conveyed by a vibrating reel with the
"weight" on the line changing in accordance with the size of the
fish, it said.
If the fish is successfully hooked, the reel will shake as users
work to reel in the virtual beast. The line will go limp if the
fish is allowed to escape.
Tomy has set a sales target of 300,000 units for the first year
of sales as it looks to cash in on the rising popularity of outdoor
leisure activities, including fishing, in Japan, the company
said.