Haptech Inc., located in the Central Business District, now has three military contracts totaling more than $11 million.
The company patented a way to create realistic recoil on life-like firearms of different sizes, from handguns to machine guns, as well as modify real weapons so they can be used in virtual reality and live trainings.
On a recent Friday, Haptech Inc. Co-founder and CEO Kyle Monti placed his finger on a scanner to open the doors to the company's workspace. 3D printers buzzed as hardware and wires were laid in labeled sections.
The company recently demonstrated the new tech to Army soldiers at Fort Liberty in North Carolina. The feedback was mostly positive, Monti said, and it's used to make adjustments in the mock weapons.
Benefits
Monti said what makes their military training technology different is the fact that it's all electric.
The battery-powered system controls a tiny motor that causes a push and pull force when firing. Before the invention, recoil motion in fake weapons used to be mainly driven by air pressure mechanisms, Monti said.
He patented the Electromagnetic Recoil System in 2012, and started Haptech in 2014.
No bullets are needed for the Haptech blasters, making them safer. Soldiers aim the fake weapons at a screen, and sensors monitor where the shots are landing, just like in a video game. Soldiers can also use these mock weapons in live training environments without a screen — the sensors still pick up on training analytics without it.
Previously, soldiers used blank bullets, and sometimes they would get mixed up with real ones, Monti said.
"We're not manufacturing real weapons," he said. "We put the battery where the magazine is supposed to be and the motor is where the chamber would be."
A realistic recoil is needed because soldiers have to account for the movement of the firearm when aiming. The mock weapons also have sensors that track how soldiers hold and fire it. From there, military officials can better assess how to improve aim.
The technology also saves time and money. Because the entire system is battery powered, it doesn't require tools or a lot of time to be fixed, Monti said.
"If something is wrong, all we have to do is reprogram it. No tools and no extra money needed," Monti said.
While Haptech doesn't produce real firearms, the company can turn actual firearms into virtual reality training weapons. A kit with three easy-to-connect parts can be used by soldiers to make their real weapons safe for training.
Most of the technology Haptech has created so far is for the Army, Monti said. But the company also makes training technology for the Marine Corps. Haptech previously supplied training technology for the Navy as well.
Blasters in Minion Land
Haptech's sister company, StrikerVR, makes handheld weapons for video games and entertainment locations like Universal Studios. The company currently has 77 patents with 11 more pending.
StrikerVR supplies the blasters for the Minion Land attraction at Universal Studios, which opened in 2023. Attendees can hold the blasters and feel vibrations without having to be plugged in, allowing for more movement and fun.
StrikerVR sold a couple thousand game blasters to entertainment locations from 2017-19. Those blasters range from $50,000 to $100,000. Now, the company is getting closer to affordable options for gamers at home
"We're starting to move towards more of a consumer market. We have a blaster that people can buy now for about $1,000," Monti said.
The blaster, called the Mavrik-Pro, is compatible with the Meta Quest VR set.
Tech in Louisiana
The tech industry in Louisiana has been growing over the past decade as people start to focus on other things besides oil and gas, Monti said.
Of the 20 people on Haptech's staff, only two are from out of state. The company is dedicated to keeping their workers here in Louisiana, he said, and he hopes to hire 10 more people by the end of the year.
"Investment opportunities, incentives and access to advanced tools and resources are expanding to keep pace with Louisiana innovations being created here everyday," Monti said in a statement.
In Louisiana, tech startups now have more access to business accelerators like R&D grants and incentives from the Louisiana Economic Development, Monti said.
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