Facebook’s Oculus VR Was Hit with Lawsuit for Technology Theft

The recently acquired virtual reality company could cause problems to Mark Zuckerberg’s social network as Facebook’s Oculus VR was hit with lawsuit for technology theft. Reports say that the founder of the firm, Palmer Luckey stole the technology for Oculus Rift from his former employer.

Oculus VR has had a rough period as virtual technology seemed to have fallen into oblivion as a result of the new smart technology conquering all consumers. Just as the company’s financial reports were taking a good turn, a new legal problem comes to hinder Oculus’ progress.

The virtual reality developer was purchased by Facebook last year in exchange of $2 billion. The social network is trying to bring online relationships to the next level and Oculus VR is trying to get back in fans’ attention. Their objectives were about to get fulfilled until a new unexpected episode came to shatter their plans at the end of this week.

Oculus VR announced last week that they would be releasing a new virtual reality headset with improved technology that enabled the program to accurately recognize users’ facial features and movements. The release of Oculus Rift, the name of the new headset, could now be put on hold as the company faces new lawsuit for technology theft.

The founder of the company, Palmer Luckey has reportedly stolen the new virtual reality technology from its former employer, Total Recall Technologies. Luckey had worked in the said company between 2011 and 2012. During this time interval, he had access to the new high-tech science that has been now provided on Oculus Rift, the plaintiff claims.

According to the Hawaii-based firm, during the period when Luckey worked for them, he had set up the model for a new advanced virtual reality headset. Even though the technology was developed by Luckey, he had no right to use it in the development of new products. Particularly, if these devices were developed by another competing company.

Total Recall Technologies has solid evidence to support its case against Oculus VR’s founder. They have stated in their lawsuit report that Luckey has signed a confidentiality agreement based on which he was not to use or disclose the mechanisms used by the Hawaiian company.

It remains to be seen whether the technology embedded on Oculus Rift was indeed the one that inspired Total Recall’s devices. Judges will compare the features of the two virtual reality headsets to identify possible similarities. Even so, Luckey may not be held responsible for the charges that were brought against him, if a certain similarity percentage is not met.

Total Recall Technologies has also mentioned the name of its major past clients in an attempt to prove their authority. Google and Samsung Electronics Co Ltd have appealed to the Hawaiian companies’ services in the past.
Image Source: Popular Mechanics

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John Birks

John holds a diploma in journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. He covers the technology, social media, green business, eco-travel, politics, arts culture.