DisplayLink Shows Off Wireless Docks, HTC Vive

DisplayLink is known as the company which builds the chips inside most of the world's wired laptop docks. However, the company is now cutting the cord and using its expertise to develop wireless docks and even a way to connect an HTC Vive (or other headset) to your computer, without plugging in a cable.

Wireless Connector Docking

In a concept demo at its booth, DisplayLink hooked up a Lattice Snap Chip to the bottom of a Dell XPS 13. Another of the chips was on the dock, and when the laptop sat on the dock, the peripheral sent the display signal to dual 4K displays without a hitch. While the dock itself is still wired to the monitors, the laptop is now free from cables.

MORE: Best Laptop Docking Stations

Wireless Virtual Reality

DisplayLink’s new VR concept was surprising to see, considering its stronghold in enterprise docking stations. The new concept, which, like its docking tech, will be used by vendors, uses the same chipset as a dock to wirelessly transmit a signal to the headset with a 60-GHz antenna.

I moved around freely playing Xortex on the HTC Vive, running and ducking while guiding and protecting a space ship from incoming invaders.

Why You Should Care

You won’t see DisplayLink make this tech itself, but if its wireless technology is anywhere near as reliable as its powerful wired docking tech has proven to be, we can expect a ton of innovation – and many fewer wires – in docks and VR in the future.