As virtual reality (VR) develops, many companies and manufacturers are searching for the best way to interact with the VR environment. Though motion tracked controllers were a step forward, they are still limited in some ways. Cirque believes it has a solution with its VR Grip platform.
One of the goals for the next generation of VR control devices is full touch sensitivity, with individual finger-tracking a much requested feature. Cirque claim its VR Grip offers this, able to track a user’s hand and fingers and also allow for proximity sensing to track fingers above the controller surface.
The aim is to provide functionality similar to what glove-based controller systems offer, without the downsides and limitations such as the sizing or washability problems. The Cirque VR Grip controller uses both a proximity sensor and a trackpad, similar to the ones found on a HTC vive wand.
Cirque say they are offering a full-featured development platform to allow the VR Grip to be integrated into VR projects. This includes a reference design for a VR Grip controller, along with a full documentation package and a sample application with source code. Full details on how to implement the VR Grip platform is also included.
The company have also just made available the development kit for the VR Grip. The company say this allows any VR controller, joystick or game controller to be turned into a fully touch-sensitive surface, able to track hand and finger movements.
The platform is powered by a single-chip architecture, which controls both the touch pad and proximity sensors. The company says this allows for an easy to use but feature-rich solution for enabling next-generation VR input devices.
The development kit comes with a VR Grip development controller, a USB flash drive and quick start guide. This is available through the Cirque website, at a price of $95.00 (USD).
Further news on VR Grip and other next-generation VR control devices will be here on VRFocus.
via Mint VR