Valve showcase their Knuckles SteamVR controllers

Valve showcase their Knuckles SteamVR controllers

Valve showcase their Knuckles SteamVR controllers

 
In VR the natural aim for developers is to create the most immersive gaming experience possible, which is something that is a lot more difficult than most believe. 
 
Today we now have VR headsets that have high enough resolutions, refresh rates and low enough input latencies to create a believable virtual world, and motion tracked control methods that can give a great sensation of true interactivity and player movement within a game world, though it must be remembered that this is only the first generation of VR and that huge technological improvements are still possible.   

 
While the use of higher resolution displays can be used to create sharper and more realistic game worlds, the simple fact of the matter is that this will push headset pricing and system requirements through the roof, which is not exactly great for the VR industry as a whole. Today most major improvements are in software, like the addition of Asynchronous Space Warp to the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift and other software tweaks that deliver a better user experience.  

One other way of improving VR experiences is to improve VR control methods, moving from motion tracked wand-like controllers to something that is more reactive to hand movements and grip. While many here imagine some sort of motion tracked power glove, Valve has created something that can provide a similar effect, while still offering the same functions as their SteamVR wand controllers. 

This new controller is called “Knuckles”, fastening to the user’s hands to prevent dropping and coming with sensors that can detect the location of the user’s fingers and their grip on the controller, allowing software to detect exactly where their fingers are to showcase gestures or utilise finer control methods in-game. 

Right now these controllers are part of Valve’s “Knuckles” developer kits and need to be calibrated on a per-user basis, though they have already showcased some impressive use cases for this technology. 

 

 

  

This controller uses what Valve calls “CapSense” technology, which adds capacitive fields to the grip of the controller wand, which can then detect how much the user is gripping the controller. 

Valve has also added an adjustable strap to the controller that will prevent the controller from being dropped during use, or thrown into a wall in the event of a jumpscare. 

 

Valve showcase their Knuckles SteamVR controllers  

At this time, Valve has not announced when these controllers will be available to the public as a consumer product. 

 

You can join the discussion on Valve’s new “Knuckles” VR controllers on the OC3D Forums. 

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