With the launch of PlayStation VR this week, virtual reality has taken a step closer to becoming a mainstream phenomenon, and not to be outdone by Sony, Vavle has shown off some new controllers for the HTC Vive headset.
Visitors to the Steam Dev Days conference have been given a demonstration of the new controllers, in prototype form, which share a lot in common with the Oculus Rift‘s touch controllers.
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Whereas the current Vive controllers have to be held, the new devices allow you to open your hand fully while still remaining in place thanks to new straps that bind them to your hands.
This allows for more gestures and natural hand movements, allowing users to drop items in VR, and, as seen in the below video, even juggle.
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Other reports from attendees at the event suggest you can open you hand halfway and the controllers will be able to interpret this in the virtual world.
That is likely possible due to the reported 21 sensors which this user says are embedded in the new HTC Vive controllers.
https://twitter.com/statuses/786347934598049794
It’s also been revealed that HTC will be launching a new base station for the Vive setup, which will likely come with improvements that will allow it to support the new controllers.
Kotaku has suggested there will be a discount for owners of the current system when the new controllers launch, but Valve rep Doug Lombardi told the site: “We are focused on gathering feedback on the design prototype at this point. Will have more details soon.”
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Let us know what you think of the new controllers in the comments.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.
