While it isn’t a household must-have just yet, Virtual Reality (VR) gaming is still seeing a considerate rise. Even more so with the introduction of newer headsets such as Oculus Quest 2 and HTC Vive Cosmos that aims to deliver an immersive experience to gamers. Adding to that is a new experimental accessory called the Haptic PIVOT controller designed by none other than Microsoft.
What makes this controller unique is its ability to provide users with a sense of touch and feedback to their hands. This is achieved via a motorised handle that is worn on a user’s wrist, which will activate and make contact with their palm whenever they interact with a virtual object – such as grabbing an in-game ball or fruit.
The Haptic PIVOT also frees the user’s hand from holding any form of VR controller when in-game, which further adds to the immersion. When not in use, the aforementioned handles will be situated in a retracted position. Microsoft says that this design enables the PIVOT to also work with mouse and keyboards when not in use.
Impressively, the handles are in sync with what’s happening on screen, therefore ensuring that users will not experience delay when coming into contact with an in-game object. This is done by automatically preempting the handle’s distance from the user’s hand depending on how far the object appears on screen.
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A haptic feedback system is also installed within the handles to provide the feeling of contact, such as when catching an object. In addition, two PIVOT controllers can also be used in conjunction with one another to simulate holding or interacting with an in-game object with two hands.
At this time, the Haptic PIVOT is still an experimental accessory for VR purposes. Microsoft has not revealed if it is planning to have this device commercially available in the near future.
(Source: Microsoft [Official website])
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