Sharp Introduces Prototype VR Controller Merging Haptic Gloves with Traditional Buttons

Okay, so get this. Sharp, yeah the same people who make your TVs and microwaves and whatnot, are diving headfirst into VR. They’ve decided Japan’s gonna get their first crack at this new gadget—a VR haptic controller. I mean, who isn’t into tech that lets you feel stuff in virtual reality, right? They say it’s supposed to mimic textures, all with these fancy “multi-segmented tactile elements” (whatever that means) touching your fingertips. Vibrations here, vibrations there, giving you the sensation of everything from smooth to rough. Imagine petting a virtual cat or something.

But, here’s the kicker—it’s not like the real deal yet. Sharp’s like, “Yeah, we can’t make it perfect, but we’re messing with it enough to feel different things.” They don’t wanna just sit around tinkering forever; they actually plan to collaborate with users to get it just right. Sounds like crowdsourcing, tech-edition? Maybe.

They’ve got this image floating around, probably for hype. And yeah, it looks kinda slick. But wait—don’t expect your fingers to do all the fancy tricks like those glove thingies. And forget about force or temperature feedback. They’re keeping it basic with standard sticks and buttons, like any old controller. Tracking? Who knows, but they’re hinting at using popular tracking systems. Classic.

The prototype’s out there for demo runs. They haven’t dropped it for real yet—haven’t even seen it beyond fancy images. But hey, they wanna get it to folks in Japan sooner or later. Price tag? A cool ¥100,000, which is like $680-ish. Oh, and by the way, they might just scrap everything. Gotta love tech companies, right?

And before you brush Sharp off as just some gadget peddler, remember they’ve been around the XR block a bit. They used to be big with VR displays for Meta Quest 2. Partnered with NTT Docomo for those MiRZA AR glasses too. So, maybe they’ve got some creds. Or maybe they just love surprises. Who really knows.