Sharp Reveals New VR Controller Prototype Combining Haptic Gloves and Traditional Buttons

Oh boy, where do I even start with this? Sharp, you know, the guys who brought us those nifty TVs and calculators back in the day, are cooking up something a little… unexpected. They’re whipping out a prototype VR haptic controller in Japan. And let me tell you, it’s supposed to make you feel textures in VR. Like, really feel ’em. How wild is that?

So, Sharp’s promising these controllers will tickle your fingers with vibes that make you go, “Hey, that kinda felt smooth. Or maybe rough?” There are these “multi-segmented tactile elements,” which sort of sounds like techno-babble but apparently, it just means cool vibrations. Is it legit real touch? Nah, not yet. But they’re playing with the settings, mixing it up to give your fingers a bit of a roller coaster ride. Best part? They’re throwing it out there for us regular folks to try and give feedback. How’s that for crowdsource-y?

Digressing here – the controller doesn’t quite do the whole delicate finger dance like those fancy gloves some folks use. No fingertip ballet here. Plus, don’t expect it to squeeze your hand or warm your fingers. Nope, it’s sticking to basics like buttons and sticks. Oddly though, they haven’t quite spilled the beans on how these things will, uh, stay in our hands. Something about “high market share” tracking? Your guess is as good as mine.

Now, I’m not saying you should hold your breath, but don’t these images look like render world? Yep, so it might not pop off the assembly line anytime soon. That said, Sharp’s eager to get these shaky wonders to the public – if you’re willing to drop about ¥100,000 (which, trust me, sounds less painful in yen than in dollars – around $680 if you’re curious). They even opened up pre-reg on their Japan site, warning us it might all fall through. Gutsy move, right?

And here’s a brain-tickler: Sharp is no newbie to XR games. They’ve been the behind-the-scenes guys for high-end VR displays, like the top shop for Meta Quest 2 screens once upon a time. Plus, they teamed up with NTT Docomo to dish out those AR glasses, MiRZA, last year. So, maybe they’re onto something cool? Or maybe not. We’re just along for the ride.

Anyway, that’s the scoop. Or my half-baked interpretation of it. Stay tuned, I guess?