Impressive Virtual Reality Gloves Let You Feel Objects in VR – GameRant
A new video posted online shows off an impressive DIY virtual reality glove that uses haptic feedback to let users actually “feel” objects in VR.
Virtual reality gamers looking for the next big leap in control may be running to the nearest 3D printer after seeing an impressive TikTok video showing off a homemade haptic glove that lets users “feel” objects in VR. This incredible DIY project lets gamers who don’t mind a bit of tinkering get a glimpse of the future of virtual reality for around the same cost as a new game for the Quest 2.
Following a series of false starts dating all the way back to the 1990s, consumer VR finally had a moment in the spotlight with the launch of the Oculus Quest in 2019. While hobbyist VR headsets had already been available for several years, and Valve’s PC-only powerhouse the Valve Index launched only a few months later, the Oculus Quest served as an affordable and easy-to-use introduction to VR for millions of people. Even as the consumer VR space has become more crowded in recent years, with multiple companies releasing both tethered and standalone headsets, controllers for VR games have remained relatively unchanged and still take design cues from traditional console controllers.
In a clip from Linus Tech Tips posted to TikTok, tech influencer Linus Sebastian is seen trying out the DIY LucidGloves haptic glove for VR designed by amateur inventor Lucas De Bonet. The impressive LucidGloves use a series of strings and motors to create resistance by pulling back on users’ fingers when they grab an object, giving the impression of actually holding on to something in virtual reality. Linus is visibly awed in the video when picking up a keycard in popular VR game Bonelab and being able to feel the thin profile of the card in his hand.
The LucidGloves, which have plans available for download on the LucidVR GitHub page, first went viral in 2020 when inventor De Bonet showed off the first version of the gloves. Requiring a 3D printer and roughly $60 worth of hardware to assemble, the LucidGloves offer a dramatically cheaper alternative to commercial VR haptics products like Haptx Gloves, which cost nearly $6,000 per pair and require a monthly hardware subscription. Even as the advanced haptics in the PlayStation VR2’s controllers show that there is still ongoing innovation in control options for VR, the LucidGloves represent a glimpse into the future of VR gaming.
With their unwieldy appearance, limited support in VR games, and the requirement that users assemble them themselves, these gloves clearly aren’t for everyone. But for gamers with a bit of spare cash and spare time on their hands, they could make for a fun weekend project to get a sneak peek into the future of VR. Unfortunately, since the gloves only work with PC VR, players won’t be able use them to high-five Notorious B.I.G. in the metaverse during the late rapper’s Meta Horizon Worlds concert next week.
Christopher has been playing, working on, and writing about video games for over 20 years, and has a lifelong passion for the gaming industry as a whole.
Following a childhood spent playing and reading about games whenever he had the chance, Christopher began working as a gaming writer for ActiveXbox.com in 2004. During his time at ActiveXbox, Christopher posted news stories, wrote reviews of new and upcoming games, and provided on-site editorial coverage of E3 for three years in a row. After several years spent writing about games, Christopher made the move to Los Angeles where he would spend the next part of his career helping to create them. During his time in the gaming industry, Christopher worked with multiple developers and publishers, including Activision Blizzard and Saber Interactive, and provided production support and quality assurance assistance on over a dozen shipped titles for PC and consoles.
After several years spent away from the gaming industry, Christopher is excited to be a part of the team at Game Rant and writing once again about the hobby that has brought him so much joy. A self-professed XR evangelist, Christopher has spent the last several years exploring new possibilities for gaming and entertainment with virtual and augmented reality. When he's not playing games you can find Christopher exploring his beautiful home state of Colorado, auditioning for voice over work, creating VR and AR art, or planning out his next overseas adventure.
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