Raphael Thys
Diver X, a Japanese VR startup that pitched HalfDrive VR Headsets earlier this year, has launched a new Kickstarter campaign for a pair of Diver X VR haptic gloves that contain flexing and compressing membranes to mimic touch sensations.
The HalfDrive Kickstarter fame saw the light in January as the campaign secured enough cash to be fully funded. However, the Diver X team decided against it and returned the funds as the device that clearly took inspiration from Sword Art Online failed the scalability test.
Now, the company is back with another Kickstarter campaign with ContactGlove, a pair of Diver X VR haptic gloves that tracks fingers and positions with SteamVR and offers input emulation via buttons.
It is up to the user to decide if and when to use this function because button input is an emulated process in which configuration software links certain buttons to hand motions, such as bending your right index finger to pull a trigger.
The “pro” function on higher-end versions also offers haptic feedback by contracting and expanding to mimic touch on the user’s fingertips. As per the company, the VR haptic gloves are compatible with SteamVR and come with mounting adapters for Tundra Trackers and Vive Trackers.
The Diver X VR haptic gloves are available for pre-order on Kickstarter, which already seems to have caught fire in the landscape. The project has now surpassed its original funding goal of US$200,000. The VR haptic gloves start at US$490 for models without the touch membrane and US$710 for those with Tundra Trackers. The haptic versions start at approximately US$870.
For more information, refer to the project page.