Valve’s ‘Knuckles’ VR controller tracks individual fingers
VR fans have been steadily following the development of Valve’s new controller for SteamVR, called Knuckles. Now the device is being shipped to developers as a prototype, and as a result, Valve has released quite a bit of new information about Knuckles and how it will work.
To use Knuckles, users insert their hand between the main part of the controller and a soft strap that helps hold it in place. You can tighten or loosen the fit with an attached cord. This means that you can grab and interact with objects as you normally would without worrying about dropping the controller. Multiple capacitive sensors throughout the device also can help track your hand motions and whether your fingers are pointed straight, tightly curled or somewhere in between. It’s important to note that Knuckles contains individual tracking for each separate finger, a feature VR users have been asking for.
All in all, Knuckles appears to be a more ergonomic and natural controller for VR. It’s a pretty straightforward follow-up to controllers such as the Oculus Touch and Vive wand. It’s not clear when Knuckles will be available to the general public, but you can bet a lot of VR fans are itching to get their hands on it.
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