A Ring-Button Device for Precise Control in VR

According to Florian Maurer, Leap Motion provides pretty good hand and finger tracking with objects in virtual reality; however, when it comes to a good pinching motion, it leaves a lot to be desired.

Of course, you could go for something complicated like VR controllers or special gloves, but for simply pinching fingers together, Maurer created a 3D-printed ring that uses a mechanical button from an optical mouse. You push it to pinch, then release as needed.

The best hand tracking occurred when the ring-button was on the thumb, which allows for fast and precise enough control… Pinching your fingers around virtual objects feels the most intuitive when grabbing virtual objects, so this lesson inspired the following open-ring design.

In the videos below, Maurer is seen manipulating virtual blocks, then surfing the web in virtual space in the second clip. (The ring doesn’t get in the way while typing!)

Although certainly useful, if you need feedback and much more control, Stanford’s “Wolverine” device might also be worth a look!