Sharp Reveals Prototype VR Controller Merging Haptic Gloves with Standard Buttons

Okay, so here’s the scoop—or maybe it’s more like a ramble—on Sharp’s latest gadget thingy in VR. Right off the bat, Sharp is rolling out this prototype VR controller in Japan. And it’s not just any controller, mind you—it’s got this haptic tech that’s supposed to mimic the sense of touch. So, imagine pressing a button and feeling like you’re touching… I don’t know, a kitten or sandpaper or something like that.

Anyway, Sharp’s playing with these “multi-segmented tactile elements.” I’m not entirely sure what those are, but they sit right on your fingertips and vibrate in different ways so you can feel textures. Can you imagine? Like, “Hey, this is smooth, this is rough.” It’s like the controller has a personality. Kind of neat, right?

Now, they admit it’s not quite the real deal—sure, you can’t compare it to the actual touching of a tree or, um, a jellyfish? But they’re tweaking it, trying stuff out, and asking folks for feedback. Makes you wonder if they even know exactly what they’re aiming for yet. There’s a charm to that, I guess.

Oh, and about the picture—it’s something else. A bit futuristic, yet somehow expected. Like, “Yep, that’s what future tools probably look like.”

So, they’re gonna sell these in pairs—left and right, naturally. But here’s the kicker: they’re not like those gloves that let you do precise finger stuff. If you’re dreaming about the sensation of typing on a tiny VR keyboard, maybe hold off on that dream. No force feedback, no temperature shifts, just good old vibrations.

These things double as regular controllers too, with sticks and buttons. But tracking? That’s a mystery, wrapped in a VR enigma. Sharp’s saying something about mounts for popular tracking systems but, who knows? It’s still up in the air, like a piñata at a birthday party waiting to be smacked.

The VR controller is in the test phase—like those science projects you never really finished in school. They might sell it, might not. Earlier trial units went for about ¥100,000, and in U.S. cash, that’s like $680-ish. A fair chunk of dough for tech that could end up as an unfinished dream.

Sharp’s been around XR for a while—maybe they’re unsung heroes? They did displays for Meta Quest 2 and, in a bizarre twist, teamed with NTT Docomo on some AR glasses they dubbed MiRZA. Sounds like a wizard’s name on a quest, doesn’t it?

Anyway, keep an eye out—or maybe don’t. Who knows where this journey will end?