The Steam Dev Days show and been something of a revolution when it comes to video game inputs. It's where Valve first demonstrated the Steam Controller before it shifted direct many times - and it's where, just yesterday, they took it a step further by giving those in attendance a sneak peak at what could be a new iteration of the current wand-type controllers offered for the HTC Vive.
Right now, the controllers shipped with every Vive headset typically use a series of triggers and buttons to register more direct inputs like grabbing hold of items. To facilitate a more natural human response to this, Valve have demoed a new pair of input devices worn on your hands rather than simply held.
There's no estimated shipping date for the new tech, currently, with Valve going the route of the Steam Controller by looking for developer feedback before finalising the designs. The prototyped hardware avoids breaking immersion by having a series of sensors situated along the natural grip line to allow for a real grab to be registered - rather than having the player pull and hold a trigger button.
With Valve allegedly selling around 1000 Vive units per day, it's reassuring to see the company still heavily invested in its evolution. Though those with the current VR headset will likely shudder at the thought of another, likely expensive, peripheral emerging so soon after the initial launch, we likely won't be seeing these new controllers hit the market any time soon.
