TG0 promises a more accessible and inclusive VR experience with etee: the button-free controller
Wednesday 22 April, 2020
LONDON – Tactile control specialist TG0 has unveiled etee, a groundbreaking new VR controller delivering a more accessible and inclusive VR experience through patented finger sensing technology.
With etee, VR users can immerse themselves in new worlds using all of their fingers simultaneously. Unlike other controllers, etee allows gamers to control their VR experiences via a full spectrum of movements such as proximity, touch, gesture and pressure.
etee controllers are wireless, lightweight, durable and designed to be worn on the hand for long periods. An ergonomic form, patented technology and long lasting battery make it the ideal controller for scenarios including VR and AR and conventional gaming, drone flying, home device activation and multiple Internet of Things (IoT) applications.
Being exceedingly light and unencumbered by buttons make etee very easy to pick up and play. This offers a new level of immersiveness by removing distraction. It also makes the controllers more accessible for people that don't have a background in gaming. etee opens up VR to people with lower upper upper body strength or mobility issues who find using traditional controllers challenging.
The etee controllers are now available on Kickstarter. Fully funded already and looking to deliver against progressively unlocked stretch goals. The page is now live at: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tg0/etee-complete-control-in-3d
“VR games need a controller that moves beyond the stale, TV remote-like devices that are prevalent today,” said etee designer Mick Lin.
“etee takes us away from binary button commands into a new world of gesture, grip and touch-based controls. It delivers richer, more mesmerising interactions: the experience gamers deserve.”
While VR and AR gaming and training has advanced massively in a short period of time, existing controllers have retained an old-fashioned button-led design that has barely evolved from the games controllers of yesteryear.
Unlike legacy controllers, etee delivers on:
- Full finger sensing and gestural control
- Lightweight - 120g for the SteamVR version makes it the lightest VR controller
- Easy to put on and take off
- Sweat, dust and water-proof for improved hygiene and reliability
- Long battery life (16 hours standby, up to 6h active)
- Thumb trackpad to simulate joystick
- Ergonomic, intuitive design
- Proximity, touch, gesture and pressure sensing
- No buttons for a more natural experience
- Simplified product user interface
Designed to be as cosy and comfortable as a cardigan, etee hugs the hands and allows users to forget they’re even wearing a controller. etee is easy to slip on and off in seconds and a simple cylindrical shape couples freeform design with robust sensing. The end result for users is a controller they can wear rather than hold, and a more engaging, fully-realised experience no matter what the end application.
Jakub Kamecki, etee’s Head of Business Development, said: “I’ve never seen someone pick up an etee controller and fail to be wowed.
“We want to share this technology and to build a community, not only of gamers but of developers, innovators and inventors.”
etee controllers are equipped with:
- Thumb trackpad
- Free hand design
- Open palm gesture sensing for all fingers
- RGB colour LED
- State-of-the-art haptic feedback
- USB Type C ports
- Bluetooth and WiFi communication
Full technical specifications are available on request. Interested parties can stay updated by following the etee Kickstarter campaign at https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/tg0/etee-complete-control-in-3d
Jakub said: “We’ve felt for a long time that etee is the future of VR control. Now we’re going to make it so.”
Distributed by Pressat
