Motion Controller

Glamos is a tiny device that uses LIDAR technology to project a kind of virtual touchscreen anywhere one is needed, turning TVs and projectors into giant motion-controlled displays that you don’t need to actually touch.

Samsung is updating its VR headset, announcing the HMD Odyssey+, which targets the dreaded “Screen Door Effect” with a clever new tactic and adds a few ergonomic improvements to the outer shell.

Though Vive's wands, the Oculus Touch controllers, and to a far lesser extent, the PSVR's Move wands, do a reasonable job of bringing hands into VR worlds, feet are another story. Soon, we may be able to, almost literally, step into the shoes of our VR avatars with Cerevo's Taclim.

Among the flood of toys that accompanied Star Wars Episode VII last year, Sphero’s app-controlled BB-8 was a clear standout. With this year's version, Sphero makes users feel (kind of) like a Jedi (sometimes) with the Force Band, a wearable that allows BB-8 to be steered with motion controls.

Last year Sphero gave kids (and big kids) the chance to own one of the droids themselves, and now a special edition model gives the bot a new lick (or lack) of paint as well as pairing it with a wrist-worn controller that brings with it the power of the Force.

Point Motion is a new motion sensing system that lets you create music through the movement of your body. Initially available as a package containing both the software and a wireless camera, it will also work with existing webcams.

Video games have come a long way in a short time and hardware developer Matt Long is determined to play a part in this continued evolution of video game technology, with a gaming system that brings physical resistance and force into the mix.

Playgrounds may seem old school to some kids when compared to the latest video games, but Hybrid Play’s interactive game system turns swing sets and seesaws into controls for games running on a companion app available for iOS and Android devices.

Virtual reality firm Sixense has this week announced MakeVR, a motion-controlled solution for 3D modeling. With this new platform, the company hopes to overcome an obstacle to 3D-printing entering the consumer market: the complexities of 3D modeling software.

The creators of the experimental Lumitrack motion-tracking system claim that it has much less lag time than existing systems, plus it's highly accurate and should be cheap to commercialize.

Hot on the heels of the Leap Motion Controller motion-sensor, which began shipping last week, Leap Motion has released the accompanying software. The software allows people to control their computers with natural movements, detecting both hand and finger movements.

Virtuix has launched a Kickstarter campaign for its Omni omnidirectional treadmill that is designed to translate the user's real world movements into virtual gaming worlds.