Control VR launched a Kickstarter campaign Thursday for its Control VR gloves, which are designed to translate motions into augmented realities.
The system fits over the user's arms and shoulders and can sense precise movements of fingers, according to The Verge. The glove-like device doesn't need an external camera to map exact motions of the arms and fingers.
"Existing motion-sensing technology is crude, insufficient and limited by confined spaces and camera systems," said Alex Sarnoff, co-founder and CEO of Control VR.
Tiny sensors on the user's fingers and arms are used for control. Each sensor has three accelerometers, three magnetometers, and three gyroscopes. Data is created by the positions of the sensors, and is fed back to a processor. The processor lets the system calculate how users move their fingers in relation to their bodies.
Greg Goodrich, producer of Medal of Honor and Battlefield, said the device was "the most significant development in virtual reality since Oculus," The Next Web reported.
Control VR will be used for more than just video games, having previously been used by researchers to understand the effects of Parkinson's disease and aging on movement. The gloves were also programmed to control a helicopter drone. Other potential users for the system include sign language and robotics.
Sarnoff said Control VR will be shipped with an SDK that will let developers "make the world a better place" by updating the technology with software and functionality, The Verge reported.
"Ultimately, functional applications like remote physical therapy and virtual sign-language will be developed," he said.
Control VR has been licensing its technology to NASA, Raytheon, Ubisoft, and other companies, The Next Web reported. Thursday's announcement marks the first time that the company will be releasing the gloves for consumers.
Control VR has set a funding goal of $250,000, The Verge reported. Backers that pledge $350 or more will receive their own Control VR system.
Sarnoff promised that those who buy the system won't have to buy a newer version six months later. Because the device is modular, users can add new features and functions to it later.
