We caught up with the developers of Rink, a new wireless motion controller that uses a combination of magnetic field enabled positional tracking and infra-red finger tracking.

Here’s a closer look at the new motion controllers which we wrote about recently, in development as part of the Samsung C-Labs incubator program, an initiative to encourage exploration and development of new technologies. It’s the brainchild of Yongjin Cho, a Senior Engineer at Samsung’s Creativity Lab
 rink-ces-3We have a more detailed hands-on coming soon, but we thought you might take a high resolution look at the controllers, which are surprisingly well finished for prototype hardware.

The rink system comprises two handheld ‘money clip’ style controllers and one basestation. The two hand units connect via bluetooth LTE to the Gear VR, the basestation is, in essence, a dumb magnetic field generator. The handheld controllers do most of the work, using the relative strength of the magnetic field generated by the basestation to gauge position in space.

In addition, the rink controller have IR LED sensors that fire towards your fingers and are able to detect the flexing of your digits.

We’ll be back with our impressions later, but we’ll leave with you with these high-res shots to pore over in the mean time.

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Paul James
Based in the UK, Paul has been immersed in interactive entertainment for the best part of 27 years and has followed advances in gaming with a passionate fervour. His obsession with graphical fidelity over the years has had him branded a ‘graphics whore’ (which he views as the highest compliment) more than once and he holds a particular candle for the dream of the ultimate immersive gaming experience. Having followed and been disappointed by the original VR explosion of the 90s, he then founded RiftVR.com to follow the new and exciting prospect of the rebirth of VR in products like the Oculus Rift. Paul joined forces with Ben to help build the new Road to VR in preparation for what he sees as VR’s coming of age over the next few years.
  • Firestorm185

    Almost looks like a Leap Motion designed to be held in your hands. Looks great!

  • Rob Walker

    Agree. Its unfortunate its only at the prototype phase. If it was ready to go now and priced right, it could have been a popular stop-gap while waiting for Oculus and Vive equivalents.

    I wonder how much the base station weighs. That going to negatively impact the wearing comfort factor mounted above the nose!

  • Michael Miller

    Just bought a Gear VR and I’m loving it so much. I can only imagine how much more awesome this will make it.

  • Firestorm185

    I seriously hope that if they make these a final product that they include a wrist strap. I’d be so afraid that they’d slide off my fingers when I wasn’t clenching my fists!

  • Tom Lowdermilk

    I’m pretty sure you mean Bluetooth LE (not LTE). And does the base station really generate a magnetic field,…da heck?!… more likely I think each wearable has a 6 axis sensor and magnetometer sending back raw data or quaternions.