We covered the news today that Samsung will be debuting a new motion controller designed specifically for virtual reality and it’s Gear VR headset at CES next week. Now, some new images have surfaced of the devices which give us a better look.

It’s called ‘rink’, it’s a set of motion controllers designed for Gear VR and it’s the latest project from Samsung’s R&D arm C-Labs. News surfaced today that the new controllers will be on show at CES 2016 next week, albeit with a solitary image to fuel speculation on how exactly it might work.

Now, the VR community (thanks /u/Craftsman_nl) have uncovered more images of the devices. revealing a little more of the new hardware.

It seems the controllers come in pairs, or at any rate can be used as such, are open ended with LEDs, perhaps indicating connectivity which (as speculated in the original article) a dedicated box that affixes to the top of the Gear VR headset. This box looks more and more like a sensor to detect the movement of the peripherals, both of which sport a white LED-like block which looks like it’s designed to face upwards. Whether these are for some sort of positional tracking is, frankly (as with the rest of this article) wild speculation at this point. Positional tracking using just these markers seems somewhat challenging though, it might be that the unit is simply a wireless hub with on board processing for data fed from IMUs on the Rink units.

rink-samsung-gearvr-3

The rink controllers seem to have some sort of perforated material on the inside, perhaps for comfort, perhaps hiding sensors to detect tension in the hands for tracking of a user’s hands? Again, a big dollop of guesswork here.

The second new image shows hands wearing a rink device on each, typing on a virtual keyboard. This might add credence to the finger tracking theory or it could be that it’s just to keep things extra comfy when you’re doing … whatever it is you’re doing with rink.

So, perhaps no real answers here, but we’re having a fun time speculating here at Road to VR towers. Again, thoughts and theories welcome below, let us know what you think.

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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.
  • Doctor Bambi

    Wow! That’s really cool! Can’t wait for CES next week. I’ll be curious to see if they will be compatible with the innovator editions of Gear VR. Seeing as how it sits on to of the unit, it very well could.

  • Extreme Ethereal Emissary

    Keep em’ coming, love how you’re updating regularly, bring on 2016 year of VR

  • daniel

    Starting this year with the right foot :D

  • Joel Jenny Macdonald

    they need to create a type of streaming technology so you can get video from your pc to the gear , also it wouldn’t hurt if the new s7 was 4k and would be able to be used on the gear , the resolution even with 1440p is kind of poor.

  • LegoKnockingShop

    “Road to VR Towers” :)