Sort of like the PowerGlove -- well not really
A company called Iron Will Technologies has introduced a new method of controlling your gaming sessions. It is in the form of a glove. And it's called the Peregrine. Which is a bird.
The idea is that you slip on the machine hand-washable glove, and with different movements, you can give up to 38 different commands, which you presumably map for keyboard keys.
The glove was the idea of a guy named Brent Baier, a Canadian hailing from Alberta. "I remember working in my run-down little apartment, toiling in obscurity, making prototypes out of Nike golf gloves, trying to perfect this crazy idea. There were many days spent wondering if it would become what I envisioned, but as I look at what the Peregrine has become today I hope that gamers everywhere will experience the same magic I felt years ago when I made my first prototype, holding my breath as I tapped my fingers and watched things happen at the slightest touch," says Brent, on the product's webpage.
Call me a pessimist, but I'm not too sure about this Peregrine thing. I would think that remembering many different small movements to do with your hand would be more difficult, more tiring and more annoying than just using what this product is trying to replace: the keyboard. I also imagine holding your hand up in the air for extended gaming sessions would make users once again reach for their old-school gaming keyboards. But perhaps Neoseeker we'll test this product out to see if these fears are realities that are merely misguided, misapprehensions.
From Peregrine's factsheet:
Features:
› Over 30 actions available at the touch of a finger
› Maximum comfort during long gaming sessions thanks to durable, flexible fabric construction and military-grade conductive traces
› Three sizes to fit the needs of gamers big and small
› Magnetic break-away USB pod so gamers aren’t leashed to their desks
› Customizable faceplate for a unique look
› Premium quality electronics and connectors to ensure a long lifespan
› Full compatibility with any PC game that uses the keyboard
Projected Availability and Pricing:
Pre-Order: Summer 2009, $99.95 USD / £60 GBP
Ships: Fall 2009, $129.95 USD / £79 GBP
forums
MUAHAHAHAA
The glove actually has 38 touch points. Each can be assigned a key code. Touch one of the points, the character is generated. So you can have your WASD pattern (default actually, but reassignable for the game you are playing).
It's not like the power glove, it doesn't detect roll, has much better resolution, doesn't have buttons on the wrist, doesn't look like a hockey glove on a 12 year old, and works with any application that uses keyboard input, PC, Mac, Linux or whatever can handle a USB keyboard.
Still though, I'm more interested in the brain reading input devices.
Don't have to hold your hand up in the air, you usually rest it on your lap or in whatever position is most comfortable, that's why it's so nice.
You don't have to memorize where your fingertip is. You've been using your hands your whole life.
Hand washable, not machine washable
Kevin, I think you would like it if you play RTS or MMORPG games. You have to try it to really understand it. Will everyone love it / use it? No. But I think lots of people will
And think of the comfort of doing photoshop shortcuts with this thing...fully programmable so I can't wait to see what the user community does with this!
Fixing errors...
One thing though, is the glove not called the Peregrine? That is sure the impression I received from your website: http://www.theperegrine.com/product/
Triple Point = PR Agency
Iron Will Technologies = Company
Peregrine = Product
Unless their own website is lying about their product name and company behind it. Who knows maybe it's some epic conspiracy theory.
As the facts stand though, the above seems to be correct. Maybe AC should go back and verify before making it even more confusing.