A 3D pen is a computer input device that has 6DOF input and is in the shape of a pen. It has finer control than a typical VR game controller, simply because of the shape. It is also called a 3D stylus.
3D styluses are either mechanically mounted, like the Touch 3 stylus, or they are tracked using a tracking system like electromagnetic tracking or SteamVR.
Examples of consumer devices include the Massless Pen and the Logitech VR Ink.
Polhemus' magnetic tracking systems sometimes have a pen included.
Traditional 3D stylus devices are mechanically connected to a base, and have been used in medicine. An example is in the VBLaST virtual surgery simulator.[1] THe VBLaST uses two input devices based on products by SensAble Technologies.
Mechanically tracked
One 3D stylus that is available is the Touch 3D stylus from Protocom.[2]
Another device is the Touch X from 3D systems.[3]
References
- ↑ VBLaST - virtual surgery simulator. HowTechTV. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWOCF_9WHwA
- ↑ http://www.protocom3dp.com/touch-3d-stylus Touch™ 3D stylus
- ↑ https://www.3dsystems.com/haptics-devices/touch-x Touch X Haptic Device