StretchSense XR Gloves

Project Description

The StretchSense Reality XR Train and XR Game Gloves are designed to revolutionize training in AR/VR environments, as well as providing a low-cost option for live performance in social VR. By providing precise motion tracking and haptic feedback, these gloves give the power to interact with digital content in a natural and intuitive way; maximising learning retention and tactile physical prop handling through hands-on muscle memory.

They have a massive benefit over XR controller based input - learners no longer need to be taught to use game controllers to complete virtual training modules, and can give right into the content, substantially improving onboarding time.

Features

• Capture finger animation with quick initial calibration
• Gesture recognition
• All-day comfort & battery life

From humble beginnings

Originally based on StretchSense's industry-leading mocap technology for AAA game and animation studios, such as Larian Studios (of Baldur's Gate 3 fame), when I joined StretchSense I set out to develop an industry-leading haptic VR glove. I lead the integrations team during development and built a number of SDKs and APIs to support internal testing, prototyping, presales, as well as introduced compatibility with third party software and platforms:

Key Integrations

• OSC API
• Unity Plugins
• Unreal Engine Plugins
• VMC Integration (for VTubers)
• OpenXR & OpenVR Plugins for PCVR and Standalone Headsets

StretchSense initially developed an intermediate low-cost mocap glove product called the StretchSense Studio Glove, specifically designed for VTubers and Twitch steamers. This glove acted as a bridge to validate the form factor and utility in VR; initially designed to work with StretchSense's Hand Engine mocap software. By developing a new custom app in Unity, our UK based dev team provided initial integration into SteamVR via an OpenVR driver and OSC for compatibility with all existing VTubing software, allowing many existing SteamVR games to be played.

SteamVR Beta

I acted in more of a product and delivery management role during this beta period, and we were able to gather feedback from end-users using VRChat and popular VTubing software such as Warudo, and used this to inform the direction of the product roadmap for B2C market segments, while also testing the useability of the product and scoped features for B2B enterprise sales. These directly informed the development of the Reality Glove and was critical to refining the hardware design and machine learning process to make sense of the glove data.

Gloves for Mass Market

Armed with the knowledge from releasing and supporting the Studio Glove, I was instrumental in the development and product leadership of a re-imagined software application which our UK based development team built from the ground up. This app provided a single point to connect the Reality Glove hardware to a PC or headset via bluetooth, massively reducing the complexity for end-users and developers. We listened to user feedback from previous beta tests with the Studio Gloves and reduced down the multiple apps and configurations required to connect and calibrate the gloves into a single "Reality XR Game" app with a very quick one-time setup process. Armed with this capability, B2C users used the Studio Gloves and Reality XR Game Gloves to successfully perform to their online audiences and interact in social VR.

A big highlight was having VTubers Cas & Chary try out the XR Game gloves at AWE 2025. I've been a massive fan of their YouTube channel for years, so this was definitely a dream come true to have them try a product I'd worked on.

Gloves for XR Enterprise Training

On the B2B side of the market, StretchSense has a number of ongoing engagements in the enterprise training space. Customers see the benefit of:

• Faster onboarding time
• Haptics while using hand based interactions
• Interaction with tracked props (e.g. fire extinguishers)
• Natural hand based interaction in simulator cockpits
• Gesture recognition
• Direct to headset connection

The future

I look forward to seeing the exciting future use-cases for the Reality Gloves. The development of the hardware and software has been a real labour of love for all of us, and I'm super proud of everything the StretchSense team have accomplished over the three years I spent with the company.