Wacom revealed it is working on a new stylus specifically for VR users, allowing them to create more accurate and nuanced 3D drawings in VR.
The Wacom VR Pen is currently in development and is not yet available for consumers — in fact, it’s only listed on the Wacom for Developers site at the moment. While the pen does look close to a final product, Wacom are probably just trying to raise developer awareness of the stylus, in the hope that they might implement support for it on release.
Wacom describes the device as a “a pressure sensitive stylus controller (VR pen), with tracking system, designed for creative professionals … perfect for ideating, sketching and drawing in the VR space, and supports the seamless workflow between 2D and 3D (VR).”
It looks visually similar to other Wacom styli, except with a large cylinder pushed through the middle. This cylinder presumably offers more ergonomic support and provides easier grip and control over movement when using the pen in VR, given that there’s no physical object that you lean on while using it. It also has an adjustable dial on the top, which presumably gives you a quick way to adjust pen settings.
The pen will offer a pressure sensitive tip, which will change stroke thickness, and will also offer support for use with existing Wacom tablets. The tablets can be used in VR as well, so you can switch between a combination of 3D drawing and 2D annotations or drawings made with the tablet.
It will also user a independent tracking system that “works with major Head-Mounted Displays.” There’s no further word on which headsets Wacom might be referring to, and the only graphic for the tracking system is a patent-like design with 3 cameras.
This isn’t the first VR stylus either — we saw a similar product from Logitech last year, called the ‘VR Ink’.
You can read more about the Wacom VR Pen over on the Wacom for Developers site.
