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THESE 60 DOLLARS 3D-PRINTED GLOVES LET YOU ACTUALLY FEEL OBJECTS IN VR

A string runs from each fingertip and locks when you close your hand on a virtual object, so your fingers stop where the surface would be.

by Lucas VRTech

FULL CAD BOM FIRMWARE DOCS

DisplaysRobotics

difficulty
●●●●○
time
a weekend-plus
license
MIT
repo
repo ACTIVE2,359 stars

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

  • 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
  • Electronic parts — full list with part numbers in the repo BOM
  • Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware
  • Soldering kit + basic tools — one-time buy, serves every future build

Partner

Reach your Pi from anywhere — Remote desktop to the machine running this build — no port forwarding, works right from the browser.Try Getscreen.me
Videos
1

COMPAREE VERDICT

LucidGloves are the most accessible haptic VR gloves you can build at home. The mechanism is elegant: a string from each fingertip runs through the glove to a servo, which locks the string when your hand closes on a virtual object. Your fingers stop where the surface would be, so a ball feels like a ball. The design works, the licence is clean, and the documentation is thorough. The hard part is not the concept — it is the assembly tolerance and servo tuning. The glove has to fit well enough that the strings do not slip, and the servos have to lock at exactly the right tension or the feedback feels spongy or over-tight. Expect a weekend to print and assemble, then another few hours tuning per hand. If you have never soldered or calibrated servos, add a day. The one thing most likely to go wrong is printing the finger segments too loose or too tight — the design assumes PLA printed at 0.2mm layer height, and even small dimensional errors stack up across five fingers. If you are patient and methodical, this is the only way to get haptic VR gloves without spending four figures. If you want plug-and-play, commercial options exist but cost ten times as much.

NOT IN THE REPO

  • —MIT licence, unrestricted.
  • —Full build wiki with STLs, BOM, wiring diagrams, and firmware flashing steps.
  • —Multiple prototypes in the repo — Prototype 4 is the current recommended build.
  • —No pre-assembled option; this is a from-scratch build requiring soldering and 3D printing.
  • —SteamVR driver is included; per-finger tracking works out of the box once assembled.
  • —The repo has 2400 stars and active community discussion, but assembly tolerance is tight and the servo tuning takes trial runs.

Can I build this?

PrintFull set of glove parts — finger segments, palm chassis, servo mounts. Estimated 80-100 hours print time for both hands.
Buy5 servos per hand (10 total), ESP32 dev board, flex sensors or hall-effect sensors (depends on prototype), fishing line or Spectra string, velcro straps, wire, headers. See BOM in wiki.
Tools3D printer (PLA recommended), soldering iron, wire strippers, small screwdrivers, multimeter for debugging. SteamVR-compatible VR headset required to use the gloves.
SkillsIntermediate 3D printing (tight tolerances matter), basic soldering, firmware flashing via Arduino IDE, patience for iterative tuning. No prior VR dev experience needed but expect a learning curve on servo calibration.
TimeA weekend to print and assemble both gloves, then 3-6 hours of servo tuning and fit adjustment per hand. First-time builders should budget a full week of evenings.
Cost$60-80 in parts per pair if you already have a 3D printer and soldering gear. The servos and ESP32 dominate the cost.
SafetyLow-voltage DC only (5V servos, 3.3V logic). No mains, no lithium cells in the glove itself (USB-powered via tether). The one real risk is pinched fingers during servo tuning if the string locks unexpectedly hard — test with low tension first.

Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.

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HeyGears G1: 10M+ colors and transparent parts in one print, plus UV printing on flat objects. Figures, parts and labels — no painting.

See how it prints

Videos

Creator demo video showing the gloves in use with SteamVR.

Gallery

https://opengraph.githubassets.com/00ab378ae57c62b8c5304b1c5eb76eb087e020ad79d3f13d52c62b0129cdddaf/LucidVR/lucidgloves
https://img.youtube.com/vi/Qj4hqRKiy8g/maxresdefault.jpg
https://img.youtube.com/vi/2yF-SJcg3zQ/maxresdefault.jpg

Start here

Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.

  1. 1.Read the wiki front-to-back before ordering parts (The wiki walks through prototype versions — Prototype 4 is the current build. Confirm which sensors and servos match your chosen design.)
  2. 2.Order parts from the BOM(Servos, ESP32, and sensors are the long-lead items. Fishing line and velcro are available locally.)
  3. 3.Print the glove parts in PLA at 0.2mm layer height(Dimensional accuracy matters — test-fit the finger segments before printing the full set.)
  4. 4.Assemble one glove, flash firmware, and test SteamVR tracking before building the second(Proving the first glove works saves you from debugging two at once.)

Resources

Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.

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BluHub reads and burns Blu-ray/DVD/CD, adds USB-C, USB-A, SD/TF and 10 Gbps data — plug and play, grand-piano finish.

See the hub

KNOWN ISSUES

  • Buying the wrong servo model — the torque and speed specs in the BOM are not negotiable, and cheaper servos will not lock the strings reliably.
  • Printing the finger segments with the wrong orientation or infill — they need to flex slightly but not crack, and the string channels must be smooth.
  • Skipping the per-finger calibration step in the firmware — the servos need individual tuning or the haptic feedback feels inconsistent across fingers.
  • Stringing the glove too tight or too loose on the first try — expect to restring at least once after testing in VR.
  • Assuming the glove will fit your hand without adjustment — the design is parametric but not automatic, and you may need to scale parts or add padding.
  • Not testing the SteamVR driver setup on a simple scene before full assembly — driver issues are easier to debug without the glove on your hand.

Do I need a specific VR headset?

Any SteamVR-compatible headset works. The gloves emulate SteamVR controllers, so they appear as trackers in the SteamVR overlay.

Can I use these without a VR headset?

No — the gloves are designed exclusively for VR. They require SteamVR to map finger positions to virtual objects.

How does the haptic feedback actually feel?

The string locks your finger in place when you close your hand on a virtual object. It feels like hitting a hard stop, not a vibration. The sensation is convincing for solid objects but does not simulate texture or weight.

What is the difference between Prototype 3 and Prototype 4?

Prototype 4 adds force feedback and refines the finger tracking mechanism. The wiki recommends Prototype 4 for new builds unless you have a specific reason to use an earlier version.

Can I sell gloves I build from this design?

Yes — the MIT licence allows commercial use. You can build and sell LucidGloves without restriction.

Community builds

No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.

Discussion1

FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM

2400 stars, MIT-licensed, and the whole build is about $60 in parts against several hundred for anything commercial. What VR application would you build these for first?

CompareeTEAM22d ago

Practical notes from our verification: the repo is actively maintained under the LucidVR organisation, the build wiki is comprehensive and includes wiring diagrams and firmware flashing steps for Prototype 4, and the two YouTube videos in the payload are creator demos showing the gloves working in SteamVR. The single biggest variable is print tolerance — the finger segments have to fit snugly enough that the strings do not slip, and even small dimensional errors across five fingers stack up. Budget time for a test print of one finger before committing to the full set. The servos specified in the BOM are not optional; cheaper alternatives will not lock the strings reliably, and the haptic feedback will feel spongy.

Lucas VRTech

Lucas VRTech (LucidVR) built LucidGloves to make haptic feedback accessible to the VR hobbyist community. Commercial haptic gloves cost thousands of dollars and are aimed at enterprise customers, so Lucas designed a DIY version that anyone with a 3D printer could build for the cost of a weekend and a modest parts order.

GitHub

Star the project on GitHub

DISCLAIMER

  • Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
  • Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
  • Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
GitHub repo