The Palm Plug is a virtual reality hand tracker and guider dreamt up by entrepreneur Ola Adesan. Adesan turned to industrial design and engineering firm Hatch Duo to realize the product, which is geared towards learning to play a musical instrument.

As the firm explains:

The Palm Plug is a full hand tracking VR accessory equipped with visual cues and haptic feedback that allows users to learn to play music through feeling exactly how the masters move their hands. Like a virtual masterclass that helps your hands comprehend the movement necessary to become proficient in a wide variety of instruments. As Palm Plug is the next generation of interactive devices for spatial computing interactions, we had to be mindful about the delicate balance of integrating virtual tech into real world learning. It had to feel like something was guiding your hands without overwhelming and overstimulating the learning process.

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Sleek and Bold All In One

Palm Plug was designed to be a playful addition to the user's lifestyle- a minimal yet ergonomic form factor, Palm Plug has an expressive silhouette with subtle details that elicit feelings of energy and empowerment in the user. We sought out to design an advanced music learning tool that didn't detract from the actual experience of learning.

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Importance of Ergonomics

We needed to ensure that Palm Plug mounted comfortably on the hand to not only allow a full range of motion, but also for the user to be able to see and feel the haptic and visual feedback cues. Through testing a wide range of forms on different hand sizes and types we landed on a final form that was able to inform, educate, and become an integral part of the virtual music learning experience.?

Cutting Edge Technology

Palm Plug's form was designed around the function- cutting edge technology paired with a design made for movement and exploration. The integrated hand tracking, haptic feedback, light, feedback, audio feedback, and AI lens were crucial to help the user create the correct muscle memory patterns it takes to learn and master a musical instrument.

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Sleek and Bold All In One

Virtual reality learning, aside from being a new experience overall, should be fun and have tools that support the user on their the path to mastery. Palm Plug bridges the gap between the real and virtual worlds by introducing cutting edge technologies in a friendly, playful, and energetic way that empowers users to embark on new, adventurous journeys.

You can see more of Hatch Duo's work here.