Vive Tracker Shown At CES 2017

Yeah, maybe I wasn't fully paying attention but I don't think this video showed very well what the Vive tracker explicitly does. I have a Vive... I like it... I'd like more things for it to get better. As a consumer, what would I do with a Vive tracker? Or is this aimed specifically at small developers to help incorporate objects into their programs?
 
Yeah, maybe I wasn't fully paying attention but I don't think this video showed very well what the Vive tracker explicitly does. I have a Vive... I like it... I'd like more things for it to get better. As a consumer, what would I do with a Vive tracker? Or is this aimed specifically at small developers to help incorporate objects into their programs?

Yeah, my guess is that it's designed to allow 3rd party peripherals to be developed such that you can swap these trackers between them without having to have multiple ones. Looks like it has an interface to allow the peripheral to have custom controls, etc.
 
This should make developers happy, but it is a bit esoteric for the standard end-user. Its not like you would buy this puck, attach it to random devices and, viola, new VR object. I would expect, however, to see a whole slew of new peripherals based on an interface with this puck.
 
This should make developers happy, but it is a bit esoteric for the standard end-user. Its not like you would buy this puck, attach it to random devices and, viola, new VR object. I would expect, however, to see a whole slew of new peripherals based on an interface with this puck.

Precisely. It should also allow peripherals to be much cheaper as they don't all have to integrate the lighthouse tracking sensors into the design.
 
Yeah, maybe I wasn't fully paying attention but I don't think this video showed very well what the Vive tracker explicitly does. I have a Vive... I like it... I'd like more things for it to get better. As a consumer, what would I do with a Vive tracker? Or is this aimed specifically at small developers to help incorporate objects into their programs?

It's a self-contained sensor pod. Doesn't have any inherent value to end-users, may have a ton of value to companies that are trying to create new 3D controllers. Thing of it is, the video example they provide above makes the device look really pointless, at least to me. They created this custom camera-looking device in the real-world that exists in the VR world, too. So,I think this is a pretty-good hyper-simplified example of what they are on about:
1537521-p1-sports-accessories-pack-bundle-nintendo-wii-remote-kb-208018.jpg


So if your VR experience requires you to "do something that doesn't easily get simulated holding a wand or touch-sensor in your grip", attaching one of these devices to your real-world object is step-one in bringing that device into VR.
 
Last edited:
Thing of it is, the video example they provide above makes the device look really pointless, at least to me. They created this custom camera-looking device in the real-world that exists in the VR world, too.

Yeah, that was pretty much the worst example I could think of. Although, you certainly don't want a full-sized bat/club/whatever for swinging around when you can't see your surroundings. :p

I think gun peripherals are probably going to be the ideal for these, if they can make them with decent force feedback (stronger than the Vive controllers) and other interactivity, like maybe racking the bolt or reloading.

Also these could be used for a third-party normal controller, maybe something more like the Touch, or those prototype Vive controllers that attach to your hands.
 
Thing of it is, the video example they provide above makes the device look really pointless, at least to me. They created this custom camera-looking device in the real-world that exists in the VR world, too

That thing looks like it started out life as one of those smartphone-holding Bluetooth gamepads


ipega-bluetooth-game-controller-for-smartphone-pg-9023-black-1.jpg
 
Here's a quickie video of the new headset and the tracker. I want that gun peripheral...

 
Thanks for posting that. This, to me, is taking VR in reverse.

I believe in having two hands as "generic hand controllers" that can become whatever I need them to be in VR. That's the *point* of it all, isn't it, a reality detached from reality?

If I'm holding a gun peripheral like the one above, the only thing being tracked is the gun. So now I am a head and a gun in the VR space. Vive can't see your hands anymore, cuz you aren't holding wands, you're holding this gun peripheral.

What happens when I want to put the gun down? Or I want to pick up a different gun, or grab a grenade off my virtual chest and toss it? I can't. My hands would be irrelevant,
the gun/camera is the object that VR "sees". So the only thing I can now do in VR using the gun controller is "point the gun". I can't let go of the gun, ever.

An article I glanced-at today says they already have a pair of gloves that uses one of these sensors on each wrist, and it is "Minority Report".....your hands and fingers in VR, killer-app type stuff. No word yet on how well it actually 'works'. That, right there, is the ultimate VR control option however. Holding Nothing.
Holding something specific seems like looking through binoculars the wrong-way.
 
Thanks for posting that. This, to me, is taking VR in reverse.

I believe in having two hands as "generic hand controllers" that can become whatever I need them to be in VR. That's the *point* of it all, isn't it, a reality detached from reality?

If I'm holding a gun peripheral like the one above, the only thing being tracked is the gun. So now I am a head and a gun in the VR space. Vive can't see your hands anymore, cuz you aren't holding wands, you're holding this gun peripheral.

What happens when I want to put the gun down? Or I want to pick up a different gun, or grab a grenade off my virtual chest and toss it? I can't. My hands would be irrelevant,
the gun/camera is the object that VR "sees". So the only thing I can now do in VR using the gun controller is "point the gun". I can't let go of the gun, ever.

An article I glanced-at today says they already have a pair of gloves that uses one of these sensors on each wrist, and it is "Minority Report".....your hands and fingers in VR, killer-app type stuff. No word yet on how well it actually 'works'. That, right there, is the ultimate VR control option however. Holding Nothing.
Holding something specific seems like looking through binoculars the wrong-way.

You make a reasonable point. In some games, though, you may never do anything other than hold a gun, so it may not matter too much. Or, in games like H3VR, you could put the gun down and pick up a controller near the edge of the room (you can see them in VR space since they are tracked) if you need to, since you're not really pressed for time like in a fast-paced shooter.

For instance, if I was playing a wave shooter where I was only using a rifle, it'd work fine. Though, for pistols...

The pistol vs rifle thing, though, could be a problem. It'd be ideal to have a peripheral that could have dual functionality as a pistol or a rifle depending on configuration (maybe a pull-out stock and front grip in "rifle" mode), but...we'll see.
 
You make a reasonable point. In some games, though, you may never do anything other than hold a gun, so it may not matter too much.

I hear you, sort of the Rock-Band mentality....you may only use that one controller for that one game, but the game loses a lot of "presence" if you're not using the guitar and only playing on the gamepad (aka, pointless). Some games will absolutely work with the gun, you move with a little joystick or something, you throw a grenade with a button press, you don't pick-up weapons, you stand near them and press a button and they 'teleport' into your hands, so your hands never leave the gun controller. It's another way to look at it.

Or, in games like H3VR, you could put the gun down and pick up a controller near the edge of the room (you can see them in VR space since they are tracked) if you need to, since you're not really pressed for time like in a fast-paced shooter.

Agreed, it's just a clunky maneuver and you wouldn't want to do it if you only had a second to react....but if you prepped your 'game space' properly you could make it work.

The pistol vs rifle thing, though, could be a problem. It'd be ideal to have a peripheral that could have dual functionality as a pistol or a rifle depending on configuration (maybe a pull-out stock and front grip in "rifle" mode), but...we'll see.

Yeah, we'll see what they do with this. Some people are probably drooling for this because having two generic wands just 'doesn't do it for them'. I personally wouldn't play a VR racing game if my wheels were not supported, and then the wheel
has to match what I am doing in the game...Project Cars is good with this, they did the hand animations pretty well so your hands and the in-game hands "sorta look like they are in sync".....so I understand how some people want a dedicated controller,
where someone like me would rather just air-guitar the experience.....different strokes.

Either way, progress is progress.
 
What happens when I want to put the gun down? Or I want to pick up a different gun, or grab a grenade off my virtual chest and toss it? I can't. My hands would be irrelevant,
the gun/camera is the object that VR "sees". So the only thing I can now do in VR using the gun controller is "point the gun". I can't let go of the gun, ever.

An article I glanced-at today says they already have a pair of gloves that uses one of these sensors on each wrist, and it is "Minority Report".....your hands and fingers in VR, killer-app type stuff. No word yet on how well it actually 'works'. That, right there, is the ultimate VR control option however. Holding Nothing.

Leap Motion already allows full hand tracking without wearing gloves, and can even be used along with the controllers. It uses a stereo camera mounted to the front of the headset, so hand tracking only works when your hands are in front of your face and in view of the camera (biggest limitation)

It's a little buggy, because it wasn't originally designed for VR (it was originally designed for minority-report-style GUI control of a regular screen) but they shifted direction towards 'VR hands' when the Vive and Rift came out

(not the greatest video, but it demonstrates the tech)

 
VR at this point is still way to gimmicky for me, not enough realistic immersion just some fancy video manipulation.
Sure it's cool but it seems that this in not taking me where I want to be with out a bunch of additional devices.
I think for now I will stick with my head tracking gear and not go blind with this early VR.

Some day I will put on my helmet and stand in the middle of my room, 4 holographic sensors around the room that scan my person will creat my char ingame
then I can jump, roll, juke and weave and interact with the environment as if I were actually there. Some movements would be initiated by gestures.
 
This is a cool concept. If they could make it smaller, then you could have multiple trackers for more realism when changing or reloading weapons. Trackers for main weapon, side arm, magazines and baton or knife... even some soft throw able objects... simulate grenades or FB.
 
Back
Top