HTC has announced two new devices that joins its HTC VIVE VR ecosystem. First we have the VIVE Facial Tracker which can track 38 facial movements across the lips, jaw, teeth, tongue, chin, and cheeks. Paired with a VIVE Pro Eye, it can offer a whole-face tracking experience. The company says that with this new accessory, lip movements accompany voice with almost-zero latency and has opened its SDK for developers. You can find more specs details below:

• Near-zero latency: With sub-10 milliseconds response time, lip movements accompany voice audio.
• Dual cameras: Capture full lower-face motion from all angles with accuracy.
• IR illumination: Infrared illumination helps you maintain reliable and accurate tracking even in low light conditions.
• Unity and Unreal Engine support: Freedom to create. Our SRanipal SDK for VIVE Facial Tracker supports both Unity and Unreal Engine.
• Compatibility: Pair with VIVE Pro Eye for the ultimate whole-face tracking experience. Compatible with other models in the VIVE Pro series.
• Optimized runtime: Explore the full potential of this next frontier of VR with an optimized runtime for eye and face tracking.
• USB-C connector: Facial tracker seamlessly integrates with your current kit. No need for add-ons or adaptors.
• High tracking FOV: Don't miss a single gesture. Wide-angle tracking means you get the whole picture.
• 60 Hz tracking rate: Read facial expressions in real-time thanks to high fidelity tracking for lifelike interactions.

The other device announced is the third generation of the VIVE Tracker. Version 3.0 boasts up to 75% increased battery life, 15% reduction in weight, and 33% smaller footprint than previous generation VIVE Trackers. It also allows for 204 degree FOV tracking and can capture full-body movement with "pinpoint accuracy".

​

These new peripherals will be available starting March 10 with the VIVE Facial Tracker costing £129/€139 and the VIVE Tracker 3.0 is similarly priced at £129/€139. We haven't seen these been put in use in games yet, but they could deliver a more immersive VR experience once implemented.

SOURCE: GBAtemp Inbox

 

[Mama Looigi]

Personally I’d wait until people actually start implementing support for this into their games.
Naturally VRchat will likely be one of those games- but still.
And to be honest- I don’t see the appeal of lip tracking in any single player games besides a tiny bit more immersion with mirrors
But still
It’s a step foward!

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]

How much data does this capture?

 

[Prans]

Personally I’d wait until people actually start implementing support for this into their games.
Naturally VRchat will likely be one of those games- but still.
And to be honest- I don’t see the appeal of lip tracking in any single player games besides a tiny bit more immersion with mirrors
But still
It’s a step foward!

the Facial Tracker definitely feels like a dev kit at this point that pairs well with their VIVE Pro Eye but they might have apps or games to accompany the release. also, it shows the direction their headset is heading and could be integrated in a future headset rather than sold as an accessory.

 

[1B51004]

i know there's prolly better examples but this just feels wrong

it doesn't feel natural. gives me a 'uncanny valley' vibe

 

[GoldenBullet]

i know there's prolly better examples but this just feels wrong
View attachment 251001
it doesn't feel natural. gives me a 'uncanny valley' vibe

Its because its translating a humans natural proportions to an animated character's exaggerated proportions. Or the person who made the mockup didn't bother to make it look nice

 

[Veho]

First we have the VIVE Facial Tracker which can track 38 facial movements across the lips, jaw, teeth, tongue, chin, and cheeks. Paired with a VIVE Pro Eye, it can offer a whole-face tracking experience.

The VIVE Pro Eye has eye tracking, and this attachment does "lips, jaw, teeth, tongue, chin, and cheeks"... we're still missing eyebrows, no? And it ain't 100% faithful if the brows aren't on fleek

How much data does this capture?

All of it. Think "Star Trek transporter".

 

[DKB]

Vive devices are such overpriced pieces of shit. Why the hell is a 300 dollar device completely superior to an almost base 1000 dollar device?

 

[HideoKojima]

Maybe in 10 years I'll get one

 

[FAST6191]

I volunteer to test it. Want to see how it deals with having a long beard and moustache.

 

[gudenau]

How much data does this capture?

Apparently up to 35 expressions.

Here is another creepy video that demos it.

Edit:
I do have a wireless Vive, but I only really play Beat Saber. I can see how some people would love the eye tracking and mouth tracking on multiplayer games, but I really think it's just going to be creepy.

 

[Tom Bombadildo]

Porn games. This will 100% be used in pretty much only porn games.

But hey that's nice I guess?

 

[Bladexdsl]

i can imagine what this will be used for

 

[Julie_Pilgrim]

Porn games. This will 100% be used in pretty much only porn games.

But hey that's nice I guess?

My reaction to almost every vr advancement

 

[Kraken_X]

Vive devices are such overpriced pieces of shit. Why the hell is a 300 dollar device completely superior to an almost base 1000 dollar device?

Because Facebook is a multi-billion dollar company that is basically an unchecked monopoly in the social media space, and they can afford to sell things below cost to force companies like HTC out of the market? Plus Facebook makes tons of money off of stealing your data, and HTC does not. Additionaly the Android based Occulous' have a closed marketplace that is also profitable compared to most Vive owners buying their games from Valve.

That's not to excuse HTC's high prices and poor support, but VR is basically all they have left as a company and so they have to pull a profit on the hardware, and their R&D budget is limited.

 

[XDel]

Happy-topia!

 

[gudenau]

Vive devices are such overpriced pieces of shit. Why the hell is a 300 dollar device completely superior to an almost base 1000 dollar device?

Wait, what are you talking about? The index is only 499 USD and all the 300 USD ones I can think of are not as good.

 

[Mama Looigi]

Vive devices are such overpriced pieces of shit. Why the hell is a 300 dollar device completely superior to an almost base 1000 dollar device?

Vive makes profit off of hardware
And its full body which isn’t exactly common yet

Oculus for example- can afford to sell hardware super cheap because they make so much money off of software sales-
For example
The Quest 2. They priced it so low that the company itself actually loses money keeping it at that price- they have to rely on software entirely and they can make cheap software
...
HTC does not do that

 

[RichardTheKing]

VR's still a thing? Has anyone sorted out the 'nausea' effect, or the prohibitively-high price, associated with VR yet?

I thought it was just a passing fad, a la motion controls (that never worked).

 

[Mama Looigi]

VR's still a thing? Has anyone sorted out the 'nausea' effect, or the prohibitively-high price, associated with VR yet?

I thought it was just a passing fad, a la motion controls (that never worked).

If $300 is good enough for you
I mean that is the price of a switch isn’t it?
Then yes

And yes again
If you don’t have motion sickness issues
Some are just prone to them