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".

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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

 

[Alato]

Honestly I feel like this is a pretty exciting forward.

For single player games, it makes zero difference. But for the future of multiplayer VR—and I really think good, polished VR multi-user experiences is what's going to massively increase the adoption of VR—I can imagine that facial expression detection is going to be an important feature.

Like yeah I'm all for the VRChat's jankiness and charm, but once games are able to implement convincing, naturalistic & expressive animation? and you can get a powerful-enough headset/tracking system for less than the price of a console? Then I'm for sure in.

We're not there yet, but I figure it's only a matter of time.

 

[gudenau]

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).

The only time I get sick with my Vive is when games crash and leave a still image on the screen.

There is some eye strain when you try to read a lot of text though.

 

[Jacklack3]

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).

yeah, it's been growing and growing and getting more affordable. the idea of full vr is too cool for tech companies to move on from, it's only getting to get bigger.

 

[JavaScribe]

Weird.
I imagine that by the time there's any real use for this besides VRChat, they'll probably have released new facial tracking hardware. Assuming it does catch on.
I guess you do need the tech to be available if you want devs to take the time to implement it.

 

[CathyRina]

Interesting. I do think that most games that would use the facial tracker would be big uncanny valley territory.

 

[DarkCoffe64]

Can't we just instead focus on brain-uploading tecnology or what?
Lemme become a terminator or something.

 

[Mama Looigi]

Can't we just instead focus on brain-uploading tecnology or what?
Lemme become a terminator or something.

Sure- it’ll probably happen around the same time teleportation becomes possible

But for now-
Companies are racing to get the first headset out that reads brainwaves to alter your experience in VR

Imagine:
You’re wearing one of these headsets
You’re in a horror game
The headset detects what scares you more
And uses it to make the game as terrifying as possible for you

 

[altorn]

I'm already typing with my left hand.

 

[placebo_yue]

Someone told me this was already around since 2018 but only for developers and such. So apparently it's getting a soft-re-release to see if there's interest in consumers (or enterprise i guess). I'm not too excited about the news, facial expressions are pretty useless, i'd rather see them put some effort on locomotion, haptics and such. I don't care about VR chat having characters moving their lips and eyebrows

 

[Relys]

Exciting stuff. I think the future generation of this type of technology will eventually move from cameras to EEG sensors.

 

[Jayro]

This is going to breed in an all-new generation of amazing V-tubers.

 

[Pipistrele]

Seeing all the tech advancements is fun and all, but I think VR industry should work towards lowering the price of admission first. It's kinda frustrating how instead of releasing affordable budget headsets for international market (with even Quest 2 still costing a lot on import), they keep piling up bells-n-whistles to make price-induced niche even more phohibitively expensive.

 

[Justinde75]

I honestly don't know.
I am totally not interested in VR since right now it sadly still seems like a gimmick. I can totally see it evolve in a couple years though.

 

[Veho]

Imagine:
You’re wearing one of these headsets
You’re in a horror game
The headset detects what scares you more
And uses it to make the game as terrifying as possible for you

I think Nintendo wanted to do that with the Wii Vitality Sensor, before they dropped the project. They said it could be used the other way too, to work towards relaxing players, but where's the fun in that?

 

[ZeroFX]

The weirdos that spend an awful amount of money to be like the anime girl they think they are must be having an orgasm rn.

Cool tech though.

 

[Mama Looigi]

Seeing all the tech advancements is fun and all, but I think VR industry should work towards lowering the price of admission first. It's kinda frustrating how instead of releasing affordable budget headsets for international market (with even Quest 2 still costing a lot on import), they keep piling up bells-n-whistles to make price-induced niche even more phohibitively expensive.

$300 for a Quest 2 is cheaper than any current-gen first-party console currently on the market
Just need a Facebook account

I think Nintendo wanted to do that with the Wii Vitality Sensor, before they dropped the project. They said it could be used the other way too, to work towards relaxing players, but where's the fun in that?

It could help people wind down after a long day or something. Or give people a safe place that feels as safe as possible-
There’s a game- I forget the name but it’s somewhere. But basically a lot of people use it if they’re stressed out or upset- and they choose whatever looks they’re in, and the game puts them in a relaxing scenario that changes based on the mood they selected. It could become a much better version of that

I guess it could technically also have some thereputical purposes

Maybe some other uses could be uh-
Automatically adjusting your game for your motion sickness issues or discomfort

 

[Pipistrele]

$300 for a Quest 2 is cheaper than any current-gen first-party console currently on the market
Just need a Facebook account

Again, only select several regions can order Quest 2 for $300, with real prices trending towards $450-550 at least for Eastern Europe - and even that requiring a lot of workarounds and/or resorting to second-hand market. And Quest 2 is pretty much the only ongoing attempt at covering the budget range, with most other companies seemingly doubling down on extravagantly priced high-end headsets.

 

[MetoMeto]

I don't want to be rude but read my signature.

 

[JavaScribe]

I don't want to be rude but read my signature: "Let the VR die."

I don't want to be rude, but good luck with that.

People thought the internet was going to be a fad.

 

[MetoMeto]

I don't want to be rude, but good luck with that.

People thought the internet was going to be a fad.

Why would i need luck for an opinion.