HTC Vive Focus 3 Archives

A new firmware update introduces six predefined hand gestures and opens up quality-of-life opportunities.

The HTC VIVE Focus 3 is an impressive VR headset with its dual 2.88” LCD panels, Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor, magnetic gasket, and easy-to-access swappable battery.

One of the VIVE Focus 3’s most exciting features is the AI-powered hand-tracking. Thanks to a recent firmware update, the hand-tracking experience has been improved even further, offering better stability, performance, and accuracy while in VR. The headset tracks your hands in real-time using a 26-point skeletal hand modeling system; even super-fast hand movements can be tracked with a high level of accuracy.

Image Credit: HTC

Along with improved stability and performance, developers can now easily integrate six predefined hand gestures into their experiences. “Point”, “Fist”, “Ok”, “Like”, “Five” (all fingers straight), and “Victory”, with the possibility of more gestures being included in the near future.

These gestures can be used in a variety of VR experiences. Because the hand tracking engine is OpenXR compliant and highly resource-efficient, it opens up more hand movement possibilities for developers.

The first thing you’ll notice after upgrading is that your hands feel more natural and reliable in VR. Thanks to the aforementioned hand modeling system, you’re able to wiggle and snap your fingers as you would in real life, whether you’re grabbing a virtual object or pushing a virtual button.

To get started all you need to do is set aside your Focus 3 controllers and hold your hands up in front of you while in VR. The outside sensors will automatically locate your hands and begin tracking your movements and gestures.

There are still some limitations you should be aware of when using hand tracking on the VIVE Focus 3. You’ll want to avoid complicated backgrounds as well as low or unbalanced lighting conditions in the camera frame. You’ll also want to make sure to roll up your sleeves and ensure your wrists are visible to the four onboard cameras and avoid any awkward side views.

Another thing to keep in mind is that hand tracking quality will depend heavily on the platform, VR headset, and mode. For example, more complicated experiences may result in less reliable hand tracking.

The improved hand tracking experience will allow you to navigate VR environments in a way that feels much more intuitive, and will be a big step in making VR more accessible for users as they explore the possibilities of the metaverse. It also opens up quality-of-life opportunities to explore VR for people dealing with physical disabilities that prevent them from interacting with VR in a more conventional manner.

For more information on HTC VIVE’s hand tracking engine, hop on over to the HTC developers hub.

Feature Image Credit: HTC

HTC teases new hardware ahead of its mysterious “Go with the Flow” event scheduled to take place later this month.

This week HTC Vive tweeted out an image of a mysterious canister with a lid next to a computer. The picture was accompanied by the date October 14th and the hashtag #gowiththeflow. Then, earlier today, HTC posted another tweet featuring a graphic with the text “Go with the Flow,” alluding to a big announcement happening at Vive.com.

It’s unclear at this time exactly what this device is. Based on recent images posted online and President Alvin Wang’s recent tweet, however, the ‘HTC Vive Flow’ could have something to do with a device called the ‘HTC Proton’ which appeared in FCC filings last year. According to the report, the hardware is listed as a “headset” with a model name of 2Q9R100. The listing also has the device under the Vive brand name with HTC Corporation as the applicant. Perhaps the Vive Flow is meant to be used in tandem with this unreleased device?

This past August another trademark was filed for a product called the ‘Vive Flow’, referencing a “[h]ead mounted display for computer-simulated reality, namely virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality.” Is it possible HTC is hinting at another headset, one focused on working, home wellness, and entertainment?

From the looks of it, the lid and canister work together. The lid looks somewhat like a smart hub device similar to that of the Google Home Mini or Amazon Echo. Perhaps the device is meant to serve as a dedicated power unit for a separate piece of hardware? Considering the fact that HTC launched two VR headsets just last year, I believe the odds of the company announcing yet another headset are slim.

Looks like we’ll just have to wait until October 14th at 11am EST when HTC Vive lifts its veil of secrecy. In the meantime, why don’t we all just go with the flow. You can catch the action live at Vive.com or in VR via the social VR platform Engage.

Feature Image Credit: HTC

HTC Improves Hand Tracking On The VIVE Focus 3

What Is The Vive Flow, HTC’s Mysterious New Device?