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VIVE Reveals Its First Self-Tracking VR Tracker

From vrscout

Full-body VR tracking just got a whole lot easier.

HTC VIVE today unveiled the latest addition to its growing lineup of VR tracking devices, a yet-to-be-named self-tracking tracker. The device features two high field-of-view cameras, an onboard processor, and the same high-precision positional tracking algorithm used in the HTC VIVE Focus 3 and HTC VIVE XR Elite, meaning no additional base stations are required in order to operate.



According to HTC, the device weighs under 100 grams and is approximately 50% smaller in size compared to the VIVE Tracker 3.0. There’s also a new quick-release mechanism that allows you to swap the device within seconds. That said the device can still be mounted to conventional speaker and camera peripherals. The company has even released 3D CAD files so you can print your own mounts.

While the tracker is designed for VIVE Focus 3 and XR Elite, it can be used with non-VIVE headsets thanks to compatibility with OpenXR. Standalone use is also supported for those not interested in R functionality. Details regarding these features will be released soon, according to the company.

Credit: HTC VIVE

“The new tracker is able to perfectly track its location rather than rely on external sensors or the headset cameras. Just like our headsets, it’ll be able to track large scale play spaces as well,” said Shen Ye, global head of product at HTC VIVE. “It’s not just for object tracking; you can use it combined with controllers to get full-body tracking. You can connect up to five trackers at a time to our upcoming USBC dongle, so you can track your entire body, including elbows, legs and feet.”

VIVE’s self-tracking tracker is scheduled to launch later this year. Those interested in learning more can contact the company here. The company states that VIVE Tracking 3.0 is still recommended to Lighthouse users.

Feature Image Credit: HTC VIVE

This Basketball App Uses AR To Improve Your Ball Skills

From vrscout

All you need is a smart device and an ordinary basketball.

You may have seen a video floating around the web recently of a skilled basketball player practicing their dribbling skills using a unique interactive experience. What you’re looking at is HomeCourt, a personal basketball trainer powered by augmented reality (AR) technology.

The app gamifies your practice sessions, immersing you in a series of interactive drills led by professional NBA and WNBA players. Each challenge is designed to improve your ball skills, from shooting to dribbling, without the need for additional hardware. You simply aim your smartphone or tablet at yourself and let the app record your performance.

Credit: Nex Team Inc.

Some drills will require you to tap virtual targets with your hands while you dribble while others track your shooting performance over a set period of time and award you points for each successful swish. As you play, the app calculates various performance metrics in real time, from your accuracy and dribble speed to your release time, shooting percentage, and vertical jump.

In addition to solo training, you can also compete against other players virtually via the asymmetrical “Battle Mode.” Winning multiplayer matchups earns you various badges, coins, and trophies.



HomeCourt is available to download free on smart devices. You can access over 100 drills and activities as well as unlimited shot tracking 100% free of charge.

For an additional monthly fee, you can access HomeCourt Plus, a premium subscription service that unlocks additional features such as access to the members-only training club, the ability to request feedback from HomeCourt pro trainers, and access to the HomeCourt Global Camp.

For more information visit homecourt.ai.

Feature Image Credit: Nex Team Inc.

HTC Announces Inside-out Tracker for VR Accessories & Body Tracking

From roadtovr

HTC today announced a new Vive Tracker accessory which is the first in the industry to use inside-out tracking, meaning it doesn’t require any external beacons. The device can be attached to props to bring them into VR or to the user’s body for enhanced body tracking.

HTC’s existing Vive Trackers are a popular accessory for anyone interested in VR full-body tracking, but they use SteamVR Tracking technology which requires external beacons for use.

Now the company has announced a new Vive Tracker, and while it doesn’t yet have a name, HTC confirms it is their first standalone tracker based on inside-out tracking which uses on-board cameras to track its own position in space. That means no external beacons or cameras need to be set up for use.

HTC says that up to five of the new standalone Vive Trackers can be used at once, which could be used for body tracking in VR by attaching two trackers to the elbows, two to the feet, and one to the hips. Combined with the user’s head and hands (which are already tracked by the headset and controllers), the trackers can be used to represent the user’s movements more fully—which allows people to do some pretty incredible things in VR.

Details are slim right now; HTC hasn’t announced the price or battery life, and the release date is far off in Q3 2023. Though the company says the device will support standalone Vive headsets, PC VR, and a fully self-contained mode for those wanting to use the trackers for non-VR uses such as object tracking. The tracker is also based on OpenXR, and HTC says this will make it possible to use the tracker with other headsets from other vendors.

The base of the tracker has a quick-release system for removing it from its mount, as well as a standard camera tripod thread for connecting various standardized mounts and holders. The units are small too, with HTC saying they come in at just half the height of the latest Vive Tracker 3.0.

Developers interested in experimenting with the new tracker can contact HTC here to register their interest.

Although the device will support PC VR, HTC says it recommends that anyone already using SteamVR Tracking should stick with the existing Vive Tracker 3.0 for its precision and compatibility.

– – — – –

While this is the first dedicated inside-out tracker to be release by a major VR vendor, the device is fundamentally similar to the Quest Pro and Magic Leap 2 controllers which also use on-board cameras to track their position.

Assuming HTC’s new inside-out tracker works well, the company may not be far off from releasing its own inside-out tracked controller.

Motorcycle AR Display Lets Riders See Behind Them

From vrscout

This nifty add-on gives motorcyclists eyes on the back of their heads.

It’s no secret that riding a motorcycle can be a dangerous activity. Motorcyclists are 28x more likely to die in a crash (per vehicle mile traveled) when compared to those traveling in conventional passenger vehicles, according to data gathered by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Credit: CREACT Technology Inc.

Motorcycle safety is constantly evolving, with new technologies making it easier for riders to maintain proper situational awareness while out on the road. This includes CREACT’s Vision 180, a motorcycle helmet dashcam kit that offers a number of nifty features, from real-time navigation and rear camera view to a driving recorder.

“The Sony CMOS sensors remedied the challenges of dimming nighttime lighting and hazy vision brought on by rainy weather,” said the company in an official release. “The front and rear wide-angle lenses have 120 degrees of view capacity. Vision 180 can better grasp the overall road situation with its 120-degree view capacity lens, and tilted 15 degrees rear lens.”

Credit: CREACT Technology Inc.

According to CREACT, the unique device can be installed in a number of full or 3/4 hood motorcycle helmets via a snap holder or GoPro accessories (no additional wires or significant modifications required). Once you’ve adjusted the system to your personal riding habits, you can cycle between the three main functions described above.

Vision 180 features built-in WiFi and Bluetooth that connects to your smartphone device so you can listen to music and answer calls while you ride. The device lasts roughly 3.5 hours on a single charge, so you shouldn’t have to worry about the battery dying in the middle of a ride.

For more information visit here.

Feature Image Credit: CREACT Technology Inc.

This AR Art App Helps You Paint Giant Murals

From vrscout

You can even design art alongside fellow painters via Multiplayer mode.

Da Vinci Eye, an augmented reality (AR) app that functions as a digital art projector, today announced a new update that allows artists of all skill levels to collaborate on giant murals.

Mural Maker 2.0 is a digital tracing tool that makes use of AR tracking to lock an image in place in the real world. According to the team, this offers a more effective tracing system compared to the conventional art projectors and grids popular among muralists. This is because the system can scale the proportions of an image on any surface. You can even use it in broad daylight.

Credit: Da Vinci Eye

The app features a unique two-device system that offers multiple features. One device is used to record a live AR video feed that layers your image over the real world, while the other is held by the artist so they can trace outlines and compare colors.

The system remembers where you placed your image in the real world, allowing you to work on projects over time. There’s even a Multiplayer mode, so you can stream the image to multiple devices and collaborate with other artists on the same murals in real time.



Mural Maker 2.0 is available now on iOS devices. While the app itself is free, you will need to pay a subscription to unlock all of the features. Don’t worry, only one subscription is required for multiplayer painting.

For more information visit davincieyeapp.com.

Feature Image Credit: Da Vinci Eye LLC.

Google Discontinues Glass Enterprise Edition Smartglasses

From roadtovr

Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, the company’s work-focused version of its iconic but once maligned smartglasses, is being discontinued.

Google says in a device support FAQ that, starting March 15th, it will no longer sell Glass Enterprise 2, adding that it will only support the device until September 15th, 2023.

While the company says it’s not pushing out any more software for Glass Enterprise Edition after that date, however its most recent system images will remain publicly available until at least April 1st, 2024.

Launched in 2017, Google Glass for enterprise was a revival of sorts, as the company had ceased production of the storied device in 2015.

Google Glass Explorer Edition | Image courtesy Alphabet

Starting in 2012, the company was hoping to seed the device among prosumers with its Glass Explorer Editions, although public backlash spawned the term “glasshole,” putting a severe dent in Google’s ambitions to launch a more consumer-focused version of the device.

Google hasn’t explained why it’s killing off Glass for enterprise. In response to PC Mag, a Google spokesperson left this comment:

“For years, we’ve been building AR into many Google products and we’ll continue to look at ways to bring new, innovative AR experiences across our product portfolio.”

To be fair, Google probably has bigger fish to fry, and the aging smartglasses platform may well be replaced sooner rather than later. Google said last summer it would be conducting real world tests of its early AR prototypes, emphasizing things like real-time translation and AR turn-by-turn navigation.

There’s also the issue of emerging competition. Apple’s upcoming mixed reality (MR) headset is rumored to arrive sometime in mid-2023, while Meta is prepping multiple generations of its MR Quest headsets.

Granted, these MR headsets probably won’t be the model workhorses, although many companies see MR headsets as a steppingstone in preparation for the sort of all-day AR glasses industry is hoping to commercialize in the near future.

– – — – –

To be clear, Google Glass is a style of smartglass(es) and not an AR device as such; Glass provides a single heads-up display (HUD) that doesn’t place digital imagery naturally in the user’s perceived environment, like with HoloLens 2 or Magic Leap 2, but rather flatly projects the sort of useful information you might also see on a smartwatch. You can learn more about the differences between AR headsets and smartglasses here.

ZEISS Takes Majority Stake in AR/VR Optics Creator Tooz Technologies

From roadtovr

ZEISS, the German optical systems manufacturer, announced it’s acquired majority share of the joint venture Tooz Technologies, an AR/VR optics creator founded by Zeiss and Deutsche Telekom in 2018.

Zeiss and Deutsche Telekom previously had an even 50% stake in Tooz, which has functioned as a sort of AR optics skunkworks for the companies. Zeiss is now sole owner of the startup.

Zeiss says Tooz will continue to exist independently as it focuses on serial production and visual correction in its imaging systems, further calling Tooz its “AR/VR competence center.”

Image courtesy Tooz Technologies, ZEISS Group

Today, Tooz principally creates smart lenses that integrate curved, reflective waveguides and “invisible” combiners that can also be sandwiched into a vision correction layer.

“In the future, tooz will also equip optical systems from other manufacturers of AR/VR optics with prescription lenses to place products with an integrated prescription on the global markets,” the company say in a press statement.

“tooz covers specific competencies and technologies for design, engineering and manufacturing processes, which complement the existing capabilities at ZEISS quite well,” says Gerrit Schulte, Head of Zeiss Ventures. “tooz will benefit in particular from production and process know-how and the significant experience in the approval of medical optics, and is slated to be better positioned on the international market in the future.”

While Zeiss isn’t a household name is VR or AR headsets, the Oberkochen, Germany-based company has produced a number of head-mounted devices in the past, including its Zeiss VR One Plus created in the vein of Samsung Gear VR and Carl Zeiss Cinemizer multimedia glasses. Zeiss also creates aftermarket VR prescription lenses, sold through VR Optician.

Singer Jewel Is Offering Mental Health Support In VR

From vrscout

Mental health support is just a headset away.

Do you remember Jewel, the Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter who graced us with such memorable songs as “Who Will Save Your Soul” and “You Were Meant For Me”? Well, she’s back, and she’s dishing out some much-needed mental health support to the VR community.

Recently, the multiplatinum music artist appeared on the news show CUOMO to chat about Innerworld, a VR metaverse she co-founded that offers evidence-based mental health tools and peer-to-peer support to those struggling with various mental complications, from anxiety and depression to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).



The platform offers a variety of beneficial resources and is monitored by a team of human operators as well as an artificial intelligence (AI) system that keeps a lookout for keywords that may indicate immediate self-harm.

“What I’ve done in the Foundation for the past 20 years is a peer-to-peer model, and we actually see a lot more profound results than one-on-one,” said Jewel. “I think psychotherapy is great, but it isn’t something everybody has access to. And meditation is incredibly important and there are so many great meditation apps out there but what I’ve learned is that meditation puts you in position to change, but then you need behavioral tools to start to change actual habits.”

Credit: Innerworld

“I had been tasking myself to come up with solutions that were genuinely scalable. And for me, VR was really where I was focusing,” she added. “We have a lot of people who use this as a supplement to their therapeutic work and we have people who don’t have access to therapeutic or other traditional service. They are getting incredible results, and there are people from all over the world—which is what’s so amazing about VR.”

Innerworld is available for free in VR on Meta Quest, PC, and iOS devices. For more information visit inner.world.

Feature Image Credit: Henry Laurisch

Report: Apple’s MR Headset Could Come as Soon as This Summer

From roadtovr

Apple’s upcoming mixed reality headset has been the subject of many reports and rumors over the past few years—that’s just the nature of the Cupertino-based black box. Now a new report from the Financial Times alleges we may see the company’s first XR device unveiled this summer.

The headset, which is still unnamed, is allegedly nearing its big unveiling, which is said to take place in June 2023, or around when the company traditionally holds its Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC).

The report maintains Apple CEO Tim Cook is the principal force pushing the device’s launch forward this year, which has apparently been a source of tension since as far back as early 2016.

The company’s operations team reportedly found itself at odds with the industrial design team, the former wanting to push out an early version of the headset while the latter hoped to delay in order to slim down the device.

Cook is ostensibly backing the operations team, as he allegedly hopes to push out the first version of the company’s XR headset, which is said to be targeting enthusiasts at an eye-watering $3,000 price point.

Citing sources familiar with Apple’s plans, the company is expected to only sell around one million units of the XR headset over the course of 12 months.

Relatively low sales targets notwithstanding—Apple sells 200 million iPhones per year—the company is expected to go in for a “marketing blitz” to attract prospective users.

According to a Bloomberg report earlier this year, Apple may be putting its plans to release a full AR headset on hold, as the company is allegedly planning what is described as a “lower-cost version” of its MR headset first. That cheaper version is said to target a 2024 or early 2025 launch window.

Note: This list of the headset’s prospective features and specs have been gathered from a few disparate reports. None of the below has been confirmed by Apple, so please take anything you read here with a large grain of salt:

Reported Apple MR Specs

  • Resolution: Dual Micro OLED displays at 4K resolution (per eye)
  • FOV: 120-degrees, similar to Valve Index
  • Chipset: Two 5nm chips. Includes a main SoC (CPU, GPU, and memory) and a dedicated image signal processor (ISP). Chips communicate via a custom streaming codec to combat latency.
  • Battery: Waist-mounted battery, connected via MagSafe-like power cable to the headset’s headband. Two-hour max battery life, although hotswappable for longer sessions.
  • Passthrough: ISP chip contains custom high-bandwidth memory made by SK Hynix, providing low latency color passthrough
  • Audio: H2 chip, providing ultra-low latency connection with the second-generation AirPods Pro and future AirPods models. No 3.5mm and possible no support for non-AirPod BT headphones.
  • Controller: Apple is said to favor hand-tracking and voice recognition to control the headset, but it has tested a “wand” and a “finger thimble” as alternative control input methods.
  • Prescription Lenses: Magnetically attachable custom prescription lenses for glasses-wearers.
  • IPD Adjustment: Automatic, motorized adjustment to match the wearer’s interpupillary distance.
  • Eye Tracking: At least one camera per-eye for things like avatar presence and foveated rendering
  • Face & Body Tracking: More than a dozen cameras and sensors capture both facial expressions and body movements, including the user’s legs.
  • Room Tracking: Both short- and long-range LiDAR scanners to map surfaces and distances in three dimensions.
  • App Compatibility: Said to have the ability to run existing iOS apps in 2D.

Design Rumors

  • Outer Shell: Aluminum, glass, and carbon fiber to reduce its size and weight. Cameras are largely concealed for aesthetic reasons.
  • Presence Displays: Outward-facing display can show user’s facial expressions and also presumably eye movements. Said to be an always-on display similar in latency and power draw of Apple Watch or iPhone 14 Pro.
  • Dedicated Passthrough Switch: Digital Crown-like dial on its right side to switch between VR and passthrough.
  • Headstrap: Various available, including consumer-focused headstrap similar in material to Apple Watch sport bands with built-in speakers. Unspecified, but different headstrap targeted at developers.

‘Flipside Studio’ Brings Full-featured Virtual Production Studio to Quest 2 & Rift

From roadtovr

Virtual production suite Flipside Studio is now available on Quest 2 and Meta PC, targeting podcasters, vloggers, and anyone looking for a VR studio to produce their own video content.

Created by Winnipeg, Canada-based Flipside XR, the Flipside Studio app is packed with production tools and assets that let you to create your own virtual content, which can be livestreamed or recorded, edited and shared anywhere you might standard video, such as YouTube, TikTok, or Facebook.

Now available for free on Quest 2 and Meta PC platform, Flipside Studio lets you create solo projects or team-based content, which includes virtual sets, avatars, configurable environments, props, lighting, and a host of controllable cameras to capture the show.

Here’s a list of features, courtesy Flipside XR:

  • Custom Characters – Users can choose from multiple in-app pre-loaded characters or customize their own avatars through the Ready Player Me integration.
  • Sets and props – Creators can choose from a variety of sets and hundreds of props available in-app.
  • Multiple Cameras and Angles – Multiple virtual cameras can be positioned, placed and moved as users like, allowing for dynamic camera angles and even camera movement speeds.
  • Professional Production Tools – Virtual cameras, teleprompters, lights, and 1080p output with casting to the Flipside Broadcaster app are just a few of the tools available to creators.
  • Single or Multi-User Productions – Creators can collaborate in the same sets simultaneously from one or multiple locations – or even create a solo production with multiple characters by layering motion recordings together in-app.
  • Flipside Creator Tools – More advanced features can be found through the app’s free Unity plug-in that gives experienced creative teams the ability to upload fully customized environments, characters and props.

Flipside Studio was initially released in alpha on PC VR headsets in 2018 and then returned to closed testing after some time on Steam. If you played during that time, you’ll see some notable differences, as the studio says it’s undergone extensive testing and feedback from thousands of content creators and technologists who have been using a free early access version since 2020.

The studio says it’s working on a Steam version of the app, however there’s no information on when to expect its launch. In the meantime, users on Quest 2 and Meta PC can download and use Flipside Studio for free.