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Pimax Lighthouse Faceplate Delivers Sub-Millimeter Body-Tracking

From vrscout

The Lighthouse Faceplate starts at $199. That said, Pimax is offering bundled discounts with other devices.

Pimax has just announced the release of the Lighthouse Faceplate, a new tracking extension accessory for its Crystal VR headset that promises to deliver a better VR experience via enhanced peripheral expansion, high-precision tracking, and numerous other features that will blow you away.

The Lighthouse Faceplate is designed specifically for the Pimax Crystal VR headset. Once attached, it will enable the headset to be compatible with Steam’s Lighthouse external base station system, tracking your movements with sub-millimeter accuracy.



You will also have the ability to customize the tracking options on the Lighthouse Faceplate. This provides you with greater freedom of movement with full-body tracking and allows for a much deeper physical engagement that can be used for scene expansion and professional applications, such as using VR for enterprise training.

No need for the replacement of your current controllers since the Lighthouse Faceplate is compatible with existing SteamVR base stations and controllers.

Here’s a list of tracking devices compatible with the Lighthouse Faceplate:

  • Pimax Sword Controller
  • Index Knuckles Controller
  • Vive Controller
  • Vive Tracker 1.0 / 2.0 / 3.0
  • Tundra Tracker
Credit: Pimax

A few things to mention before you make your decision: the Lighthouse system doesn’t support multiple sets of base station systems to work in one space. You’ll also want to avoid placing reflective objects like mirrors in your space in order to prevent inaccurate positioning due to reflections. Finally, a single faceplate system supports up to 16 object tracking.

Here are the SteamVR base station specifications:

SteamVR Base Station 1.0

  • Maximum supported base stations: 2
  • Tracking Range: 3.5m x 3.5m (with two base stations)
  • Maximum supported tracking devices: 16

SteamVR Base Station 2.0

  • Maximum supported base stations: 4
  • Tracking Range: 5m x 5m (with two base stations), 10m x 10m (with four base stations)
  • Maximum supported tracking devices: 16
Credit: Pimax

The launch of the Lighthouse Faceplate promises to give you a much more precise and awe-inspiring VR gaming experience with amazing tracking, and at a standalone price of $199, the Lighthouse Faceplate is a nice deal. Pimax is also offering some killer bundled discounts.

Bundled offers include the following discounts:

Bundle 1: Crystal ($1,599) + Lighthouse Faceplate ($199)

  • Bundle price after $100 discount: $1,698
  • Limited to 500 sets for four weeks.

Bundle 2: Crystal ($1,599) + Lighthouse Faceplate ($199) + Base Stations ($239) * 2 + Sword Controllers ($300)

  • Bundle price after $279 discount: $2,297
  • Limited to 100 sets for four weeks.
Credit: Pimax

One thing to note is that the above prices are provided for reference; the final price is subject to actual purchase.

The Pimax Lighthouse Faceplate is for those who take their VR experiences very seriously and require high-precision tracking. The release date for the Pimax Lighthouse Faceplate is expected to be mid-August.

To learn more about Pimax, the Lighthouse Faceplate, or to enter a contest to win a free Crystal VR headset, visit here.

Feature Image Credit: Pimax

This 18K Gold Apple Vision Pro Costs Almost $40K

From vrscout

According to the manufacturer, only 24 of these extravagant headsets will be made available.

During Apple’s 2023 WWDC, the company finally unveiled Vision Pro, a high-end mixed reality headset that could provide a big consumerism boost for augmented reality (AR) and VR technology.

That said, the device comes with an expensive price tag of $3,500. But why stop at $3,500 when you can get a modified version of Apple Vision Pro covered in 18K gold for $39,900?

The over-the-top headset is made by Caviar, a company known for its extravagant products, such as its expensive diamond-encrusted iPhones. Caviar’s “CVS Edition” Vision Pro features a thousand grams of 18k gold and the same black leather used by Rolls-Royce and the British Royal Court.

The device also features a flip-up shield made out of gold ($36,400 worth of gold to be exact), so you’re able to enjoy all the features Apple Vision Pro has to offer while maintaining some privacy at the same time. Plus, it’s a serious flex to use your finger to quickly flip up a gold shield off of your face.

Credit: Caviar

Don’t expect to simply visit Apple or Caviar’s websites and add one to your shopping cart. The company is only producing 24 CVS Edition Vision Pro headsets, which means after MrBeast and one of the Kardashians each buy one, only 22 gold-plated headsets will be up for grabs.

Like Apple Vision Pro, Caviar’s CVS Edition won’t be available for purchase until 2024, so you have some time to sell off your rare Pokémon cards or find a few extra jobs to help you finance your purchase.

For more information check out Caviar’s official website.

Feature Image Credit: Caviar

VR Full-Motion Helicopter Flight Simulators Have Arrived

From vrscout

Can immersive technology help address the rising global pilot shortage?

Loft Dynamics, previously referred to as VRM Switzerland, has unveiled what the company claims is the “world’s first” VR full-motion helicopter flight simulator qualified for use by an official national aviation regulator. Put simply, this device can be used as a legitimate tool for pilot training while reducing training costs and improving pilot safety.

The full-motion rig features a high-resolution VR system and full-scale replica cockpit mounted on a 6DoF (six degrees of freedom) motion platform. In the headset, trainees see panoramic views of various locations and hear authentic sound emitting from their virtual aircraft. Meanwhile, the motion rig delivers realistic force feedback and motion.

Credit: Loft Dynamics

According to the company, the entire package is 10x smaller than conventional full-motion simulators and roughly 20x cheaper to own and operate. Despite being able to fit comfortably in the loft of a hangar (hence the name Loft Dynamics), the system can supposedly cut air time training by a whopping 60%.

“It’s hard to overstate how monumental this is for aviation,” said Sky Dayton, Loft Dynamics’ main investor and board member, in an official release. “You don’t have to travel to train anymore, away from work and family and be gone for weeks or months. These new simulators will be integrated into all bases of operation, and pilots will be able to train all the time — not just for required regulatory checks, but to regularly hone and add to their skills.”

Credit: Loft Dynamics

Dayton, a jet pilot, elaborated on his time in the Loft Dynamics simulator, claiming he could feel the texture of the asphalt beneath the virtual helicopter as he landed. The full-motion rig moved in sync with the virtual aircraft, simulating the feeling of flying through the air at high speeds. According to Dayton, he was able to practice emergency manuevers that can be dangerous to perform in a real helicopter.

With a global pilot shortage expected to continue through the next decade, this cost-effective flight simulator could be invaluable moving forward. In addition to its rebrand to Loft Dynamics, the company has raised an impressive $20 million in additional financing from Craft Ventures, Sky Dayton and UP.Partners.

Credit: Loft Dynamics

“Our rebranding is critical to reflect the current global nature of our steady growth,” added Loft Dynamics CEO and founder Fabi Riesen. “We chose the word ‘loft’ carefully as it reflects an upward movement in the air, but it also refers to the fact that our full-motion VR simulator is so small that it can fit in the loft of a hangar or other small spaces, such as a trailer. Our growing team is proud of the new name and to be expanding the training of pilots with our highly efficient, exceptionally realistic, and dramatically less expensive simulator.”

Moving forward, Loft Dynamics is working with Airbus Helicopters to develop a simulator for the Airbus H145, a model of helicopter often used in emergency medical services. The company will also be expanding its portfolio to include fixed-wing sumlators in an attempt to target the eVTOL market.

For more information visit here.

Feature Image Credit: Loft Dynamics

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

Samsung Partners with Google & Qualcomm to Release Android-powered XR Device

From roadtovr

Samsung’s 2023 Unpacked event was all about the company’s Galaxy S23 hardware, although at the end of its hour-long presentation the South Korean tech giant announced it was working with Qualcomm and Google to develop an XR device.

TM Roh, Samsung’s president and head of mobile experiences, didn’t reveal any more than what was said on stage, namely the existence of the partnership itself, however speaking to The Washington Post he announced the companies are “getting there,” and that the XR device was “not too far away.”

It’s not clear what sort of device it will be, since ‘XR’ essentially covers the entire gamut of immersive headsets, including augmented reality (e.g. HoloLens), virtual reality (e.g. Meta Quest 2), and mixed reality (e.g. Meta Quest Pro). Our best bet though is on a standalone MR headset, which uses passthrough cameras to layer computer-generated visuals on top of the user’s physical space, essentially replicating the experience you might have on a see-through AR display, albeit on a VR device.

MR headsets include Meta Quest Pro, HTC Vive XR Elite, and Apple’s rumored headset which is reportedly set to arrive sometime early this year at around $3,000.

Meta Quest Pro | Image courtesy Meta

As you’d imagine, Qualcomm is tasked with building the XR device’s chipset, while Samsung will manufacture the headset’s hardware. Software will be provided by Google; WaPo reports it will be running on “the unannounced version of the Android operating system meant specifically to power devices such as wearable displays.”

With the exception of Qualcomm, which not only produces XR-specific chipsets but also regularly shows of its own XR headset references, both Samsung and Google’s commitment to the project are kind of a long-awaited homecoming.

Samsung was one of the first truly massive tech companies to develop VR hardware. Starting in 2014, the company partnered with Meta (then Oculus) on the Samsung Gear VR platform, which paired the Galaxy Note 4 phone with a headset shell sporting an optimized intertidal Measurment unit (IMU). Samsung Gear VR was essentially the first high-quality 3DOF mobile VR experience offered to consumers, marking a stark departure from the sort VR experiences you could find on Google’s more open, but decidedly lower-quality Cardboard platform.

Notably, Samsung hasn’t released a VR product since the launch of the PC VR headset Odyssey+. Like seemingly all big tech firms these days, it appears to be working on AR glasses.

Smasung Odyssey+ | Image courtesy Samsung

Google, although reportedly also working on AR device, similarly shelved its VR ambitions when it discontinued its standalone Daydream platform in 2019, something which at the time was essentially the nail in the company’s Android VR coffin. Google previously worked with Lenovo in 2018 to produce its first and only standalone Daydream VR headset, the Lenovo Mirage Solo, which offered 6DOF room-scale tracking while providing only a single 3DOF clicker-style controller.

Since then, Google has only really been vocal about its experimental system for immersive video chatting, Project Starline, which lets people engage in face-to-face video chats without needing an AR or VR headset.

Typically, we’d say Mobile World Congress 2023 would be the next logical place to share more info about the XR hardware partnership. Samsung, Qualcomm and Google will all be present, so we may just learn more there when the week-long event kicks off in Barcelona, Spain on February 27th.

This Futuristic VR Facemask Tracks Your Expressions

From vrscout

The low-cost device will be available for purchase in the US and Japan later this year.

Say hello to X Mask, a new device described by the manufacturer as a “mask type sensing gadget.” Developed by Japanese startup Dolami, X Mask is capable of tracking your facial expressions in detail thanks to a series of incorporated sensors placed strategically across your face. These sensors are internal; they do not affect your facial skin.

According to Dolami, the device can transmit your expressions to a VR avatar with “over 95% accuracy.” X Mask features a delay speed of 200 milliseconds and takes less than five seconds to pair with a VR headset. The device will cost $90 USD, making it an affordable as well as a convenient option for those looking to enhance their virtual interactions without breaking the bank.

“Your facial expressions are available in VR on your avatar,” says the official website. “You can communicate your emotions, passions, and silent opinions to others just as you would in reality.”

“[X Mask] can be used in any case where communication is needed in the VR world. Business meetings, business negotiations, presentations, enterprise events, talking with friends, communicating with loved ones who live far away, etc.”

Last month the company announced that it had raised around 100 million yen ($730,000 USD) in funding to begin production of the device. According to an official press release, X Mask will be available for purchase in the US and Japan later this year.

It’ll be interesting to see how consumers respond to such a unique approach to facial tracking. For more information visit xmaskproject.com.

Image Credit: Dolami