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Tracking Technologies in Roomscale VR and AR 2023: A Comparative Analysis

Tracking technologies are the backbone of roomscale Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR). They determine the level of immersion, accuracy, and overall user experience. This article aims to analyze different tracking technologies employed by leading companies like Varjo, Meta, Apple, and HTC.

Traditional Tracking Methods

Internal Sensors

Internal sensors, also known as Inside-Out tracking, are built into the headset and use accelerometers, gyroscopes, and sometimes cameras to determine the user’s position and orientation. While convenient and easy to set up, they can suffer from drift and are generally less accurate than external sensors.

External Sensors

Also known as Outside-In tracking, external sensors are placed around the room and track the headset and controllers. While they offer high accuracy, they are cumbersome to set up and can suffer from occlusion issues.

Varjo’s Dual-Resolution Displays

Varjo’s VR3 and XR3 headsets employ dual-resolution displays for each eye, offering an apparent image when looking straight ahead and a more standard resolution for peripheral vision. While not directly related to tracking, this feature enhances the overall immersion. It can compensate for some tracking limitations by providing a more realistic visual experience.

Meta’s Quest 3 Hybrid Tracking

Meta’s Quest 3, set to launch on September 27 for $499, employs a hybrid approach, combining controller LED tracking with controller-free hand tracking. This allows for more accurate and flexible tracking options, especially in complex scenarios where hand movements are intricate. The Quest 3 also features a next-generation Qualcomm Snapdragon chip, aiming to offer twice the graphics performance for higher-quality visuals in VR games and experiences.

Apple’s Vision Pro: Eye and Voice Tracking

Apple’s Vision Pro has introduced eye and voice-based controls, adding another layer of interactivity and immersion. The eye-tracking feature allows for gaze-based interactions, while voice commands can be used for various functions, making the user interface more intuitive.

HTC VIVE XR Elite: All-in-One XR Headset

The HTC VIVE XR Elite is a high-performance, all-in-one XR headset that transforms into a pair of portable immersive glasses. It features robust graphics performance and high-resolution, vivid passthrough capability. The headset uses 6DoF inside-out tracking and offers a play space of up to 10 x 10 m. With a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 processor and a refresh rate of 90 Hz, it aims to provide a seamless and immersive experience.

HTC VIVE XR Elite Controllers

The controllers for the HTC VIVE XR Elite offer a battery life of up to 15 hours and include various sensors like Hall sensors on Trigger and Grip buttons, capacitive sensors on Trigger, Joystick, and Thumb-rest area, as well as a G-Sensor and Gyroscope.

Comparative Analysis

  • Accuracy: External sensors are generally the most accurate, followed by hybrid systems like Meta’s Quest 3 and HTC VIVE XR Elite, and then internal sensors.
  • Ease of Setup: Internal sensors and hybrid systems like Quest 3 and HTC VIVE XR Elite are easier to set up compared to external sensors.
  • User Experience: Apple’s Vision Pro offers the most interactive and intuitive user interface, thanks to its eye and voice tracking features.
  • Immersion: Varjo’s dual-resolution displays offer the most immersive visual experience, closely followed by Apple’s Vision Pro and HTC VIVE XR Elite due to their interactive features.

Conclusion

Tracking technologies in roomscale VR and AR are evolving rapidly, with each company bringing unique innovations. While traditional tracking methods remain relevant, hybrid systems and interactive features like eye and voice tracking are setting new standards in the industry.

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Interactive Cinematic Augmented Reality Experience “City of Ghosts” to Premiere at FIVARS Festival

On September 7th, 2017, CieAR announced that its interactive, Augmented Reality “film” experience, City of Ghosts, will premiere as an official selection of the FIVARS Festival of International Virtual and Augmented Reality Stories in Toronto, September 15-17 at the House of VR. FIVARS focuses on curating the best immersive story-driven content from around the world with the aim of exploring and nurturing this platform for new narrative forms. This year, FIVARS received 250 entries for its festival. Established in 2015, it was the first independent festival of its kind and openly challenges content creators to showcase and develop ideas that defy and transcend the status quo, with bonus points for exhibiting a unique mechanic.

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City of Ghosts is an interactive, mobile Augmented Reality cinematic experience directed by Olivier Asselin that allows users ̶to interact freely in real space with life-sized, motion-captured 3D virtual characters using nothing more than a smart phone, tablet or AR glasses, all within a 20×20 foot area or even across several real world locations.

In City of Ghosts, participants begin at the beginning of the 20th century in the middle of a criminal investigation. Their spectroscope (mobile device) helps them solve the mystery and the circumstances around the death of La Stilla, one of the most famous sopranos of the Belle Époque.

The spectroscope is a ‘magical device’ that will give visitors special powers and help them be an active participant in City of Ghosts – a story of love, death, ghosts and technology. When sufficiently “magnetized”, their spectroscope allows them to see haunted places, ghosts and the aura of objects, to resuscitate the past, interact within scenes, unlock hidden auras and see things that nobody else can see. During the experience, players of all ages are invited to discover your city and explore different real venues such as theaters, museums, historical and cultural locations and other places of interest.

At FIVARS, participants will have the opportunity to interact with the film and meet City of Ghosts director Olivier Asselin.

Get tickets for FIVARS now – running September 15-17th at the House of VR in Toronto, Canada.