HTC VIVE Upgrades VR Ecosystem With Next-Gen VIVE Tracker And New VIVE Facial Tracker

Accurately tracking peripherals and facial movements in VR is easier than ever with these small, light, and power-efficient trackers

HTC VIVE®, the leader in premium virtual reality (VR), today announced the next evolution of the VIVE Tracker ecosystem, with the launch of the new VIVE Tracker (3.0), and the VIVE Facial Tracker.

HTC has consistently set the industry standard, and this third generation VIVE Tracker is even more versatile, with up to 75% increased battery life, 15% reduction in weight, and 33% smaller footprint than previous generations. The highly acclaimed VIVE Tracker has a strong track record across a wide range of industries, from TV/film production, sports rehabilitation and training, medical use, enterprise training, and full-body tracking for VR avatars, allowing the seamless integration of physical objects in extended reality. The VIVE Tracker (3.0) will be available in the US from March 24 for $129.99.

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HTC also announced the commercial availability of the VIVE Facial Tracker. Tracking 38 facial movements across the lips, jaw, teeth, tongue, chin, and cheeks, the VIVE Facial Tracker provides accurate real-time depiction of almost the entire lower facial area in VR. The new VIVE Facial Tracker will be available in the US from March 24 for $129.99.

“The VR community has far surpassed our expectations in developing an ever-expanding library of useful and entertaining applications for the VR ecosystem with the VIVE Tracker,” said Dan O’Brien, GM of HTC America. “With its smaller design and more efficient energy management, this next generation of the VIVE Tracker will increase the utility and immersion of VR, further enabling the adoption of the technology across industries and use cases.”

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NEXT-GENERATION VIVE TRACKER

Based on feedback from developer communities, HTC’s newest VIVE Tracker is smaller, lighter, and has improved battery life when compared to the previous generation VIVE Tracker. A single charge gives up to seven hours of continuous use, with the same sub-millimeter tracking precision and 240 degree FOV tracking all in a smaller package. By decreasing the overall footprint of the device while prolonging battery capacity, users can experience a heightened level of immersion as their tracked objects blend more realistically into their digital reality.

The new VIVE Tracker is fully backwards compatible with previous generations. Maintaining the same Pogo pin and mounting layout as the original VIVE Tracker, the newest VIVE Tracker allows for easy integration into current solutions.

HTC has led the industry in VR tracking technology, introducing the first generation VIVE Tracker in 2017. Since then, developers have built countless compatible applications that have expanded the capabilities of VR. Due to its precision tracking accuracy and its accessibility, the VIVE Tracker has been deployed across use cases from medical simulations and virtual Hollywood productions, to first responder and elite sports training. The versatile design has also led to a proliferation of compatible accessories for the location-based entertainment and home experience segments.

VIVE FACIAL TRACKER

HTC VIVE also announced the availability of the VIVE Facial Tracker, which seamlessly tracks 38 facial movements across the lips, jaw, teeth, tongue, chin, and cheeks giving an accurate real-time depiction of almost the entirety of the lower facial area in VR. The dual camera solution features 60Hz tracking rate with sub-10ms response time and an IR illuminator, ensuring accurate high-performance, responsive tracking in even the darkest conditions. The VIVE Facial Tracker simply sticks to the VIVE Pro HMD, allowing a quick and easy set-up.

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