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Vive controller on its own without the headset?

Discussion in 'AR/VR (XR) Discussion' started by antifuzz, Sep 26, 2016.

  1. antifuzz

    antifuzz

    Joined:
    Feb 22, 2013
    Posts:
    99
    Hi all,

    This might seem a bit of a weird question, but has anyone tried (and had any success with) using a Vive controller on its own in Unity without using the HMD?

    I know that during normal operation the controllers talk to the HMD, which then relays all positional data to the PC, but I wondered whether it would be possible for a controller to function on its own if it were plugged into the PC via the USB cable?

    I tried this, but Unity doesn't seem to recognise it as any kind of external controller.

    Reason I'm asking is that I have a particular application where all I need is positional data from a single controller, with no actual need for VR. Just wondering if there's a simple way of doing this?
     
  2. Marc-Saubion

    Marc-Saubion

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2011
    Posts:
    653
    Just don't use the headset. Put it in a detectable zone, deactivate the camera eye components so you can have a regular one instead. Then you should be able to play with just the controller.

    Though you might need more settings so you have the game played in a regular full screen and not a square window.
     
  3. SunnyChow

    SunnyChow

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2013
    Posts:
    360
    And then your client asks you why you buy a VR headset for their booth but keep that headset turned on but in the corner.

    For other users, please take a look in https://www.roadtovr.com/how-to-use-the-htc-vive-tracker-without-a-vive-headset/. the github source code of triad_openvr includes a cs files that can make the demo send information to unity through UDP. I am still finding a way to make everything works inside unity
     
    phrobion likes this.
  4. Marc-Saubion

    Marc-Saubion

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2011
    Posts:
    653
    First my answer was from last september, not sure your solution existed.

    Second, as a guy producing VR content used in booth-type situation, I would still use my solution. The client isn't gonna ask why there is an "unused" headset. It's not pricy in that context and working on an alternative will be.

    But the biggest issue is reliablity and maintenance. Hardware can break or get stolen. That's not a big issue when the user can buy a replacement in a mall and set it up right away. It is when he uses your custom solutions and you have to provide tech support.

    So unless you have a big budget and very tight constraint, you should keep the simplest solution.
     
  5. CrisCL

    CrisCL

    Joined:
    Mar 9, 2013
    Posts:
    14
    Hey @SunnyChow have you found a way to get the Vive Controller tracking data in Unity without the HDM headset?

    Did the Triad Open VR wrapper work?
     
  6. SunnyChow

    SunnyChow

    Joined:
    Jun 6, 2013
    Posts:
    360
    the Triad Open VR wrapper works. But actually,you don't really need a wrapper. After you set requireHmd to false, you can get controller/tracker data with just Valve's plugin. You can create a MonoBehaviour to init a CVRsystem , and call GetDeviceToAbsoluteTrackingPose(), and it should give you an array of every devices that streamVR can connect. But it only return a transform matrix so you need to convert it to position and rotation.

    So the next question for me will be ... can i set up StreamVR in a low spec PC that definitely can't handle VR? (like surface pro)
     
    Last edited: Jan 24, 2018
  7. levi777l

    levi777l

    Joined:
    Mar 13, 2014
    Posts:
    17
    How did this go? =P