HTC is working to make it easier for everyone to get access to Virtual reality. It is attempting to make it happen with the help of its new Vive Cosmos. Based on the UploadVR reports, the HTC VR lip tracker is what HTC may be teasing along with its new modules and attachments for its Vive VR headsets.
HTC teasing some images of what its future plans will be, with the Vive Cosmos on its Vive Twitter account over the past week. Recently, HTC posted an image of a hinge, with the message “Express yourself”. To which some Twitter users matched with the HTC VR lip tracker module that HTC announced at the Game Developers Conference in 2019.
If you observe the picture of the hinged product HTC is teasing and an image of the lip tracking module attached to the Vive Pro VR headset. Then you will see a lot of similarities between these two.
Here are other details of the HTC VR lip tracker
The Vive Cosmos can provide great comfort and ease of setup, As promoted by Daniel O’Brien general manager of the Vive business. It has a camera on the exterior so it doesn’t need any additional tracking equipment. Also, it features a flip-up design and Vive Cosmos can be powered by Desktop PC or gaming laptop.
Present HTC informed that it was using the VR lip tracker module for research and experimentation based on Road to VR reports. Also, HTC plans to integrate this VR lip tracker tech with eye-tracking. HTC already used this eye-tracking technology in the Vive Pro Eye. Some reports suggest that a small number of developers already have gotten their hands on the beta version of this VR lip tracker and combined it into social VR apps like NeosVR.
HTC’s latest posts that suggest a VR lip tracker paired with last week’s tease that came with a message ” “It’s your move”. And along with various replies who hinted at VR Pro Eye lip tracking and including the recent reference to avatars. With all this in mind, we can say that HTC is teasing new additional add-ons for its current Vive headsets instead of a whole new device. HTC’s President of Vive in China, Alvin Wang Graylin stated that “HTC will launch a new standalone VR headset in 2021. And current pictures are what seem like that device here.
How this VR lip tracker may work
Initially, HTC informed that VR lip tracking module can be used for Vive, at GDC 2019. At that time it stated that it is planning for any full release of the device. This lip tracker module hangs below the headset and reads movement in your mouth. Which a given experience could then transform it to replicate on a virtual avatar of yourself.
Also, there is a chance where HTC can pair this VR lip tracker module with the eye-tracking in the HTC Vive Pro Eye. It may be possible that HTC could soon be launching a new very expressive virtual avatars to VR. Also, it can go a step further and implement the Vive Trackers for full-body tracking and there’s a lot of potential here.
We all know that Hand, Face, and Eye tracking features have a crucial part in making avatars move and appear natural in VR. In this industry already HTC Vive, Oculus Rift, and Quest headsets provide hand tracking as a control method. But when it comes to face tracking there is not much tech available as of now. So, face tracking for VR headsets could prove to be a boon in social VR settings.
Along with HTC, Facebook is also experimenting with face tracking for Oculus headsets based on UploadVR reports. Also in a recent interview, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that ” how important realistic avatars animated with face and eye tracking, both are in his vision of the future of VR.
Previously HTC Vive teased about its new Hardware
Similar to the latest teasing image suggesting VR lip Tracking module, In the past, HTC teased about its new Hardware on the company’s official Twitter account. HTC posted an image of what seems like the Vive logo on what looks like a plastic surface of some kind, along with the message that says “It’s your move”.
HTC launched the Elite version of its Cosmos VR headsets in March 2020. At that time, the company also launched an affordable version of the Cosmos, named Cosmos play. Then it has abandoned its plans for a consumer launch. However, it is a quite noteworthy concept for a compact VR headset codenamed Project Proton.
Codenamed project Proton features microdisplays to achieve its smaller design and HTC offered two versions of the device last year. In that one was a standalone VR headset that may come with a battery in the back of the head strap. Whereas the other was designed to connect to a phone via cable or stream VR content over 5G. The EMEA General Manager Graham Wheeler stated that he anticipates the rise of “all-in-two” devices throughout 2021.
Other details
HTC VR lip tracker module and Vive Pro Eye, a version of the headset with built-in eye-tracking would be very powerful for a VR headset. Also combined with eye-tracking data that could animate both eyes and mouth together. Thus resulting in a richer avatar representation
However, HTC didn’t inform anything officially yet about the lip tracking module or the facial tracking SDK or what these modules might cost. But adding a lip tracker module to the VR headsets can help headsets in sensing you as much as they do your environments will be of great value for VR enthusiasts.
Conclusion
Based on the UploadVR reports, HTC has been teasing new modules and attachments for its Vive VR headsets for a while. In that recent HTC VR lip tracker is what seems to be the company’s latest teasing images revealed. HTC posted an image of a hinge that has the message “Express yourself”. For which some Twitter users replied with the HTC VR lip tracker module that HTC revealed at the Game Developers Conference in 2019.
