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Pico just released their latest product, the “Pico Motion Tracker”. A new accessory that allows you to move your legs or objects in VR. Pico is known for making amazing standalone headsets like the Pico 4 Ultra and many others. We will tell you all about this new gadget and why it is so groundbreaking.
A motion tracker is a device that allows you to bring objects or full-body into the virtual world for you to interact with. Say for example a glass of water, with such a tracker you could place that glass into the virtual world, walk up to it and grab it in the real world as well as in the virtual environment. The Pico Motion Tracker is capable of this feature due to its outstanding software.
There are three different types of motion tracking for the consumer market. These are: Lighthouse (IR laser tracking), camera based tracking and inertial tracking (through IMUs).
When a sensor (a photodiode) detects infrared light, the lighthouse system can determine how far that sensor is from a base station. With two base stations, they can triangulate (measure from two points) and accurately pinpoint the position of VR headsets, controllers, trackers, and other devices in the room. No light is required in the room and can be used in complete darkness. If the tracker is outside of the field-of-view from the lighthouse then you will lose tracking and the object will remain stuck in the last position until you move it back in.
Inside-out tracking utilizes sensors integrated into the VR headset, controllers or trackers. These cameras and infrared receivers directly monitor the user’s environment and movements from the VR devices themselves. They do require some light in the room to function at their best. Like the lighthouse tracking, when they are obstructed by an object and can’t see the playspace they will be unable to track their position.
Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) provide a powerful way to track motion with precision. They work by combining data from three key sensors: accelerometers, which measure changes in speed; magnetometers, which detect magnetic fields for directional reference; and gyroscopes, which track rotational movement. By blending this information, IMUs can accurately estimate the orientation of a device and deliver consistent motion tracking results. No light is needed nor a lighthouse, what this means is that even when obstructed by clothing the trackers will continue to work!
The biggest advantage of these trackers is the cost. There is no need for a lighthouse setup that would cost an additional €300. The tracker itself is all you need! This significantly brings down the cost for object and full-body tracking.
The Pico Motion Tracker uses a combination of Inertial tracking with an IMU and 12 IR sensors. This means that wherever you are and in what lighting condition you may be you are sure to have great tracking.
The trackers are incredibly small which helps out the tracking (no wobbling around, they remain firm on your ankles) and comfort, at only 27 grams these are among the lightest trackers on the market. Besides its impressive weight the battery life is outstanding crushing competition with a whopping 25+ hours of battery life. The trackers are quite precise at a maximum positional deviation of only 5 cm which is twice as good as the best performing IMU trackers.
Yes! The set-up process is incredibly easy and only takes 5 seconds. All you need to do is open the Motion Tracker app on your headset and follow some quick instructions. The ease of use is definitely a strongpoint of these trackers compared to other tracking solutions out there.
Currently the trackers allow you to connect to the PICO 4 Ultra, PICO 4 Pro, PICO 4 and PICO Neo 3 and play games through the Pico Store. It is also possible to connect them with your headset to SteamVR but may not be compatible with all SteamVR games.
Freelance Junior Marketing Manager at VR-Expert. Julle is passionate about the exciting and ever-evolving world of VR, it’s both a hobby and a second home. He takes great pleasure in sharing his extensive expertise about VR with helping others to help them understand and appreciate this amazing technology.
