HTC Vive in the VR industry reputation, and one of the most important reasons is the Lighthouse track system, citing CNET reporter Scott Stein's evaluation:
If you want to experience the best of VR equipment, Vive can cover a whole room action tracking, Oculus is currently far better than.
Other similar comments abound, so Lighthouse the importance of tracking system for HTC Vive. However, Valve made big news today, it announced the opening of their Lighthouse tracking system, allowing other VR position tracking device using the system. This means that developers can make third-party controllers for Vive, and completely free service--you read that right, Valve did not intend to rely on Lighthouse tracking system of licensing fees to earn money.
Lighthouse open? Valve to think
Lighthouse Tracker Track light towers and is the core of the algorithm, the Vive open controller standard, third party developers get Valve without authorization, simply to comply with the standards set by the Valve can be production and sales with the adaptation of the equipment, but there are no open central part, which means that third-party base station does not appear in the market. Valve's official response to this event is:
We need to make sure that the base station and track equipment with full compatibility. Long term, we really want to get hardware company with us to improve the base station design, leading innovation in this area, but given our bandwidth limitations, we have to put this innovative time postponed to some time in the future.
Valve will apply to companies providing a Lighhouse "authorized Developer package", including:
"Developer package contents"
1. a prototype can be attached to the head or other modular equipment can be tracked
2. the complete EVM Board, you can quickly prototype of the production can be traced back
3.40 individual sensors used to track goods in production
4. the annex to make a custom prototype
"Tools"
1. software toolkit that helps you the most optimized arrangement of sensors
2. calibration tool used in prototyping and production
"File"
1. all electronic layout and schematic diagram
2. making to track goods and accessories of machinery design
3. Sensor ASIC IC data spec sheet
Developer package is completely free, but if you want to join in the development projects, the production company requires at least send a staff to participate in training courses. Courses for a fee, of course, there's a half 3000 on each of you, venue in Seattle, beginning in mid-September.
Open Lighthouse sooner or later things?
All of game players are know of facts is, Valve is global maximum of game distribution platform Steam of has who, so Valve care of points has never not in hardware Shang--if readers slightly understand Xia HTC Vive of birth history, on can know: Valve in VR technology aspects has research zhihou, and no select himself going it alone out hardware equipment but select and Oculus cooperation (although last collapse has), zhihou and select has HTC, created out has market Shang best of high-end VR head.
Immersion in an interview Nobel room CTO Dr Dai Ruoli, he said: "Valve open Lighthouse tracking system is a matter of, Lighthouse light Tower will open in the future, so we are not surprised about this, after all, SteamVR is a gaming platform is, of course, more and more vendors access in good. The short term, is also beneficial for HTC. So that an increasing number of third-party manufacturers will develop peripherals for Vive. 」
It also put another VR China manufacturers on the cusp. HYPEREAL at ChinaJoy publish their hardware products, but is also a positioning and tracking system, and HTC Vive Lighthouse Tracker system is somewhat similar.
HYPEREAL technical director Chen Lu responded: "the news is news is not news to us, because people in the industry already know, Valve open position system. For the time being, Lighthouse is VR in one of the most suitable and reliable positioning technology, it has also been tested in the market. However, its limitations are obvious, such as the erection of the Lighthouse is more difficult, complex structure of the sensor lead and handle design is very limited. 」
For the industry, Valve will open Lighthouse Tracker seems to be certain things, in the short term. Open can stimulate the activity of the SteamVR platform, there may be more manufacturers joined in. For HTC, so, this is a big positive results?
HTC to hide in the bathroom to cry yet?
Of course not. According to Dr, influx of a large number of third party vendors in the short term, developing peripherals for Vive. HTC Vive scenario development is indeed a good result; long term, the Valve is always open source Lighthouse system, so more and more influx of manufacturers to SteamVR platform seems to be an inevitable outcome. HTC relative to these manufacturers, has first-mover advantage-a situation somewhat similar to the HTC Google HTC Nexus G1 is typically produced by that year. Valve is clearly want VR in Google, while also coming, HTC the first-mover advantage in the Valve completely open source core technologies, can defensible? This is also a problem.
Immersion interview China General Manager Alvin Wang graylin, he made the following statement in response to the news events:
1. the Valve is only open Lighthouse Tracker, not open source; third-party hardware manufacturers can own hardware access to the HTC Vive (somewhat similar to the MFi, Apple certified), the helmet is unable to use the Lighthouse so a third party tracking system.
2. the future of Lighthouse (, including the lighthouse) tracking systems may be open source as a whole, but it cannot determine a specific time.
3. get HTC authorized to produce third party accessories, licensing is free, but must conform to the Valve and the standards set by the HTC.
4. HTC in Asia will open a course, training for Vive development third-party hardware developers, content with United States Seattle training is no different, but is completely free of charge.
5. whether HTC training courses need to be filtered, the curriculum and the United States of course are synchronized, but it does not belong to the same plan.
Alvin Wang graylin stressed: "open source or not is a decision we have made together with the Valve. "And the opening of the Lighthouse is actually expands the scenario of Vive, so good, at least for now.
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