The latest firmware update for HTC’s Vive Focus 3 VR headset includes significant hand tracking performance, stability, and accuracy improvements.
The Vive Focus 3 is HTC’s VR headset aimed at the business market. It’s a standalone headset with a controller for each hand and costs an eye-watering $1,300. However, you can now put down the controllers and take advantage of very accurate hand tracking even with fast hand movement.
Firmware version 3.0.999.284 upgrades the hand tracking engine used by the headset to allow for accurate detection of fast hand movement and more precise pinch-to-interact actions. It uses a 26-point skeletal hand modelling system, allowing individual finger movement to be tracked with minimal delay. The engine also includes six predefined hand gestures that can be linked to specific actions in VR apps.
HTC hopes the higher degree of accuracy and speed will entice more businesses to try the Vive Focus 3 for their VR tools. However, HTC also sees the headset having a role to play in the metaverse, although if it wants everyone to strap on a Focus 3 to enter virtual worlds, it’s going to have to bring the price down significantly. Right now, it’s clearly priced for metaverse architects rather than visitors.
