Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Talk about Head Mounted Displays (HMDs), augmented reality, wearable computing, controller hardware, haptic feedback, motion tracking, and related topics here!
Post Reply
bobv5
Certif-Eyed!
Posts: 529
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 6:38 pm

Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Post by bobv5 »

You guys seen this? Supossedly coming out in april bundled with portal 2. Should be perfect for use with hmd if they let you actually use the 1:1 motion they talk about instead of making you stay facing one direction.....
"If you have a diabolical mind, the first thing that probably came to mind is that it will make an excellent trap: how do you get off a functional omni-directional treadmill?"
User avatar
Johnny-Mnemonic
Binocular Vision CONFIRMED!
Posts: 261
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 5:52 am
Location: Zurich area, Switzerland
Contact:

Re: Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Post by Johnny-Mnemonic »

Image
http://www.joystiq.com/2011/01/08/razer ... rs-make-i/
Looks awesome!

This is exciting year for new consumer hardware :D
Oculus Rift, Vuzix Wrap 920 AR!, Vuzix VR920, Liquid Image MRG 2.2, Razer Hydra, P5 Glove, Microsoft Kinect, TrackIR5, 2 x Hillcrest Labs Freespace tracker, Fujifilm finepix real 3d w3, GeForce 9800GT 1Gb, GeForce GT 430 1Gb, DELL XPS 17 l702x with GeForce 555 GT 3Gb, and good-old VFX1 setup
User avatar
cybereality
3D Angel Eyes (Moderator)
Posts: 11406
Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:18 pm

Re: Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Post by cybereality »

Yeah, this thing looks awesome. I will get mine on the first day (hopefully) and do an S3D unboxing and review. I think this could add a lot to the immersive experience. However, it uses absolute positioning, so it is not as useful for an HMD. If you want full range of motion with a headtracking HMD (meaning standing up, full 360 rotation) it cannot be used. The Hydra only operated within a 6 foot cube coming off the base station. So you can't just run around the room, you still have to be in front of the computer stationary. Thats fine for me though, it still looks really cool. Imagine that with Nvidia 3D Vision Surround triple 3D projectors!!!!!!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mz4SCzxZIc8[/youtube]
User avatar
Johnny-Mnemonic
Binocular Vision CONFIRMED!
Posts: 261
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 5:52 am
Location: Zurich area, Switzerland
Contact:

Re: Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Post by Johnny-Mnemonic »

cybereality wrote:The Hydra only operated within a 6 foot cube coming off the base station. So you can't just run around the room, you still have to be in front of the computer stationary.
Probably you can attach base station to your body :)
Oculus Rift, Vuzix Wrap 920 AR!, Vuzix VR920, Liquid Image MRG 2.2, Razer Hydra, P5 Glove, Microsoft Kinect, TrackIR5, 2 x Hillcrest Labs Freespace tracker, Fujifilm finepix real 3d w3, GeForce 9800GT 1Gb, GeForce GT 430 1Gb, DELL XPS 17 l702x with GeForce 555 GT 3Gb, and good-old VFX1 setup
bobv5
Certif-Eyed!
Posts: 529
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 6:38 pm

Re: Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Post by bobv5 »

cybereality wrote:. However, it uses absolute positioning, so it is not as useful for an HMD. If you want full range of motion with a headtracking HMD (meaning standing up, full 360 rotation) it cannot be used. The Hydra only operated within a 6 foot cube coming off the base station. So you can't just run around the room, you still have to be in front of the computer stationary.
I don't belive this is true. You have to stay within range, but you don't have to face the transmitter. The software is the bit that worrys me, but the hardware could be almost perfect. It uses the same tech as the expensive "real" vr trackers. Or at least it claims to. I see no reason that it couldn't calculate in which direction you are pointing away from the signal source just as easily as towards it. That 6 foot sphere would be more than enough for me. (Mount it on the ceiling and its range is bigger than my geek room) I don't realy fancy running around in a hmd and haveing it break my face when I hit a wall. Ok, you might rotate around your gun rather than you head, but this seems like a small problem compared to the current mess of hacked wiimotes and ir webcam's that I am curently failing to get working.

If you think I am wrong I would realy like to know why, I don't want to blow my cash on a device I cant use.


edit
"Probably you can attach base station to your body :)"
But that would need a reference point for the computer. The hardware is easy, but I don't wanna program it!
"If you have a diabolical mind, the first thing that probably came to mind is that it will make an excellent trap: how do you get off a functional omni-directional treadmill?"
User avatar
Okta
Golden Eyed Wiseman! (or woman!)
Posts: 1515
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 5:22 am

Re: Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Post by Okta »

I'm a little excited by this as it has the positional tracking but unfortunately only short range from base station(magnetic). Not a huge fan of using it in front of a fixed screen=still inferior to mouse/keyboard.

It's a pitty glovepie is dead because there could be all sorts of cool things with the new devices like Kinect and this.

Im still looking for a cheap mobile method to track movement for running around with a hmd.
"I did not chip in ten grand to seed a first investment round to build value for a Facebook acquisition."
Notch on the FaceDisgrace buyout.
User avatar
cybereality
3D Angel Eyes (Moderator)
Posts: 11406
Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:18 pm

Re: Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Post by cybereality »

Well a 6 foot cube is not that big for full range of movement VR. You would need at least a 10 foot cube. The best case scenario, is that you have the tracker directly under you (or above your head). In that case you would only have a 3 foot radius of movement. From my arm to the center of my chest is 32", leaving only 4" of wiggle room. If you think you can stay in the exact same spot, while you turn around wearing an HMD, then maybe it might work for you. But staying that static without any frame of reference is not easy (remember, you are wearing a headset, how would you know if you are drifting?). It becomes even more problematic if the tracker is not exactly lined up with the center of your body. So I think a 10" cube is minimum. Also, you have to consider what interference this would cause with HMD headtrackers (like VR920) that rely on magnets. So ideally the head-tracker has to be compatible with the same base unit.
Okta wrote:It's a pitty glovepie is dead because there could be all sorts of cool things with the new devices like Kinect and this.
Yeah, I know. Maybe we should start an open-source VR input device driver? I don't think it would be incredibly hard.
User avatar
Johnny-Mnemonic
Binocular Vision CONFIRMED!
Posts: 261
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 5:52 am
Location: Zurich area, Switzerland
Contact:

Re: Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Post by Johnny-Mnemonic »

Carl need to add to GlovePie, support of VRPN protocol, this would automatically adds Kinect and many other devices, in the same time you would be able to make VRPN drivers for devices that don't have them.

Here more about VRPN:
http://www.cs.unc.edu/Research/vrpn/
It's already supports wide spectre of different devices!

And about Kinect for VRPN:
http://people.ict.usc.edu/~suma/faast/
Oculus Rift, Vuzix Wrap 920 AR!, Vuzix VR920, Liquid Image MRG 2.2, Razer Hydra, P5 Glove, Microsoft Kinect, TrackIR5, 2 x Hillcrest Labs Freespace tracker, Fujifilm finepix real 3d w3, GeForce 9800GT 1Gb, GeForce GT 430 1Gb, DELL XPS 17 l702x with GeForce 555 GT 3Gb, and good-old VFX1 setup
bobv5
Certif-Eyed!
Posts: 529
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 6:38 pm

Re: Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Post by bobv5 »

The range seems to be 6ft in any direction from the base station.

"the Hydra uses a small base station that creates an electromagnetic field with a radius of about six feet."
http://www.ballergames.net/razer-hydra- ... rs-make-i/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"If you have a diabolical mind, the first thing that probably came to mind is that it will make an excellent trap: how do you get off a functional omni-directional treadmill?"
User avatar
cybereality
3D Angel Eyes (Moderator)
Posts: 11406
Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:18 pm

Re: Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Post by cybereality »

AH, OK. *Radius* of 6 feet. Thats fine then. My bad.
bobv5
Certif-Eyed!
Posts: 529
Joined: Tue Jan 19, 2010 6:38 pm

Re: Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Post by bobv5 »

More tracking gear...

http://www.youtube.com/v/AHf0t4VpFA8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
"If you have a diabolical mind, the first thing that probably came to mind is that it will make an excellent trap: how do you get off a functional omni-directional treadmill?"
User avatar
Okta
Golden Eyed Wiseman! (or woman!)
Posts: 1515
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2008 5:22 am

Re: Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Post by Okta »

bobv5 wrote:More tracking gear...

http://www.youtube.com/v/AHf0t4VpFA8" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Demo here http://katonda.com/news/11/2011/2318" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That is awesome. Looking forward to more info and pricing. Hopefully new game engines will allow for multiple inputs like these.

Sword, shield and head tracking with massive force feedback motors :)
"I did not chip in ten grand to seed a first investment round to build value for a Facebook acquisition."
Notch on the FaceDisgrace buyout.
User avatar
cybereality
3D Angel Eyes (Moderator)
Posts: 11406
Joined: Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:18 pm

Re: Razer Hydra (formerly sixense)

Post by cybereality »

Yeah, that AikenLabs tracker looks interesting. Great that it doesn't require drivers, because that means it should still work if the company goes under next year. However the units seem a little bulky. I wonder how much they weigh. If they are light enough it still might be usable. Hopefully the final production units will be a little slimmer. Also, you would still need a wireless controller of sorts for basic actions (for example, pulling the trigger on a gun). Movement would also be weird using just gestures. So this would need to be combined with a Wiimote/Nunchuck, Razer Hydra or some other physical controller in order to be useful. Then there is the problem of interference. It seems the Vuzix tracker, the Hydra and this AikenLabs device all use magnetometers in some way. I have a feeling they will interfere with each other, might be a problem.
Post Reply

Return to “General VR/AR Discussion”