ALT – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

July 6, 2020

Antilatency’s new OpenVR Makes Tracking System SteamVR Compatible

Since the rollout of its tracking solution in 2019, Antilatency has continued to improve the system adding support for Oculus Quest earlier this year. Today, the company has announced the launch of a new OpenVR driver which adds compatibility for SteamVR headsets.

Available as a free download off the Antilatency website, the driver allows the Antilatency system to override SteamVR tracking. The driver supports the Alt tracker which can be used with a socket, for head, leg and object tracking. It also works with Antilatency’s hand-worn Bracer for use as a controller, ideal for videogames like Beat Saber.

“We have received a large number of requests from our customers to integrate our tracking system with SteamVR. We are now ready to present the first version of the driver. It is easy to install and use. We made a demo video with Beat Saber to show how accurate and stable the tracking works with complex mechanics,” said Antilatency in a statement.

While most modern VR headsets do come with tracking systems of their own, Antilatency’s system is designed for location-based entertainment (LBE) venues that may have awkward requirements. The Alt tracker is paired with a modular flooring system whose shape and size can be customised.

As the video below demonstrates the tracking solution can keep up with demanding rhythm-action titles which have become highly popular in VR arcades.

Antilatency is still selling its introductory Dev Kit for $350 USD which includes 10m2 of flooring, a tracker and then the various sockets for attaching to headsets, hands and peripherals. As previously reported this does mean full-body tracking can be achieved on a wide variety of headsets.

For further Antilatency updates, keep reading VRFocus.

January 21, 2020

Antilatency’s SDK v.1.0 Adds Full-Body Tracking for Oculus Quest

Last year positional tracking company Antilatency launched its hardware and software system based around its tracking module ALT, designed for location-based entertainment (LBE) venues. Antilatency recently updated its software development kit (SDK) to version 1.0.0, in the process adding support for Oculus Quest.

Antilatency

The SDK update allows for full-body tracking of an Oculus Quest user, where the head and foot tracking is performed by Antilatency trackers while the hand tracking is still done via the headsets’ normal controller. As the video below demonstrates, an Antilatency tracker is attached to the front of the headset while another two are attached to the lower portion of each leg, thus allowing LBE venues to make use of the popular device.

Other software updates added to v1.0.0 include:

a redesigned radio protocol with improved bandwidth, crosstalk protection, connection procedure, and maximal radio packet size.
an environment generator for defining the most effective IR pattern for your area.
custom areas in the environment editor for creating compact desk setups, setups with a smaller size, or with a different proportion of the marker locations inside a linear pattern, etc.
an update system for getting the last version of firmware for all your Antilatency devices.
a device tree in DeviceNetwork for checking the hierarchy of devices connected to a host and getting all the information for each socket or tracker.

Antilatency

It’s not only the software Antilatency has improved. Several hardware elements have been such as the Bracer, a lightweight VR controller which attaches to the hand around the palm. The Bracer allows a hand to be tracked whilst leaving your fingers free to interact with physical objects. Additionally, the Bracer can recognize grab and drop gestures.

Antilatency’s system works in conjunction with adjustable floor tiles to track a player. Now there’s a new ceiling setup for locations that can’t use the floor system. The tracking technology remains the same, but the setup consists of separate active markers and connecting wires placed above a suspended ceiling. This does mean it’s not as mobile as the floor setup.

The Antilatency Dev Kit is available for $350 with all the additional components available depending on requirements. For further updates on Antilatency’s tracking solution, keep reading VRFocus.

June 5, 2019

Antilatency’s Miniature VR Tracking Solution Goes on Sale

During CES 2019 Russian technology startup Antilatency showcased the latest version of its tracking solution for location-based entertainment (LBE), dubbed ALT. This week the product has gone on sale, aiming to offer a cost-effective solution to virtual reality (VR) tracking in a miniature package.

Antilatency - Alt

The entire system is based around the small ALT tracker which is powered by a USB cradle and the customisable IR floor mats. The tracking module is fitted with onboard image processing, IMU, and a 240-degree field of view inside a metal housing to track the IR layout; a set of reference bars which forms a specific pattern of active IR markers. The reference bars are connected to each other and fixed with foam floor mats.

Antilatency has designed its tracking solution to cover most VR arcades needs. The flooring system works out at $250 USD per 10 square meters while the ALT module with the USB cradle retails for $100. There are several other accessories to make ALT highly adaptable, with a range of cradles such as TAG for $35 which can be attached to a gun peripheral for example. TAG is wireless, with a built-in 300mAh and a USB-C socket. Also available is the Bracer, a wireless 6DoF hand module for $35 with built-in battery.

All customers need are the ALT modules which can then be hot-swapped between the various cradles depending on requirements.

Antilatency

“We are fans of VR and are sure that the only limit to the creation of new worlds should be the mind. Our team wants to constantly push the limits of what’s possible. And we’ve developed a positional tracking system with the minimum of tech restrictions,” said Roman Vdovchenko, Antilatency marketing chief in a statement. “Our system isn’t only able to track a high number of targets on a large scale. It’s an out of the box solution which provides stable tracking of anything, without any limits or additional requirements. Do you want to immerse 200 users into a VR environment at the same time, while they are running, having their whole body tracked, and allowing them to see each other? Why not? It can be a (virtual) reality!”

Interested VR companies can buy a DevKit for $350 to get started and then build from there as needed. VRFocus will continue its coverage of Antilatency, reporting back with the latest updates.

January 22, 2019

AntiLatency Could Offer the Unrestricted VR Freedom You’ve Been Looking for

There are quite a few companies working on the issue of tracking users whilst they’re in virtual reality (VR). These range from already available systems for both consumer and enterprise use, like those found on Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, as well as newer inside-out tracking on upcoming devices such as Oculus Quest. During CES 2019 Russian company AntiLatency showcased its take on the industry, demoing a tracking solution that was modular. To find out more VRFocus spoke with CEO and co-founder Andrey Desyatov.

AntiLatency

The AntiLatency positional tracking system uses a small swappable tracking device called ALT, which attaches to headsets, arms, hands, peripherals, basically anything that you might want tracked in conjunction with active infrared markers placed on reference points to create an IR pattern. In comparison, the HTC Vive Tracker is much larger, heavier, but doesn’t need the markers due to the external lighthouse sensors – it’s not as easily scalable as AntiLatency.

Designed to be used with mobile headsets like Oculus Go – which it was being demoed with – the ALT module weighs in at only 12 g, has a 2ms latency, takes 2000 positional measurements per second, has a 240-degree field of view (FoV), is completely wireless and has a max tracking area of 10,000 m2.

It’ll also support multiplayer, with no actual limit any number of users can employ the system in the same environment, each using different headsets if they so choose.

AntiLatency

In the interview, Desyatov goes into more detail regarding AntiLatency’s features, revealing it can also be used for augmented reality (AR). By attaching the module to a device like a tablet, users without a VR headset can view and walk around the digital environment.

Having been founded in 2016, AntiLatency first won an international startup grand-prix hosted by GoTech that same year, going on to raise $2.1 million USD of investment in 2017. ALT is already available to pre-order, with the module retailing for $100 each, whilst the IR floor is $25 per square meter. Shipments will then begin in March 2019.

VRFocus will continue with its coverage of AntiLatency as its tracking system begins to find its way to market. For further CES 2019 interviews, keep reading VRFocus.