PrioVR Prototype

After I got to check out the forerunner to PrioVR, Yost donned the PrioVR prototype to demonstrate its capabilities. They haven’t yet integrated it into the Unity or UDK demos, but they did have it running with their internal Mocap Studio software. Rigged up to the tracking points was the upper body of a human skeleton (remember, the PrioVR prototype I saw was only upper body).

As expected, I saw Yost’s actions mirrored on the screen by the skeleton. The demo uses a similar kinematic walking model as the Unity and UDK integration, but because it was only an upper body, I watched as Yost caused the skeleton to walk around using only it’s hands — it was pretty creepy.

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Beyond seeing a creepy skeleton run around on its hands, the demo showed me something impressive. I had Yost sit down in a swivel chair to see how the system would handle repetitive spins in multiple directions. This is exactly the type of scenario where I would expect to find accumulation errors from a purely IMU based system — where small errors add together to reveal large drift. To my surprise, PrioVR seemed spot on as Yost swiveled in the chair and always ended up facing back where he started.

Though I was initially skeptical of an IMU-based system, I came away quite impressed with PrioVR — it seems like an entirely viable option for VR motion tracking.

After spending the day with Yost and Morrison and hearing them talk tech, I came away with the realization that these are some very smart folks.

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Yost told me that he started his career in academia but was frustrated by producing exciting research the ended its life as a publication rather than a product. He co-founded YEI Technology so that he could see his work put to use — and it is — the company is responsible for AI technology that’s being used in the healthcare field, among other projects like 3-Space. They’re also running their own manufacturing operation for their products.

I get the sense the YEI Technology is pursuing PrioVR not because they have to, but because they want to. And for that reason, I have little doubt that they will pull it off.

Full Disclosure: YEI Technology is running a PrioVR ad on Road to VR. 
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Ben Lang
Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • Andrés

    What are their post-Kickstarter plans? It looks like the current campaign won’t reach its goal.

    Any news about their plans for buttons/controllers?

    Thanks

    • Druss

      The whole reason I hate the Sixense STEM and love the PrioVR (besides the far superior tracking capabilities) is that it doesn’t have buttons, buttons have no place in VR. That’s so obvious to me, you don’t press a button to drink a glass of milk, you just pick up the glass. Something like the Peregrine glove is much better suited for VR, but a better solution is certainly needed.

      • EdZ

        Until we have fully haptic finger tracking gloves, then buttons are necessary. Vaguely waving your hands at an object is not a pleasant way to interact with it, and even non-haptic gloves are an exercise in frustration. Without tactile feedback it is VERY hard to manipulate objects with your fingers (try wearing a pair of leather gloves and tying your shoelaces, and that’s only reduced tactility).

        Personally, I wish I could afford to back both, but I cannot. At this point in time, the STEM is a more flexible solution for more tasks than the PrioVR. I won’t have full-body avatar immersion, but I will be able to track completely arbitrary points and objects & repeatably position things in world-coordinates rather than relative coordinates (allows for things like putting down a tracked gun prop in order to interact with an in-game object, then picking it up again).

  • druidsbane

    How’s the lag? I noticed in some videos there was choppiness, especially with the skeleton video at the end. Is this something that was due to it being a prototype? The Unity demo seemed much smoother overall. Great article as always.