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[Eddie-Griffin]

https://www.nextpit.com/pico-4-leg-tracking-and-mixed-reality-tried-out

The Pico 4 from TikTok star ByteDance will probably receive at least three exciting new features before 2023 is over. NextPit was able to test out two of them at MWC 2023: new leg trackers and an improved RGB passthrough mode. Here are our first impressions.

Leg tracking for the Pico 4​

Using the controllers and the quartet of 6DoF inside-out cameras, the Pico 4 tracks your hands among other things, which is nothing new so far. But the eternal question remains: What about the legs? We were able to check out pre-production units of Pico's new Leg Trackers at MWC.

Neither the market launch nor the name of the leg trackers has been determined yet, but the design has largely been finalized, apart from the large stickers, of course. At least that is what the manufacturer informed us.

The principle is simple: You strap a tracker around your right and left leg, and voilà! Your digital self has legs. This is not only great for avatars but also offers exciting avenues for new applications. At MWC, we tried a fitness app where you had to chop blocks in "Beat Saber" style using one hand, as well as jump onto approaching blocks using your legs.

Thus, the game not only requires a new dimension of body control but also becomes really sweaty after a while. VR or MR definitely offers enormous potential when it comes to fitness applications. According to a Pico spokesperson, the leg trackers could also be attached to the arms, for instance, to further improve accuracy.

Improved RGB passthrough for MR applications​

The Pico 4 can also expect a revised RGB passthrough mode within the next three to six months. Here, the VR goggles will mix the image captured via the integrated RGB camera with virtual content. During the MWC demo, the demo room was mostly visible. While this was previously only possible in "2D" and at a poor quality at that, a noticeable revision took place in our test unit. A wall was virtually "broken open" and monsters and dragons came flying into the room.

The biggest challenge for the Pico 4 here is that it only has one 16 MP RGB camera available on the front for the passthrough mode, which sits right between the user's eyes. This solitary camera only 'sees' in 2D. So, the Pico 4 relies on algorithms to calculate depth into the image information and seamlessly combine the camera image with virtual content.

This worked much better with the (and admittedly, three times more expensive) HTC Vive XR Elite in our first hands-on. Not only is the depth perception excellent thanks to the built-in dedicated depth camera, but the image quality is also much better. Printed text is still difficult to read via the Pico 4's passthrough feature.

With the HTC Vive XR Elite in particular, I could easily grab my phone from the table and write as well as read WhatsApp messages. Do take note that the revised MR feature upgraded the Pico 4 enormously in my eyes, which is a real plus point.

The leg trackers tested at a china event a month ago,

Pico 4 will shortly have leg tracking. It's as simple as putting those bands around your legs and you can use your hands to chop blocks while jumping on too things, and it apparently works and what you see is the final product.

Full body VR is getting here faster than expected, for the home anyway, without all that gear you have to put on at those amusement sites.

Assuming other makers are also working on leg tracking, given some are working on controller-free motion tracking, that could be a big deal in the development in VR. When such tech is common and even more accessible gyms might be out of business.

Also good to see more passthrough improvements with headsets.

 

[rofif]

Even I can't see my legs. How is vr headset going to ?

 

[Dick Jones]

Even I can't see my legs. How is vr headset going to ?

 

[midnightAI]

Wonder how this compares to Sony's Mocopi