Leap Motion Releases Updated VR Mount For Retail VR HMDs

News
By Kevin Carbotte
published

Leap Motion released an updated version of the VR developer mount so that you can use your Leap Motion controller with the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift CV1.

In the last two years, Leap Motion has transitioned towards the VR market with its hand tracking technology. The company has a deal with OSVR to bring the technology to the open source HMD project, and it has hinted at as-yet unannounced partnerships with other HMD makers that will also integrate Leap Motion sensor technology into their designs. 

Leap Motion designed a mount that would attach the Leap Motion sensor to the front of an Oculus Rift developer kit, but the former design doesn’t fit well with the final release of the Rift. It also didn’t fit onto the front of the Vive very well, due to the curvature of the HMD.

Leap Motion went back to the drawing board and designed the Universal VR Dev Mount. The new mount features a concave surface that lines up with the curvature of the front of the Rift and Vive HMDs. The mount holds on with 3M adhesive, so it can also be mounted to developer versions of the Rift.

The previous developer mount included a 3-foot long USB 3.0 extension cable, which was necessary to reach the front of the Rift DK2. The retail Rift includes a 10-foot cable, and the tether for the Vive is 15 feet long, so Leap Motion included a 15-foot long USB 3.0 extension. You should be able to use the Leap Motion controller with your room-scale movement.

Leap Motion is selling the Universal VR Dev Mount for $19.99 on its website. For a limited time, the company is offering the mount and sensor in a bundle for $74.99. 

Follow Kevin Carbotte @pumcypuhoy. Follow us on Facebook, Google+, RSS, Twitter and YouTube.

Kevin Carbotte

 Kevin Carbotte is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware who primarily covers VR and AR hardware. He has been writing for us for more than four years. 

9 Comments Comment from the forums
  • utgardaloki
    If it doesn't work in room scale VR no deal. How am I to track my hands if I turn around and move away?
    Solve that and we might have a deal. Full VR or no VR.
    Reply
  • utgardaloki
    Wait! Does it work without a stationary tracker in front on my desk? If so maybe "deal".
    Reply
  • kcarbotte
    17986807 said:
    If it doesn't work in room scale VR no deal. How am I to track my hands if I turn around and move away?
    Solve that and we might have a deal. Full VR or no VR.

    I don't understand what the concern is.
    The Leap Motion gets attached to the front of the HMD. No matter where you are looking, you'll have hand tracking in front of you.
    It comes with 15-foot cable precisely so that you can use room-scale.

    Reply
  • problematiq
    17986807 said:
    If it doesn't work in room scale VR no deal. How am I to track my hands if I turn around and move away?
    Solve that and we might have a deal. Full VR or no VR.

    I don't understand what the concern is.
    The Leap Motion gets attached to the front of the HMD. No matter where you are looking, you'll have hand tracking in front of you.
    It comes with 15-foot cable precisely so that you can use room-scale.

    You don't always need hand tracking in front of you in room scale VR look at space pirate trainer for example. if you only have tracking infront of you "you're Going to have a bad time."
    It would work good for things like job simulator though.
    Reply
  • kcarbotte
    17989597 said:
    17986807 said:
    If it doesn't work in room scale VR no deal. How am I to track my hands if I turn around and move away?
    Solve that and we might have a deal. Full VR or no VR.

    I don't understand what the concern is.
    The Leap Motion gets attached to the front of the HMD. No matter where you are looking, you'll have hand tracking in front of you.
    It comes with 15-foot cable precisely so that you can use room-scale.

    You don't always need hand tracking in front of you in room scale VR look at space pirate trainer for example. if you only have tracking infront of you "you're Going to have a bad time."
    It would work good for things like job simulator though.

    Leap Motion isn't capable of scanning an entire room like lighthouse is.
    You wouldn't use Leap Motion for space pirate trainer.

    Reply
  • problematiq
    17989977 said:
    17989597 said:
    17986807 said:
    If it doesn't work in room scale VR no deal. How am I to track my hands if I turn around and move away?
    Solve that and we might have a deal. Full VR or no VR.

    I don't understand what the concern is.
    The Leap Motion gets attached to the front of the HMD. No matter where you are looking, you'll have hand tracking in front of you.
    It comes with 15-foot cable precisely so that you can use room-scale.

    You don't always need hand tracking in front of you in room scale VR look at space pirate trainer for example. if you only have tracking infront of you "you're Going to have a bad time."
    It would work good for things like job simulator though.

    Leap Motion isn't capable of scanning an entire room like lighthouse is.
    You wouldn't use Leap Motion for space pirate trainer.

    Yes I understand it can only be used for your hands when they are in front of your face. Some games require your controls to be in front of your face but most games/room scale games do not. Room scale or not with VR the big thing is having freedom to move your head around and look at things. If you are limited to only look at what your are currently interacting with it takes away from that experience.

    This feels like it would be useful for Rift user's but not as much for Vive users.
    Reply
  • razor512
    It can be good depending on the level of tracking. For example, a game can have you interact with more intricate objects, e.g., turning dials, pushing buttons.

    Good hand and finger tracking means that you can interact with things without having to have a special activate button, instead, you will have a physical hand that will try and match yours in the real world, it can auto activate when it comes in contact with something.

    Imagine playing a flight sim, and being able to push every button, and flick every switch.
    Reply
  • problematiq
    That would be awesome, the only problem is the game would have to be designed with that point in mind. But awesome non the less.
    Reply
  • Sitarow
    A simple fix to that is to have both hand tracking with Leapmotion and location tracking with controllers as one would with tools.

    An good example of this is Altspace VR with VIVE and Leap Motion Orion

    "Bleeding edge: Leap Motion Orion + Vive controllers in AltspaceVR!"
    Reply