Vision Pro does not come with controllers, but that hasn’t stopped third-party hardware developers from trying to outdo Apple. Surreal Touch, a motion controller, has recently launched a Kickstarter campaign, aiming to take advantage of Vision Pro’s capability to play PC VR games.
Update (August 27th, 2024): The Kickstarter campaign for Surreal Interactive’s Surreal Touch controller for Vision Pro is now live. It has already surpassed its initial $50,000 funding goal, with an estimated shipping date in December 2024.
The lowest funding tier, priced at $249, is still available as of now. The campaign promises a 30% discount off the MSRP of $369. Each funding tier includes a set of controllers and the option to choose between Steam keys for Contractors Showdown (2024) and/or Grimlord (2023).
Watch the product trailer below to see the main features in action:
Original Article (July 3rd, 2024): Surreal Interactive, the company behind Surreal Touch, plans to release the controllers next month (refer to update) with pricing details revealed at launch.
Similar to Meta’s Touch Pro controllers, Surreal Touch features optical sensors with fisheye lenses for independent tracking from the headset.
Just like Meta’s Touch Pro, Surreal Touch boasts a ring-less design thanks to its inside-out optical sensors, onboard SLAM tracking for 6DOF input, and a standard button layout familiar to most VR users.
In an interview with CEO and founder Zhenfei Yang, Road to VR discovered that Surreal Touch will come with a SteamVR compatibility mode, enabling play of all existing PC VR games. This means a VR-ready PC is required to enjoy games like Half-Life: Alyx (2020), as demonstrated by the company below:
How will this work? Surreal Interactive is currently developing a Vision Pro-native streaming app that promises to deliver SteamVR games from your computer at “4K, 120 Hz.”
While PC VR gaming is a major focus, the company is also working on its own native SDK to support Surreal Touch for Vision Pro app developers.
“We are collaborating with several studios to bring their games to the AVP platform. Additionally, we plan to engage with more developers in the near future,” Yang shared with Road to VR.
Surreal Interactive also hinted at a ‘Tool Mode’ in development, which could potentially offer basic UI selection within Vision Pro. However, the exact function remains undisclosed, with the company only stating that the mode is “still in-house development. More details coming soon.”
There is much more to uncover, including battery life, real-world tracking accuracy, compatibility with other headsets, pricing, and more. Stay tuned for updates closer to the launch date. Meanwhile, explore the spec sheet below:
Specs
| Tracking |
Positioning Accuracy: Less than 10mm, Less than 1 degree
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Computer Vision and SLAM Technology, dual fisheye camera
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| Design | Length: 125mm |
| Width: 71mm | |
| Height: 77mm | |
| Weight: 148g | |
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Compact, ring-free design
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| Streaming App | |
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Graphics: 4K resolution at 120Hz
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Software Optimization: Stream 4K 120Hz SteamVR Graphics to Your Headset, unmatched by others
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