HTC VIVE User manual

VIVE Facial Tracker User guide

Contents
VIVE Facial Tracker
About VIVE Facial Tracker 4
What can be tracked by VIVE Facial Tracker? 5
Where to attach the tracker on the headset 5
Installing the tracker 6
About software 10
Care and maintenance 12
Trademarks and copyrights
2 Contents

About this guide
In this user guide, we use the following symbols to indicate useful and important information:
This is a note. A note often gives additional information, such as what happens when you
choose to do or not to do a certain action. A note also provides information that may only be
applicable to some situations.
This is a tip. A tip gives you an alternative way to do a particular step or procedure, or lets you
know of an option that you may find helpful.
This indicates important information that you need in order to accomplish a certain task or to
get a feature to work properly.
This provides safety precaution information, that is, information that you need to be careful
about to prevent potential problems.
Some apps may not be available in all regions or with your mobile operator.
3 About this guide

VIVE Facial Tracker
About VIVE Facial Tracker
Track lip movements and facial expressions in VR. You'll need compatible hardware and software
to use VIVE™Facial Tracker.
1USB Type-C®connector
2Cable clip
3Adhesive strips
4Tracking sensors
5Power LED
§VIVE Facial Tracker is compatible with the VIVE Pro/VIVE Pro Eye series.
§VIVE Facial Tracker currently works with VIVE Sync, a meeting and collaboration VR app from
HTC.
§The SDK is also available to enterprises and developers. It can be used to expand the
capabilities of VR apps to support the lip and facial tracking features of VIVE Facial Tracker.
§VIVE Facial Tracker is not supported by VIVE Wireless Adapter.
4 VIVE Facial Tracker

What can be tracked by VIVE Facial Tracker?
Movements in the lower half of the face—cheeks, chin, jaw, and mouth which includes the lips
and tongue—can be tracked.
Enterprises and developers can integrate the SDK with VR apps to access the tracking data
provided by VIVE Facial Tracker. See SDK for developers on page 12.
Where to attach the tracker on the headset
Attach VIVE Facial Tracker on the bottom of your headset. Before attaching, make sure the
surface is clean and free of debris.
For headset cleaning tips, see. the Cleaning Guide for VIVE Products.
5 VIVE Facial Tracker

Installing the tracker
Step 1: Remove the face cushion and compartment cover
To access the USB port in the headset compartment, remove the face cushion and compartment
cover.
1. Peel off the face cushion, starting from both ends of the cushion near the nose rest. Be
careful not to pull on the rubber nose piece.
2. Carefully pry open the cover from the outermost edge. You can find the cover by following
the headset cable.
Once you’ve removed the cover, set it aside for later.
6 VIVE Facial Tracker

Step 2: Attach the tracker to the headset
Remove the film from the tracker, and then attach to the bottom of the headset.
Before attaching, make sure the headset surface is clean and free of debris. For headset
cleaning tips, see the Cleaning Guide for VIVE Products.
1. On the bottom of VIVE Facial Tracker, peel the film off the adhesive strips.
2. Do the following to attach VIVE Facial Tracker on the bottom side of your headset:
§Gently squeeze the frame of the tracker inward so that it's easier to align the pins with
the screw holes on the headset.
§Press firmly and evenly to attach the tracker to your headset.
Make sure not to put weight on VIVE Facial Tracker. For care and handling tips, see Caring for
your VIVE Facial Tracker on page 12.
7 VIVE Facial Tracker

Step 3: Slide the front of the headset outward
You need to adjust the front of the headset to access the vents so you can clip the tracker cable
later.
1. Press and hold the adjustment button.
2. Slide the front of the headset outward until the vents are fully exposed.
Step 4: Connect the tracker cable to the headset
Clip the tracker cable in the vents, and then connect the USB connector to the headset. Here's
how.
1. Insert the cable clip between the vents closest to the nose rest.
2. Rotate the clip vertically to lock it in place.
8 VIVE Facial Tracker

3. Loop the tracker cable through the inside of the headset, following the headset cable.
4. Plug the USB connector of the tracker cable into the USB Type-C port in the headset
compartment. Run the tracker cable along the cable guide slot.
Step 5: Reattach the compartment cover and face cushion
After you've connected the tracker cable to the headset USB port, reattach the compartment
cover and face cushion.
1. To reattach the compartment cover, align the cover tabs with the slots, then press firmly to
reattach.
The outermost tab should snap firmly into place.
2. To reattach the face cushion, align the tab with the center slot on the headset, then press
the velcro strips into place.
9 VIVE Facial Tracker

Step 6: Secure the tracker in place
Make sure that the hinge is flat and flush with the edge of the tracker, and that the screw is tight.
Use a slot head screwdriver to tighten the screw.
About software
Installing and running the tracker software
If you installed the VIVE software on your computer, the tracker software should have been
installed automatically. To ensure you have the latest tracker software release, you can manually
download and install it from this link: www.vive.com/setup/facial-tracker
The tracker software, SR_Runtime, then appears on your Windows®desktop. If this is your first
time using the software, you need to run it manually.
1. Make sure VIVE Pro/VIVE Pro Eye is connected to your computer.
2. Double-click SR_Runtime. You'll then see the tracker icon in the system tray:
10:35 PM
3. Start SteamVR if it isn't already running.
4. Put on your headset.
§SR_Runtime runs automatically when you launch VR apps such as VIVE Sync that support
VIVE Facial Tracker.
§VIVE Pro Eye uses the same SR_Runtime software for eye tracking as well as lip and facial
tracking.
10 VIVE Facial Tracker

What does the icon in the system tray mean?
When the tracker software is running, you'll see one of the following icons in the system tray on
your computer:
Icon Status
When tracking is either disabled or not supported on the attached headset
When tracking is idle
When tracking is in use
If you don't see the icon in the system tray, make sure the tracker software is installed and
running. See Installing and running the tracker software on page 10.
What can I do if I have trouble with the tracker software?
If you have trouble with the tracking features, you can restart your headset and the tracker
software. This might be helpful if you encounter a sudden loss of tracking or related error
messages.
1. From your computer system tray, right-click the the tracker icon and then click Quit.
2. Turn off your headset by pressing the Power button on the link box.
3. Wait at least five seconds, and then press the Power button on the link box again to turn
your headset back on.
4. On your computer, restart SR_Runtime.
If you don't see the icon in the system tray, make sure the tracker software is installed and
running. See Installing and running the tracker software on page 10.
11 VIVE Facial Tracker

SDK for developers
If you're a developer, download the SDK from the following link and try our demo:
www.vive.com/sdk/facial-tracker
In the SDK package, run the Unity demo (FaceGym.exe) to see lip and facial tracking in action.
Complete documentation is also available.
For details, visit our developer site at this link: www.vive.com/resources/facial-tracker.
Care and maintenance
Caring for your VIVE Facial Tracker
Follow these tips to properly care for your VIVE Facial Tracker.
§Make sure not to put weight on VIVE Facial Tracker. When you're not using it, either flip up
the front of the headset or lay the headset upside down.
§If you won't be using VIVE Facial Tracker for some time, detach the sensor unit from the
frame and store it. Here's how to detach the sensor unit:
1. Use a slot head screwdriver to unscrew the sensor unit from the frame.
2. Release the sensor unit from the frame. Rotate the cable clip to a horizontal position
to unlock, and slide horizontally. Finally, unplug the USB cable from the headset.
12 VIVE Facial Tracker

Cleaning the tracker
There's no need to detach VIVE Facial Tracker from the headset to clean it. Here are some
cleaning tips.
§Dampen a clean, smooth cloth with cold water and gently wipe the tracker surface.
§Air dry at room temperature. Don't expose it to direct sunlight.
§Don't dip or soak in water.
13 VIVE Facial Tracker

Trademarks and copyrights
©2021 HTC Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
VIVE, the VIVE logo, VIVEPORT, the VIVEPORT logo, HTC, the HTC logo, and all other HTC
product and service names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of HTC Corporation
and its affiliates in the U.S. and other countries.
Steam, the Steam logo and SteamVR are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Valve
Corporation in the U.S. and/or other countries.
All other trademarks and service marks mentioned herein, including company names, product
names, service names and logos, are the property of their respective owners and their use herein
does not indicate an affiliation with, association with, or endorsement of or by HTC Corporation.
Not all marks listed necessarily appear in this User Guide.
Screen images contained herein are simulated. HTC shall not be liable for technical or editorial
errors or omissions contained herein, nor for incidental or consequential damages resulting from
furnishing this material. The information is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind and is
subject to change without notice. HTC also reserves the right to revise the content of this
document at any time without prior notice.
No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or storing in a retrieval system, or
translated into any language in any form without prior written permission from HTC.
14 Trademarks and copyrights