VR is all about immersing yourself in a virtual world, and replicating your movements is a key part. Whilst your head and hands are already catered for, the rest of your body generally isn’t. So unless you’re keen and want to pay out for trackers there are few other options. There were because Meta has recently released Inside-Out Body Tracking (IOBT) and Generative Legs for Quest 3.
Part of Meta’s Movement SDK for developers, the company initially revealed these features during Meta Connect 2023. Inside-Out Body Tracking (IOBT) focuses on replicating your upper body movements. Exclusive to Quest 3, IOBT is a vision-based tracking system that uses the headset’s side cameras in conjunction with AI algorithms to track your wrists, elbows, shoulders and torso.
It’s ideal for fitness and combat games, as well as social presence use cases. You’ll be able to dodge projectiles with greater accuracy and replicate exercise movements.
Meta Quest 3 Movement
As for the Generative Legs, this feature is available for all Meta Quest headsets. These are AI-generated legs to give the full impression of a virtual avatar. This should make it easier for developers to build full-body characters instead of half-body representations which are favoured currently.
Both of these form part of the latest Quest v60 update, but they do need to be implemented by devs. You can see how both of these work in tandem in this trailer.
To try IOBT’s tracking system Meta has created an immersive dodgeball app called Dodge Arcade which is available in App Lab. “You use body movement to dodge incoming fireballs and to block soccer balls. You can squat, lean, and jump to avoid the balls, and your movement will be reflected both by the character in front of you on the field as well as in replays on the arena replay screen overhead.”
Once you’ve tried it out, let us know what you think of the new movement capabilities of Meta Quest 3.
