InstantVR: interactive avatar control for virtual reality

Instant VR Free & Advanced are now available from the asset store. These packages give an easy but flexible start for creating virtual reality games and experiences.
The package contains an example avatar with procedural animations of the body movements. Depending on the package a number of input devices are supported. When it is included in the game, it will automatically select the best combination of controllers available at the player.

InstantVR Free supports:

• Oculus Rift DK2 & CV1
  
• HTC Vive headset without SteamVR controller (see Advanced for that)
  
• Samsung Gear VR
  
• Google Cardboard
• Traditional mouse/keyboard with monitor display
  
• Game controllers
• Gaze selection with Event System support

Additionally, InstantVR Advanced supports:

• HTC Vive SteamVR controllers
• Oculus Touch controllers
  
• Razer Hydra
  
• Kinect 2
  
• Leap Motion
  
• VicoVR
  
• PlayMaker support
• Touch and point selection with Event System support
• Interactive hands for grabbing objects

On top of that, InstantVR Edge supports:

• Networked multiplayer using Unity Networking or Photon Networking
• Full physics based hand interaction
• Eye animations

Introductional tutorial InstantVR:

More videos can be found at PasserVR.com: http://passervr.com/videos/

• Release notes
• Support

Demos for InstantVR Advanced and Edge can be found at PasserVR.com: InstantVR demos

Links to the asset store:
InstantVR Free
InstantVR Advanced
InstantVR Edge

 

Nice work Pascal. That is some groundbreaking work. With out of the box Kinect und Razer Hydra support at the same time this asset is essential for creating the groundwork for a real body experience in the VR space. There should be more VR assets out there like that.

 

This asset has been a life saver for me. After struggling for ages to build a more interactive and immersive VR program for my research program, I came across Pascal’s unity package back when it was just 1.0 on his personal website and even back then it made everything so much easier. I can’t recommend this enough to anyone who wants a simple but powerful system that supports so many peripherals and behaves just like you’d imagine VR should.

To add on to that, the rate of which he updates this package and how each update adds significant new features is impressive. I can’t wait to see what is still to come. If you want a VR solution that lets you focus on building the worlds you want and not have to worry about how you would interact with them, get this asset.

 

Can work with Playmaker?

 

I don't know, because I haven't used Playmaker. However, the InstantVR avatar is like an advanced first person character controller, so it may work.
You can try it out by putting the InstantVR prefab from the Free package in a scene created with Playmaker.

 

Thanks for reply

 

I have trouble setting this up. What steps do I need to do to include this into my own scene?

(I just want a viewer mode. No avatar, no moving, no interaction. Just "enable" and "setcamera".

 

Guess you want Rift support?
Easiest way would be to put the MH_Rift prefab from the InstantVR folder into your scene.
If you don't want to have the avatar: remove the MakeHuman_simple_FP Gameobject from the MH_Rift object.
If you want to disable walking: remove the IVR_walking script from the MH_Rift object.

BTW: I am currently working on PlayMaker support...

 

Great news for me!!!!

 

if I can walk around use kinect with our package,like this:

 

That's a great application!! You should be able to do this with InstantVR. The only thing I know is not well implemented is the falling part. I now have a constant falling speed in my code with the player is not walking on a collider, which should be an accelerating speed of course.
I'm definitely going to try something like this myself (when I find the time

 

yes,many thanks. i just want to walk around in a room with the kinect 2.0 as the position input controller.if that function is ok, i will get your InstantVR,haha

 

You can use InstantVR with kinect 2.0 to walk around a room no problem. Do you intend to use it in combination with DK2? You might want to take a look at a more recent video of mine, which includes DK2 and Kinect 2 (amongst other trackers):

 

Hey, Just downloaded the advanced version. Opened the demo scene and tried using it with xbox controller. I can walk in all 4 directions, but no rotation. That's how it is out of the box? I assume not.
Thanks,
Zach

 

Hi Zach,
Rotation is not enabled my default. In the IVR_Walking script you can enable it. Rotation then works on the left thumbstick.

If you want to have rotation with the right thumbstick you should use an altered InputManager.asset file in you project settings, because Unity does not support the right thumbstick out of the box. Next to that you should also use an updated IVR_Walking script.

I have attached these files to this mail.

Version 3.4 should solve this issue (v3.3 is already out and under review by Unity).

 

Hi Pascal,

I installed the free version and am very impressed by your work! There's a ton of functionality, but I only need a fraction of it for my current project -- really just the ability to crouch the third person avatar. Prior to installing IVR, I'd been using a mecanim third person character and a collider below my camera (positioned a few meters behind the avatar) to trigger a crouching animation when I actually crouch wearing the Oculus. My third person character is riding on a "hoverboard" type scooter and just stands as it moves forward. The camera does not steer the character. Ultimately, I was wondering what would be the easiest way to achieve this using IVR. In essence, how do I just use it to get a one-to-one crouch/stand-back-up motion with my third person character? I would happily pay full price for the pro asset if I could get it working this way. Thanks!

 

Hi Sheldon,

Crouching is a feature that somehow disappeared in InstantVR. It should work in InstantVR Free, but it does not.
Thanks for asking. I will include it in the upcoming v3.4. Please send me an email if you want early access for testing purposes.
(BTW: so you don't need the payed Advanced version for this, but you can always buy it as a 'thank you' ;-) )

 

I appreciate the reply. I will send you an email -- thanks!

 

I download the advanced one ,and i have some question:
1. i use Kinect to walk around but when i walk closer to the kinect sensor，the feet is a little higher. can it keep the same height?

2. Kinect track. when the person bounded stand close or far, the avata position is always begin there,can it be real position like real position.

 

1. It sounds to me that your Kinect sensor is slightly angled downward. This is OK. But then you should set the Tracker Euler Angles to the same angle. If the Kinect is rotated downward 10 degrees, you should set the Tracker Euler Angles in the IVR_Kinect2 script to (-10,0,0). You can check the setup by enabling 'Show Tracker' in the script.

2. If you do not calibrate , the avatar position should be the same as the real person position. So if he/she starts far away from the sensor, the avatar will start more backward. If the player stands close to the Kinect sensors at start, the avatar starts more forward.
If you want to have the avatar start at the same place every time, you should calibrate by pressing the <Tab> on the keyboard of <start> + <back> on an xbox controller. You can do this by scripting by calling InstantVR.Calibrate().

 

Thanks for your reply so fast,I will have a try it now...

 

Hi,I think i have solved the first one ,but the calibrate I do not know how to use ,because i want it not calibrate and make the avatar move to the people stand position every time not the start position. thanks...

 

Code (CSharp):

1.         public void Calibrate() {
2.         //    foreach (Transform t in headTarget.parent) {
3.         //        t.gameObject.SendMessage("OnTargetReset", SendMessageOptions.DontRequireReceiver);
4.        //     }
5.         }

i even do this ,haha

 

Commenting out the calibration won't help.
I have attached a script which does automatic calibration when the Kinect tracking starts, but I think this is exactly the opposite of what you want, because with this script every player is automatically set to the starting position.

The script should be placed on the avatar with the InstantVR script.

Strange thing is that the standard behaviour (without calibration) should do exactly what you want. I just tested it with InstantVR Advanced version 3.3.2 and when I stand on the left when Play is pressed, the avatar starts on the left too, when standing on the right, the avatar starts on the right too.
Note that if you use Oculus Rift + Kinect, the position of the avatar is actually determined by the Oculus Rift. So when you test, make sure that you wear the Rift on your head. Otherwise, the Rift is in the same position every time and the avatar will be too.
If this does not help, can you give exact information about which devices you use (Rift, Kinect, Leap etc.) and how your scene is set up?

 

the picture show the component one the avatar and i just use kinect to move around. no other device. and i am using 3.3.2

 

Ah great! I have found the problem. You do not use the rift but the code still wants to synchronize with the rift and therefore it synchronizes with the default (0,0,0) position which causes all avatars start at that position.

I have attached an updated IVR_Kinect2Head.cs script. You should replace the standard 3.3.2 file in the InstantVR/Extensions/Kinect2 folder with the version attached to this post. This should solve your issue.

 

yes,it works! I think you can give us a usage documents.
the last question is that: i add a Oculus and it can be work also,but he avatar can not stay on the ground.... wu......
this is:

 

Good to hear it works now!

You can find information about the tracking and calibration here: http://serrarens.nl/passervr/support/instantvr-support/instantvr-extensions/. It is also included in the documentation in the package.
Better is that I am working on a big improvement for this which will become InstantVR.

About the rift setup: the tracker position is not entered. You probably do not have your Rift Camera sitting on the ground. The software assumes that it is and it will place the head about 1.5m above the camera position. If your rift Camera is next to your Kinect (at 1.9m), your avatar's head will be at 1.5 + 1.9 = 3.4m above the ground.

 

okay,I will check that doc. and many thanks for your help today...good job

 

No problem. Thank you for pointing out this issue!
Cheers,
Pascal.

 

This looks great, I'll be a customer soon... one question, is it working with Leap Motion's newer Orion drivers? I assume orion wouldn't break anything here but I wanted to make sure. thanks.

 

Thanks. Yes when you use the Orion Runtime you already get the hugely improved tracking with the current version of Instant VR Advanced. I haven't included the new SDK (v4.0.0) yet because it is not stable on my machine, but it is not necessary to get the improved tracking. This has been confirmed by Leap Motion.
The new SDK will be included as soon as it is good enough. I expect that it will mainly bring performance improvements because that SDK uses a more direct interface.

 

i just use Orion with this package, just delate all files about Leap Motion in this package,and import the SDK for Unity,it works well.

 

Thank you both!

 

I，I have another question:
I use the avatar(any fbx model) to walk around,but the legs have some problems,like this:
when it moves to near the kinect, its leg is straight but when it far its leg is curved.

 

Hello,

Which out of the 2 shall i buy to connect to your asset ? if i can use both, which one is better ?

http://www.flipkart.com/domo-nhance-vr2-universal-virtual-reality-3d-video-headset-smart-phones-inspired-google-cardboard-glasses/p/itme6cwwhrtcumfz?pid=VGLE6CWWJBZXREMX&ref=L:-6018388948667709509&srno=p_4&query=vr+cardboard&otracker=from-search

or


http://www.flipkart.com/auravr-google-cardboard-inspired-plastic-vr-headset-video-glasses/p/itmeaf4nmfuk9gvc?pid=VGLEAF4N4EY7Z6NG&ref=L:-4535664435375289084&srno=p_1&query=vr+cardboard&otracker=from-search

and please guide me, what do i need to interact with objects, a bluetooth remote ??

 

Hi, Is this updated to work with Oculus 1.3 runtime by any chance ? Also, does it/will it ever support perception neuron input ? If not, any chance of it doing so in the future ? Thanks

 

Does this work out of the box with the Vive?

 

Just download your latest version from the Asset Store. Looks great.
Can you perhaps give a very short intro in how to use it with the HTC Vive (production version)? I have it working on a Unity 5.4 project using SteamVR, but would like to add some object manipulation using the Steam Controllers.

Cheers!

 

Please forgive the noob question. I want to create a live training application that is accessed over the internet. The end user (the trainee) will wear a Vive. The person at the other end of the connection will sit/stand in front of a Kinect and be represented as an avatar to the trainee. Is your package a possible solution to my needs? Having the avatar mimic facial expressions would be a huge plus. At the very least, the avatar needs to have lip movement. The lip movement need not be phonologically correct.

 

Sorry for not responding to this thread. Somehow I did not receive any notifications for new replies. I will keep a better eye on this now!

 

Hi i grabbed version 3.8.1 today. Your website says it supports Oculus Touch. But the documentation included in the package seems to be older version

 

My apologies. In my eagerness to publish InstantVR 3.8, I forgot to update the documentation :-|. I will provide an update as soon as possible

For Oculus Touch, the prefab MH_VRTouch provided in InstantVR/Prefabs should get you going. Just import it in your scene and it should work (but do not forget to enable Virtual Reality and add the Oculus SDK in the Player Settings). In the demo scene, you can replace the MH_VRSteamVR with the MH_VRTouch prefab.

 

is thee any chace to get this working with UMA - Unity Multipurpose Avatar ( run time generated Avatar).

 

I will have UMA support on my to-do list for Humanoid Control, which is the new generation of avatar control software I am working on. It already recognizes the avatars rig, but direct support for these avatars requires more work.
I already have had contact with the UMA team and they were willing to cooperate on this. Currently I am very busy launching Humanoid Control, but when that has settled I will work on full UMA support.

 

on your web site im not able to down load an update to instant vr Edge again is there any thing we can do to fix it

i got instant vr form unity asset-store
and instant vr Edge from your site

i'm just trying to get and update to it. when i log in to your site is says i have nothing at all. is there anything that can be done to fix it so i can get updates with out support tickets ( i'm blocked there as well for some reason) ?

 

I have added InstantVR Edge to your purchase again, I hope this will resolve your issue. Let me know if this solves the issue. I need to dig deeper if it doesn't.

 

I recently bought instantVR Edge. It's fantastic and has made it much easier to set up my multiplayer VR project. However, I'm having an issue that I can't seem to find an answer to. I've brought several prefabs into the scene and added a network transform to them. Both players can see the object being manipulated, however, the player that grabs the object is unable to release it, and while holding the grab button I can run my hand through multiple objects and grab them all.

Do you have any idea what I'm doing wrong here, so that I can release grabbed objects and only grab one at a time?

 

It sounds like a bug to me. Normally you cannot pick up more than one item.
I have a number of questions. Could you answer the following questions for me?
- Does this only happen with multiplayer?
- Do you use Unity Networking of Photon Networking
- What kind of objects are you picking up?
* Kinematic Rigidbodies
* Kinematic Rigidbodies with joints
* Gameobjects with colliders without rigibodies
* Non-Kinematic Rigidbodies?

 

Hey Pascal,
This looks great. Just wondering, could I use the InstantVR Pro for PSVR development?
Many thanks