Virtual reality just doesn't seem immersive enough when a hand-held controller is needed for basic actions such as picking up and throwing objects. Leap Motion's new Interaction Engine may be the answer.
Many were excited when Leap Motion revamped its hand-tracking system to produce Orion, which is specifically tailored for VR headsets. Behind Orion's "Blocks" demo back in February was an early prototype of the Interaction Engine. But while the demo showcased the fun in creating and interacting with digital cubes and prism, it also presented a huge problem.
"Grabbing an object in your hand or squishing it against the floor, you send it flying as the physics engine desperately tries to keep your fingers out of it," Leap Motion elaborates on the issue.
Now, after months of racking its brain trust, the American technology has finally come out of the shadows to showcase the improved Interaction Engine, which is currently on early beta access as a module for its Unity Core Assets. Users can now seamlessly grasp, pick up and throw objects.
Stacking objects, a higher-level interaction, has also been made possible. Leap Motion's blog post is filled with GIFs showing a huge difference in results for the aforementioned actions between a turned on and turned off Interaction Engine.
The company defines its Interaction Engine as a layer that exists between the real-world hand physics and the Unity game engine.
"To make object interactions work in a way that satisfies human expectations, it implements an alternate set of physics rules that take over when your hands are embedded inside a virtual object," Leap Motion adds and explains that while the results are impossible in the real world, they are also more satisfying.
It was also noted that the Interaction Engine's ability to handle object behaviors and assess when an object is getting grasped makes picking up and holding things feel as if they're actually solid. According to Leap Motion, the new engine will work well when tested with 1- to 2-inch spheres and cubes. Different physics settings, along with different shapes and sizes, may produce varied results.
Leap Motion uploaded a sample project, Interaction Engine 101, to GitHub for developers who are interested in testing out interactions with either the engine turned off or turned on. The sample is compatible with the HTC Vive and the Oculus Rift. All that's really needed is the VR headmount and a Leap Motion sensor.
It was reported that Leap Motion has already started collaborating with VR headset manufacturers to have its tracking sensors directly integrated into the headsets, eliminating the need for Orion's VR mount.
