AR / VR development tools comparison

The PlayStation VR2 Toolkit is an open-source mod that enhances Sony's official SteamVR driver for the PS VR2 headset. It enables features not originally supported on PC, such as eye tracking and adaptive triggers, by reverse engineering the headset's capabilities and integrating them into the PC VR environment. This allows PC users to access PS VR2's standout features that were previously limited to the PlayStation console.

Eye tracking in VR allows the system to detect where the user is looking, enabling features like foveated rendering (which improves performance by reducing detail in peripheral vision), more natural interaction such as aiming or selecting menus with the eyes, and adaptive gameplay elements that respond to user attention. For PlayStation VR2 users on PC, enabling eye tracking through the mod enhances immersion and interaction quality, making the headset a more cost-effective and feature-rich option for PC VR gaming.

No, VR headsets cater to a wide range of users, including casual players. The VR ecosystem offers diverse experiences such as simple puzzles, educational content, and fitness workouts, making it accessible and enjoyable for everyone, not just hardcore gamers.

While early VR systems were costly and setup could be complex, the market now includes affordable and user-friendly options. Many modern VR headsets offer plug-and-play capabilities and budget-friendly models, making VR more accessible and easier to use than before.

Volumetric 6DoF video captures subjects in three dimensions, allowing viewers to experience content with six degrees of freedom (6DoF)—meaning they can move freely in all directions (forward/backward, up/down, left/right) and rotate their viewpoint (pitch, yaw, roll). This is unlike traditional video or even 360-degree video, which only allows rotation but not true movement within the scene[1][4][5].

Gaussian splatting is an advanced rendering technique that uses mathematical models to efficiently represent and display 3D data as a collection of overlapping, semi-transparent 'splats' or blobs. This approach significantly enhances rendering speed and efficiency, making it possible to stream and interact with high-quality volumetric 6DoF video content in real time on various VR headsets, even over the web[1][5].

Extended reality (XR) is an umbrella term that encompasses virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR). XR integrates these technologies to create immersive digital experiences that blend or replace the physical world. VR fully immerses users in a virtual environment, AR overlays digital content onto the real world, and MR allows interaction between real and virtual objects. XR’s broader scope enables its application across various industries beyond gaming, such as healthcare, automotive design, and real estate.

In 2024, XR technology is revolutionizing industries by enhancing operations and customer experiences. In healthcare, XR improves diagnostic accuracy with 3D medical imaging and enables immersive surgical training. In automotive and design sectors, XR allows professionals to visualize and interact with 3D models at full scale, improving creativity and reducing costly revisions. Real estate uses XR for virtual property tours and design visualization, speeding up decision-making. The tourism and hospitality industries employ XR to offer virtual destination previews, increasing customer engagement. Overall, XR fosters innovation, efficiency, and remote collaboration across multiple sectors.

To add VR support to a Universal Render Pipeline (URP) project, you need to install key packages such as XR Plug-in Management and the XR Interaction Toolkit (XRI Toolkit). These packages help streamline VR development across multiple platforms by managing VR device integration and providing interaction components.

First, create a Universal Render Pipeline Asset in your project by right-clicking in the Project window and selecting Create > Rendering > Universal Render Pipeline > Pipeline Asset. Then, assign this asset in the Project Settings under Graphics in the Scriptable Render Pipeline Settings field. This ensures the project uses URP instead of the built-in render pipeline. After this, install and configure the XR Plug-in Management and XR Interaction Toolkit packages to enable VR support.