Meta's Interaction SDK for Unity got a major update that adds new locomotion modes for hand tracking and enables more customizable throwing.
The Interaction SDK is a Unity framework providing high-quality common interactions for controllers and hand tracking. It includes direct object grabbing, distance grabbing, interactable UI elements, gesture detection, and more. This means developers don’t have to reinvent the wheel, and users don’t have to relearn interactions between apps using the SDK.
Meta Interaction SDK is also available for Unreal Engine, but that version is missing many features, including these new additions and improvements.
New Locomotion Options For Hand Tracking
Almost three years ago, the Interaction SDK got a teleportation locomotion system for controller-free hand tracking, with a free demo utilizing it available on the store.
David Heaney
With the v83 update, three new locomotion options for hand tracking have been introduced.
"Telepath" Locomotion
"Telepath" locomotion is like a hybrid between teleportation and smooth locomotion.
You tap your thumb to the side of your index finger to initiate the movement, a microgesture, and instead of teleporting to the location you select, you smoothly slide there.
If there are jumpable obstacles in the path, you'll automatically jump over them.
"Walking Stick" Locomotion
"Walking Stick" locomotion gives the player virtual, optionally invisible walking sticks to push down against the virtual floor to move forwards.
It's somewhat similar to the locomotion system popularized by Gorilla Tag, just optimized for hand tracking and standing height, rather than pretending to be a short creature with controllers.
Climbing
Many VR games include climbing, though most focus on tracked controllers, using the grip trigger to grab on to a hold.
Interaction SDK's climbing supports controller-free hand tracking too, extending the current concept of a Grabbable to a Climbable. On a basic level, the result is essentially the opposite: instead of moving the grabbed object to the player, it moves the player towards the grabbed object.
More Customizable Throwing
Meta says it has improved the throwing system in Interaction SDK with more customization options for different kinds of throwing.
According to Meta, this includes:
- Darts and precision throws
- Bowling and weighted arc motion
- Frisbee-style flight paths
- Cornhole, football, and basketball
As with the locomotion improvements, these new throwing options are optimized for controller-free hand tracking.
David Heaney
For over a year now, Interaction SDK has supported non-Meta headsets, so VR developers targeting other platforms should be able to use these new locomotion systems for hand tracking.
