Oculus has updated Rift's Oculus Home software to allow support for up to four tracking sensors in order to provide more accurate, room-scale virtual reality (VR).
According to Engadget, this new Oculus software suite update still doesn't mean a lot just for users yet. There is currently no way for Oculus Rift users to purchase extra sensors and for now the Rift is only shipping with a single tracking sensor. However, developers who already tested the new functionality confirmed that Oculus hardware can now play room-scale SteamVR games.
Oculus' move is a good indicator that the company is preparing to launch the other half of the Rift's room-scale puzzle, its long-awaited Touch controllers. Tech experts expect that Oculus Touch will arrive on the market in the second half of 2016.
According to Digital Trends, in the coming months, when Oculus Touch will be available, the situation will change and Rift will become a more immersive VR headset. By using Oculus Touch controllers it will become possible for players to walk around a room in order to interact with the virtual environment.
Later this year, controllers with built-in motion sensors will also make player's hands to immerse into the virtual environment. Games will support larger rooms with greater accuracy thanks to the support for additional sensors.
At the moment, there are no room-scale games for sale on Oculus Home. It is unclear yet if this situation will change anytime soon. Until now, as a matter of principle, Oculus has been focused on the standing/sitting virtual reality experience. With the future setting up of multiple sensors, this is certainly going to change.
Since every Oculus sensor needs to be connected by USB, users who will want to take advantage of the immersive room-scale VR experience will need to invest in some long USB cables. At the moment, Oculus is not selling individual accessories. Most users will have to wait before they will actually be able to take advantage of the improved tracking.
