/vir/ - Virtual Reality

FreeVR is an open-source virtual reality interface/integration library. It has been designed to work with a wide variety of input and output hardware, with many device interfaces already implemented. One of the design goals was for FreeVR applications to be easily run in existing virtual reality facilities, as well as newly established VR systems. The other major design goal is to make it easier for VR applications to be shared among active VR research sites using different hardware from each other.

Currently, C is the only language for which a fully developed API exists. Of course, C++ will also work, but no extra features have been added to complement it. However, many C++ applications have been written using the FreeVR library, including many student programming assignments, and interfaces to other libraries with only C++ APIs, such as OSG and ODE.

Thus far, FreeVR has been interfaced to four graphics libraries:

OpenGL,

OpenSceneGraph,

Delta3D,

OpenSG, and

SGI's Performer.

Input devices/protocols that are currently able to be used:

X-windows (provides keyboard & mouse input – useful for simulating VR inputs)

Win32 (used for keyboard and simulated inputs under Cygwin)

Static — a device with constant (or constantly changing) inputs

Generic Shared Memory (usable with systems that put values into shared memory)

Ascension Flock of Birds

InterSense IS-900

AR-Tracking systems via dtrack protocol

Polhemus Fastrak

Magellan (aka SpaceMouse) 6-DOF input device

SpaceTec SpaceOrb 6-DOF input device

SpaceTec SpaceBall 6-DOF input device

Fakespace Pinch Glove

Linux "joydev" game controller interface

Linux Event interface (aka "evdev")

Virtual Technologies CyberGlove (not thoroughly tested)

The VRUI VRDeviceDaemon

UNC's VRPN

On the website you can find a user guide, a list of functions and some cool example code

Created by William R. Sherman

http://www.freevr.org/

The Developer Edition of the HTC Vive is only available to a select few.

The SDK is open for public use. It provides support for the HTC Vive Developer Edition, including the SteamVR controller and Lighthouse.

Based on this information we can't be sure if this library will change drastically in the future or not, since the currently available SDK only covers for the Developer Edition.

This SDK comes with documentation and samples. Valve likes calling things "open" and "source", but obviously this SDK is not open-source.

Along with the OpenVR SDK support has been added to support Unity via the SteamVR Unity Plugin and native SteamVR support in Unreal 4.8. Both will be available soon(™).

You can still sign up as developer at the time of this post: http://steamcommunity.com/steamvr/signup

http://steamcommunity.com/steamvr

http://www.htcvr.com/

https://github.com/ValveSoftware/openvr/

>>845

I don't see the value in such a high level interface. Just present the programs with a double buffered framebuffer to render into or one or more video-outputs to render to (and desired fov, resolution, current orientation/location, etc).