Meta shows Quest head to show hand tracking improvements, claiming to be almost as sensitive as the handle

CTOnews.com, Aug. 23, Meta recently released a v56 software update that brings better gesture tracking capabilities to its Quest series of head displays. The company says the technology allows users to interact in a natural and intuitive way in virtual or mixed reality environments, improving immersion and social feelings.

Meta also says the response speed of gesture tracking is almost comparable to that of the handle, especially in the case of fast exercise, such as fitness and rhythm games.

Meta says Hands 2.2 tracking has been launched in Quest headsets, reducing hand tracking latency by "up to 40 per cent" in daily use and "up to 75 per cent" when moving fast. Meta said the significant improvement in fast movement latency was due to the introduction of a new fast movement mode (FMM) for more intense games, such as fitness and rhythm games.

CTOnews.com notes that v56 also brings two new experimental features to Quest Pro: synchronous hand and handle (multi-mode) tracking, and handle-driven gesture (Capsense Hands).

Multi-mode tracking can unlock a variety of mixed input modes, including hand + handle games, seamless switching between hands and handles, and better social performance when using one handle. Capsense Hands allows developers to visualize a natural hand model on the handle.

Meta will announce more upgrades to its gesture tracking technology at its annual Meta Connect developer conference on Sept. 27, and may reveal the release date of its upcoming Quest 3 head display.