HTC did not give an exact date for the device to enter the market, but said that it will happen soon. The tracker will cost $ 130. As a reminder, HTC showed off an experimental facial expression tracking device compatible with branded VR headsets back in 2019. However, until today, the company has not confirmed plans for its mass release to the market. The facial expression tracker is capable of recognizing 38 different facial muscle movements and also works in conjunction with the Vive Pro Eye, a variant of the Vive Pro with eye tracking. Thus, HTC technologies now almost completely allow you to endow the face of a game character with the user’s facial expressions.

Unfortunately, the facial tracker will only be compatible with Vive Pro devices, which, as the name implies, are professional-grade models. The more affordable Vive Cosmos targeted at the consumer market will not be able to work with the new device just yet. However, face tracking is a promising avenue for companies focused on virtual reality. Earlier this week, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg said that the company’s VR arm, Oculus, will focus on eye tracking and facial expressions in future devices.

HTC also introduced the third generation of the all-in-one VR tracker. The device, which looks like a puck and is designed to accurately track the user’s body movements, has become 33 percent more compact and 15 percent lighter than its predecessor. It will also go on sale for $ 130.