We tested whether it works to kicking in VR with Mixed Punch Bag without tracking the feet.
Of course you need good martial arts experience and kicking skills. In real reality, you also kicking without looking to the feet. The real world punching bag gives haptic feedback and can be seen in Virtual Reality. That’s why we thought it could also work in virtual reality without tracking our feet. Unfortunately, we only had one subject who is out of shape :), but it can be seen how it works.
With the Mixed Punch Bag it is important to have a punching bag or object that does not move. No specific targets for kicking appeare. It was just tested for how it feels.
Conclusion:
It works well. Of course it would be great to see your feet too. But it’s not bothersome that they are lacking thee feet in virtual reality. But you have to concentrate. It is more difficult when you kicking next to it because the feet are not visible. Experienced martial artists have no problem and it’s really fun! But not for beginners!
Why we don’t support foot tracking in Mixed Punch Bag?
We could, we already have the function in Tower Workout and in Reaction. Mixed Punch Bag is an adaptation of Reaction. But we don’t know where to attach the HTC Vive Trackers. In the aforementioned VR-applications that support foot trackers, the trackers often move during training. That’s no problem there. But if the tracker turns forwards when kicking in the punching bag and it’s on the shin, it splinters into its individual parts and you can also injure yourself. In addition, you don’t look at the tracker during training in order to be able to stop the kick if necessary. We also attached the trackers below the knees. There they are no longer in the danger zone, but they also slip. In addition, the effect on the incorrectly displayed leg position in Virtual Reality is bigger.
Another reason is that the HTC Vive Tracker requires sensors for foot tracking, a PC-based and wired VR headset. It is not easy to have or to bring all of this into a room with a punching bag.
Of course we are interested in supporting foot trackers as well.
Try out yourself:
If you have good martial arts experience and a punching bag, try it out yourself it’s free of charge. It works best with the Oculus Quest, but it also works with HTC Headsets, Oculus Rift, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality and other WebXR enable VR Headsets. But please be super careful, you can injure yourself and damage your devices.