Put those grippers away! Meta Quest 3 foot tracking has been discovered by fans, allowing them to pick up and play with virtual and augmented reality objects using their bare feet.
Mixed reality by way of Tarantino, Meta Quest 3 foot tracking isn’t really an advertised addition of the new headset. Nevertheless, fans are already using their feet to manipulate their headset in new, potentially lazier ways.
In a clip shared on Twitter by VR professor Sylvia Pan, it was revealed that bare feet can be picked up and properly tracked by the headset. When in mixed reality mode, the user — likely relaxing with their hands behind their neck — uses their feet to move video panels and perform other actions as well.
Of course, the first reaction is that this is a weird inclusion for the new mixed reality headset. While foot tracking would be useful for full immersion in VR experiences, it’s not the most requested feature.
However, Meta Quest 3 foot tracking is a useful accessibility feature. Since the advent of true VR with the rise of the Oculus Rift DK1, VR gaming has been targeted towards playing with hands, and there are a lot of people out there who simply cannot use their hands.
With this in mind, Meta Quest 3 foot tracking finally lets those without full use of their hands have some access to virtual and augmented reality technology. Although, more work does need to be done on a software level to support those who control their Meta Quest 3 with their feet.
With Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg deciding to focus the Facebook parent company on the concept of a connected Metaverse, despite costing billions every quarter, the proposed social future needs to be developed with accessibility in mind.
The Meta Quest 3 is available right now, starting at £479.99. While it may not be selling as well as its predecessor, the advances in technology are markedly clear.