Objective

This knowledgebase article will show you how to setup your VIVE Ultimate Trackers to track the position and rotation of StretchSense Studio gloves in space while using SteamVR and a headset with inside-out-tracking like Meta Quest. It will also cover how to correct for the final orientation of the trackers in your Unity application, but the initial setup and calibration steps can also be applied when using the trackers in Unreal Engine.

You will be required to enroll your trackers in the VIVE Ultimate Tracker PCVR Beta (explained further into this guide).

Required Materials

Software

Gaming PC Specs

Please refer to Valve’s Steam Link minimum and recommended specifications. For the best experience we recommend that your PC matches the recommended specs provided by Valve.

Hardware

This guide supports the following hardware options:

Motion Capture Gloves (choose one)	Image
StretchSense Studio Gloves, Pro Studio for Xsens, Pro Studio.

XR Trackers	Image
2x VIVE Ultimate Tracker (also available in a 3-tracker bundle which includes dongle, suitable for VRChat upper-body tracking)
1x VIVE Wireless Dongle (required to connect to up to 5x VIVE Ultimate Trackers)

Tracker Mounts (choose one)	Image
2x StretchSense Studio Optical/Universal Mount (not recommended for high activity VR because of the strain on the gloves)
Rebuff Reality Trackstraps Set (Wrists + Belt)
AMVR 5 Pcs VR Tracker Straps Accessories for HTC VIVE 3.0 (use the palm straps from this bundle)

VR Headsets (choose one)	Image
Meta Quest 2
Meta Quest 3 / 3S

1. Initial Setup

These steps will take you through how to connect and configure two trackers for use with SteamVR.

1. Download and install the Steam Desktop client and SteamVR. Ensure that SteamVR is installed in the default location on your C drive. Other install paths are unsupported at this time.

2. Install StretchSense App for SteamVR v0.9.0

3. Launch SteamVR and let it run the first-time setup.

   NOTE: For this example, we are using SteamVR Version 2.3.5 with a Meta Quest 3 headset and 2x VIVE Ultimate Trackers. These instructions may vary slightly depending on your headset so make sure to follow the initial setup instructions from the headset manufacturer. 

4. Connect your Meta Quest headset to the same WiFi network as your gaming PC.

5. Ensure your Meta Quest headset is updated to the latest system firmware (v60 or higher).

6. On your Meta Quest headset install Steam Link from the Meta app store.

7. Connect your headset and base stations, conduct the Room Setup and choose Room Scale when prompted.

8. (optional) With SteamVR running, go to the SteamVR settings menu and toggle Show Advanced Settings. Adjust the following setting: Video → Pause VR when headset is idle. This will allow SteamVR to send tracker data to apps, even when the headset is not worn.

9. In your Meta Quest headset, change the power settings to never let the headset sleep.

10. Mount each VIVE Ultimate tracker to your StretchSense Studio Glove using a 1/4” screw to the universal mount or compatible wrist straps. We recommend using the palm straps from AMVR for maximum stability. Ensure that the trackers are fastened tightly. Depending on the mount you use, rotate each tracker on the mount so the virtual controller’s LED faces the correct directions as pictured below. In the StretchSense SteamVR app, select the mount below.

3D Printed Stretch Sense Mount for Studio Gloves	Wrist Straps	AMVR Palm Straps
Use for best hand position accuracy for basic SteamVR content. Attach hair ties or rubber bands to loop around hooks to stabilize wobbling.	Position is compatible with most VR straps but will not track wrist bend.	Use for best hand position accuracy for high-energy SteamVR games with lots of movement.

Changes are coming in a newer StretchSense App for SteamVR release that will contain offset presets for the VIVE Ultimate Tracker when attached via wrist strap or an experimental 3D printed mount by StretchSense.

2. Ultimate Tracker PCVR Setup

Following these steps can take up to 1 hour to get a good initial tracking calibration. Once setup, future sessions with the trackers just require you to turn them on.

1. Install VIVE Hub

2. You can also refer to the following VIVERSE Discord channels for guides and support (check the pinned posts on these channels):

   1. #VIVE-ultimate-tracker

   2. #ult-tracker-pc-beta

   3. #support-vut-pc-beta

3. Watch the instructional video by Syafire on how to setup the Ultimate Trackers:

4. The latest VIVE Hub also has an updated instructional video that steps you through connecting the trackers. Only connect a single tracker to start with, while creating the tracking map.

   

5. Click Create Tracking Map to begin the room scanning process.

   

• Ensure you select the correct power frequency setting for your location in VIVE Hub under Advanced settings. This will help avoid issues with overhead light flickering negatively impacting the tracking quality:

  • US - 60Hz

  • Europe/Australia/New Zealand - 50Hz

• Only have one VIVE Ultimate Tracker turned on during room setup within VIVE Hub

• If your room is small or has lots of blank walls, add posters or generate and print out ArUco markers to add visual features to your walls to improve tracking.

• Keep the trackers further than 6 inches from a wall to avoid tracking loss.

• Close any blinds in your room and ensure the lighting in the room is consistent. Dark areas may be harder to track, and this can be improved by adding table lamps, especially if the room contains a desk that is close to you during tracking, since you are asked to crouch down for part of the room calibration process.

• You may need to clean the lenses of the trackers to improve tracking quality. You can use a microfibre cloth to do this.

• Move slowly during calibration and ensure you rotate your body to face the direction indicated at each step of the room setup process.

• If you significantly change the lighting in your room or rearrange the furniture, you may need to repeat room setup in VIVE Hub to update the room map that is stored on the trackers.

6. After room setup is complete, turn on the other tracker(s). VIVE Hub will show that the room map is being copied from the first tracker (indicated with a star) to the other trackers. Once the map is successfully transferred, the trackers will appear in SteamVR default scene when you put the headset on.

7. In VIVE Hub, go to VIVE Ultimate Tracker → Tracker setup and click the Set up trackers button.

8. On your PC, start SteamVR or restart SteamVR if it is already running.

9. Change the setting under SteamVR Settings → Startup / Shutdown → Manage Add-Ons → opengloves and stretchsense set to Off.

10. Start VIVE Hub.

11. Open the VIVE Space Calibrator.

12. Follow the on-screen instructions to align the trackers with your Meta Quest headset controller. If you have mounted the tracker to your StretchSense glove, remove it and hold it next to the Meta Quest Touch controller at the same time in the same orientation as depicted on screen while performing a figure-8 movement as instructed. The controller and tracker must be close to each other, with the top of the tracker facing the direction of movement while performing the calibration for the best tracking quality. You may have to periodically do recalibration in the same way in the future if your trackers start to drift too far from your Meta Quest Touch controllers.

13. Change the setting under SteamVR Settings → Startup / Shutdown → Manage Add-Ons → stretchsense set to On.

3. SteamVR Tracker Role Setup

1. Once the Ultimate Trackers are tracking well when viewed from within your headset, open the SteamVR settings menu and select Manage Trackers.

2. For the trackers you have connected, find the ones on the list that are highlighted green. Set the Tracker Role set to Left Elbow or Right Elbow for the respective hands (click Identify Tracker and the LED on the tracker will blink to see which hand belongs to which tracker). Click Close and also close SteamVR Settings.

3. Leave SteamVR running in the background and continue setup.

4. Playing a SteamVR Game in Meta Quest Headset

1. On your Meta Quest headset, go to Settings → System → Power → Sleep mode → 4 hours. This will avoid the headset automatically turning off and breaking the OpenVR Space Calibrator calibration in SteamVR. You should only need to change this setting once.

2. Connect to your PC via Virtual Desktop, Steam Link or Meta Quest Link.

3. On your PC, start SteamVR or restart SteamVR if it is already running.

4. Start VIVE Hub.

5. Put on the headset and activate VIVE Space Calibrator from the SteamVR dashboard.

6. The Ultimate Trackers and virtual Index Controllers will now align correctly in virtual space where your physical trackers are positioned.

Troubleshooting

My tracker shows as disconnected when running VIVE Space Calibrator

• SteamVR Manage Add-Ons menu ensure you have the VIVE_ultimate_tracker setting ON and htc_business_streaming setting OFF. The Ultimate Trackers will not appear in SteamVR as a tracker without VIVE_ultimate_tracker ON and you will not be able to proceed with the VIVE space calibrator calibration process.

  

• Uninstall VIVE Business Streaming prior to installing VIVE Hub. If you uninstall VIVE Business Streaming while VIVE Hub is also installed it will remove the SteamVR Add-Ons, which will require you to reinstall VIVE Hub.

I am having trouble running the Tracking map setup in VIVE Hub as my tracker keeps disconnecting.

• Start by only pairing a single tracker to the dongle. Then proceed with the tracking map setup while standing in front of your PC monitor in the center of your play space. If you are intending to use the trackers at a desk for streaming, take a small step back from your desk and perform the tracking map setup from that position. There can be issues when there are more than 2 trackers connected to a dongle at one time. Once the tracking map has been created for one tracker it will be stored on the tracker itself as and will become the primary tracker. A star next to the tracker name in VIVE Hub indicates it is the primary tracker. Remember the direction you were facing when you started the tracking map, as this becomes the forward direction for your trackers which you must face if they lose tracking.

  

• When performing the VIVE Space Calibrator routine, ensure only one tracker is turned on and you are using the tracker with the star next to it as the one you hold in hand during calibration.

One or more trackers lose tracking when I turn in a specific direction in my play space

• Try putting up more posters on your walls, including ones at waist or leg height, especially if you are using the trackers for full body tracking. We recommend generating 4x4 markers from this site and printing them out at A4 size: Online ArUco markers generator (chev.me). For a non-damaging adhesive, use painters' tape from your hardware store, looped around and attached to the 4 corners.

• Add more lights to your room, especially in darker areas under your desk if you are having trouble tracking your hands while bending down of lying on the floor.

• Ensure that you are using the primary tracker on your upper body, like your wrist to ensure it has clear visibility of the forward direction where you created your original tracking map.

My trackers become unstable or won’t reconnect after the battery becomes low

• The VIVE Ultimate Trackers may lose their tracking information if the battery runs out or may have trouble connecting to the dongle. Charge them back up, unpair them from the dongle and re-pair them and run VIVE Space Calibrator for the tracker marked with the star.

My Quest headset went to sleep and when I put it back on the tracker position has changed

• Any time the headset loses tracking or is taken off your head, the VIVE Space Calibrator play space alignment will drift. Ensure your room is well-lit and that you have set Settings → System → Power → Sleep mode → 4 hours in the Quest headset’s Horizon OS settings.

Useful Resources

• Online ArUco markers generator (chev.me)

• VIVE Ultimate Tracker PCVR Beta Troubleshooting FAQ (Discord link)