StretchSense SteamVR App Setup Guide (Open Beta)
- Michael Andrew
Required Materials
Software
The below software is required for this guide, except those marked as optional:
Installers for the StretchSense App for SteamVR can be downloaded from the My Account → Software Downloads section of the StretchSense website.
Description | Version |
|---|---|
Hand Engine | 3.3.0-LITE |
Steam Desktop Client | latest |
SteamVR | 2.8.x or 2.9.x |
StretchSense Driver Add-On for SteamVR (Included with StretchSense App for SteamVR installer) | latest |
StretchSense App for SteamVR | 0.11.0 |
Hardware
This guide supports the following hardware options:
Gloves | Image |
|---|---|
StretchSense Studio Gloves, Pro Studio for Xsens, Pro Studio. |  |
XR Trackers (choose one) | Image |
|---|---|
2x Vive Tracker 3.0 | 
|
2x Tundra Tracker (includes 2x SteamVR dongles).We recommend using a Super Wireless Dongle – Tundra Labs with Tundra trackers as this only requires a single USB port. |
|
Tracker Mount | Image |
|---|---|
2x StretchSense Studio Optical/Universal Mounts(if using Tundra or VIVE Tracker 3.0) |
VR Headsets (choose one) | Image |
|---|---|
Vive Pro | |
Vive Pro 2 | |
Valve Index (headset only) | |
Other SteamVR & Valve Base Station 2.0 compatible VR headset. |
|
Other Required Hardware | Image |
|---|---|
3-4x Valve Index Base Station 2.0(A minimum of 3 base stations are required for optimal tracking performance) |
This guide assumes you have already setup your VR headset and you have two SteamVR compatible trackers such as VIVE trackers or tundra trackers and are using the Optical/Universal mount that was shipped with your Studio Gloves.
1. SteamVR Tracker Setup
Follow these instructions to assign the trackers role in SteamVR so they can be detected by the StretchSense Driver.
In the Steam VR settings select Manage Trackers (see below)
For the Left and Right trackers set the Tracker Role set to HELD IN HAND, then set the Hand value to match the glove you have attached the tracker to. Click Close and also close SteamVR Settings.
Leave SteamVR running in the background.
2. StretchSense Driver Add-On for SteamVR
Go to SteamVR Settings → Startup / Shutdown → Manage SteamVR Add-Ons
Toggle Open Gloves OFF (if installed)
Run the StretchSense App for SteamVR installer.
Go to SteamVR Settings → Startup / Shutdown → Manage SteamVR Add-Ons
Check stretchsense is toggled ON.
Restart SteamVR
3. Calibrating StretchSense Controller Emulation App
Configuring Hand Engine
Install Hand Engine v3.2.0-Lite
Open Hand Engine and go to Edit → Settings → Open SDK
Make sure Enabled is switched ON (should be ON by default) and that the following settings are toggled ON:
Streaming Ports: 9400
performer/glove/status: ON
animation/rotation: ON
animation/slider/all: ON
animation/capacitances/all: ON
Ensure Windows Firewall has not blocked the outgoing connections on port 9400. This is used to communicate with the StretchSense Driver for SteamVR.
Configuring StretchSense App for SteamVR
Ensure SteamVR is running.
Launch the StretchSense App for SteamVR.
A message should appear, saying that the connection is successful. If it doesn’t, try restarting your PC, then follow steps 1-3.
Calibrating Glove Data
Prior to training or loading a model you must calibrate the glove. This step is currently required each time you start the StretchSense App for SteamVR, even if you have already calibrated the glove in Hand Engine. These normalize the range of motion that your hand can perform and sets a baseline for any trained button models.
Always calibrate and train with the trackers mounted to your gloves. This ensures the calibration accurately reflects the additional weight and pull from the mount and trackers.
Click the left hand Calibrate button.
Move your hand to make the following gestures before the timer runs out. You may need to practice this a few times.
Example Side | Example Front | Gesture | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
Paddle | Start with this pose. Keep fingers together and straight. | ||
Reach | Splay your fingers outwards to spread them evenly. Reach as far as is comfortable. | ||
Reach + Thumb Curl | Splay your fingers, similar to the Reace pose. Pull your thumb in towards the center of your palm, keeping it close to the palm surface. | ||
Fist | Curl your fingers in to make a fist, keeping them tight against your palm, but don’t squeeze too hard. Curl your thumb over the middle of your index finger. |
Repeat for the right hand.
When calibration is complete for both hands, the training and button testing columns will be visible:
Mounting the Trackers
Use the universal mount and position the trackers to mirror one another as pictured. Other 3D printed mounts that put the trackers in a similar position and orientation will also work.
Additional tracker mounts will be selectable in the near future.
Tundra Tracker Mounting
For Tundra, mount on a diagonal with the tracker USB ports pointing towards the USB port on the glove.
Left Hand | Right Hand |
|---|---|
In the StretchSense App for SteamVR, select Tundra from the tracker list, then restart SteamVR when prompted to automatically update the tracker offsets in the StretchSense Driver Add-On for SteamVR.
VIVE Tracker 3.0 Mounting
For HTC Vive Tracker 3.0, mount with the status led pointing away from the fingers.
In the StretchSense App for SteamVR, select Vive from the tracker list, then restart SteamVR when prompted to automatically update the tracker offsets in the StretchSense Driver Add-On for SteamVR.
Training a Controller Model in StretchSense App for SteamVR
For stability, we recommend training locomotion / joystick controls only on your left hand.
Training a New Model
Calibrate the Left-Hand Controller and Right-Hand Controllers as described in calibrating glove data.
On a freshly calibrated left hand controller model, for each button on the list click Capture and perform the gestures listed under Training a Controller Model for Interaction.
Tuning a Previously Trained Model
Perform glove calibration for both hands.
Click Load Model and select a left-hand model using the file browser.
Click Tune next to the button to capture an updated gesture. This will add more training data to the original capture to improve the button’s gesture detection and the original training data will be retained.
Repeat for the right-hand.
Training a Controller Model for Analog Joystick
There are several variations of the base gesture which activates the joystick. While making this gesture the primary digit of your hand (e.g. Thumb) will be used to drive the analog joystick axis. You need to move this digit to follow the direction of the small circle within the joystick during training.
The analog joystick supports the following:
Full scalar value outputs for the left and/or right joystick X/Y axis to SteamVR.
Configurable deadzone radius
A delete button to clear the joystick model so it can be re-trained from scratch without deleting your previously trained button gestures.
Analog Joystick Training Process
Pose | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
Joystick Centered | Make the horns gesture, then move your thumb straight up. This represents the centered position of joystick and will start the joystick activation when this pose is reached. Going out of this base pose will snap the joystick back to center inside the dead zone. Click Capture to set this as the activation pose for the joystick. | |
Training #1 |
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Training #2 |
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Training #3 |
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Training a Controller Model for Digital Joystick (Legacy)
We recommend configuring your in-game controls to perform forwards/backwards movement on the left hand up/down stick direction and have the left/right movement of stick control strafing. You will have greater precision by using your entire body to turn in game while using StretchSense gloves but can optionally train the left or right joystick direction on your right hand if you don’t want to physically turn or prefer to play seated.
Pose | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
Idle | Make the horns gesture, then move your thumb straight up. This represents the centered position of joystick. | |
Up | Make the horns gesture with your thumb forward, parallel to your index finger. This is the most important gesture to have reliable as this is used for the forward direction in smooth locomotion or teleportation in SteamVR Home. Since you will make this gesture a lot, it should be comfortable to perform. | |
Left | Make the horns gesture with your thumb pulled towards the left side of your hand, away from your palm. | |
Right | Make the horns gesture with your thumb pulled towards the right side of your hand, towards your palm. | |
Down | Make the horns gesture with your thumb curled in, with your knuckle arching up and the tip pressing towards middle of your middle finger. This direction is not used often as it is a fatiguing pose for the thumb. | |
Idle | Create an additional idle pose. Make a relaxed pose as pictured and move your fingers between being fully extended to a slightly relaxed curled pose. This represents no buttons being pressed. |
Training a Controller Model for Interaction
For object interaction using controller buttons, only a subset of gestures is required.
Train the below interaction gestures:
Pose | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
Idle | Make a relaxed pose and move your fingers between being fully extended to a slightly relaxed curled pose. This represents no buttons being pressed. | |
Grab | Make a finger gun pose with your thumb pointing upwards and your middle, ring and little fingers curled. | |
LT/RT | Point gesture with thumb pointing upwards. Fully curl in your index finger, as if you were pulling a real trigger. | |
Menu | Touch your little finger to your thumb, with your thumb resting on the middle part of your little finger. Keep your other fingers extended. This gesture activates the SteamVR Dashboard. Train it so it can be pressed accurately. You may need to go back and train the idle pose again to stop it accidentally triggering. | |
A Button / Primary Button | Touch your middle finger to your thumb, with your thumb resting on the middle part of your middle finger. Keep your other fingers extended. | |
B Button / Secondary Button | Touch your ring finger to your thumb, with your thumb resting on the middle part of your ring finger. Keep your other fingers extended. | |
| Pinky Touch (optional) | Touch the tip of your ring finger to your thumb. When making this gesture in the future, the hand skeleton animation data will be forced into the pictured pose. In VRChat this pose is used on the left hand to toggle the built in VRChat gesture recognition on/off. On the right hand this pose will summon the world space VRChat radial action menu, and this menu can be navigated using laser pointer controls from either hand. |
Training Multi-Button Gestures
After training the base set of gestures from the previous tables, you can train button combinations to allow buttons to be pressed at the same time (e.g. Grab + Trigger, Grab + Up, Grab + Down, or A + B).
It can take up to 30-45 minutes to train and tune a model with multi-button gestures, especially if joystick directional inputs are also trained. Be sure to test inside a SteamVR game as your train the model for maximum responsiveness.
Pose | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
Grab + LT/RT | Point gesture with thumb pointing upwards and make the grab gesture. Fully curl in your index finger, as if you were pulling a real trigger. This allows held tools and objects like pistols to be fired/activated while held. | |
Grab + A Buttons | Make the grab gesture and touch your thumb to your middle finger, with your thumb resting on the middle part of your middle finger. | |
Grab + B Buttons | Make the grab gesture and touch your thumb to your ring finger, with your thumb resting on the middle part of your ring finger. | |
Grab | Tune an additional grab pose after you have set the above button combinations. This represents no buttons being activated and will refine the range of the other combos on this list. | |
A+ B Buttons | Touch your middle and ring fingers to your thumb, with your thumb resting on the middle parts of both your middle and ring fingers. Keep your index and little finger extended. |
Grab / Trigger for Smooth Locomotion
Some games may require you to grab and/or activate held objects while moving with smooth locomotion (e.g. Bonelab and Boneworks). Train these gestures:
Pose | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
Trigger + Joystick | Point gesture with thumb pointing upwards and make the grab gesture. Fully curl in your index finger, as if you were pulling a real trigger. This allows held tools and objects like pistols to be fired/activated while held. Your thumb can be used to move the joystick; bend your thumb and repeatedly train this gesture to ensure the joystick is activating in various locations on the joystick. You may need to go back and train Grab + Trigger if you have also trained this gesture. | |
Grab + Joystick | Make a finger gun pose with your thumb pointing upwards and your middle, ring and little fingers curled. Bend your thumb and repeatedly train this gesture to ensure the joystick is activating in various locations on the joystick. |
Optional Multi-Button Gestures
Training Grab and Joystick Directions
In v0.9.0 and onwards of the StretchSense App for SteamVR, holding the grab button and joystick directional movement is supported. Some SteamVR games like Boneworks/Bonelab and frameworks like the Unity XR Interaction Toolkit require you to hold the grab button to carry or move objects using near manipulation mode. If you also want to perform smooth locomotion at the same time while holding these, you will need to train the below gestures in addition to the regular joystick directions.
Pose | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
Grab | This acts as the idle pose for the Grab + other button combination gestures. Make a finger gun pose with your thumb pointing upwards and your middle, ring and little fingers curled. | |
Up | Make the grab gesture and hold your thumb forward, parallel to your index finger. This is the most important gesture to have reliable as this is used for the forward direction in smooth locomotion or teleportation in SteamVR Home. Since you will make this gesture a lot, it should be comfortable to perform. | |
Left | Make the grab gesture with your thumb pulled towards the left side of your hand, away from your palm. | |
Right | Make the grab gesture with your thumb pulled towards the right side of your hand, towards your palm. | |
Down | Make the grab gesture with your thumb curled in, with your knuckle arching up and the tip pressing towards middle of your middle finger. This direction is not used often as it is a fatiguing pose for the thumb. | |
Grab | Tune an additional grab pose. This represents no stick directions being activated and will refine the range of the other combos on this list. |
Exporting a Model
Once you have trained a model for a hand:
Click Export Model
For each hand you will be prompted to select a location on disk to save the current model for that hand as a DAT file.
Give the model a descriptive name (e.g
Left Hand D-Pad Trigger) to help remember what buttons the model is trained on when loading it next time.
5. Running SteamVR Games
Start SteamVR and wait for the SteamVR status window to appear. The two StretchSense logos will appear when the StretchSense Driver Add-On has loaded:
Open the Companion App.
Perform the calibration for both hands.
Click Load Model to load a compatible model from disk for your game and the correct settings will be automatically applied.
Check the buttons on screen highlight white when making the appropriate gesture.
Turn on your Tundra or Vive Trackers.
Check the gloves are detected in the SteamVR status window, indicated by two filled StretchSense logos.
Start your SteamVR compatible game.
Check your in-game hands track correctly.
Changelog | Version | Publish Date (YYYY/MM/DD) |
|---|---|---|
Minor tweaks to joystick training recommendations | v.1.2.1 | 2024/12/02 |
Add new instructions for training analog joystick | v.1.2.0 | 2024/11/19 |
Add multi-button model training instructions for v0.9.0 of the StretchSense App for SteamVR | v1.1.0 | 2024/10/24 |
Add onboarding video and link to roadmap. | v1.0.1 | 2024/09/17 |
Initial version. | v1.0.0 | 2024/08/26 |