Oculus VR Begins to Release Open Source Hardware

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Oculus VR, the company behind the virtual reality headset Oculus Rift, wants to open source not only the software it writes, but also the hardware. The first result has now been released: a latency tester.

Oculus VR announces that it has released all necessary files for building the Oculus Latency Tester via GitHub. The repository contains not only the tester’s firmware, but also the files needed to build the hardware. For example, Oculus VR provides a parts list and the floor plan of the necessary printed circuit boards, which can be printed yourself or ordered from a professional printer. Oculus VR even supplies the files needed to fabricate the tester’s case via a 3D printer. The company also explains which open source software is needed to process the measurement results of the latency tester. If you do not have the knowledge or skills to make the tester, you can simply buy it. The device costs $100.

The Latency Tester is built around the STM32F102C6, a microcontroller with an ARM Cortex M3 at its heart. The input comes from a TCS3414FN, an RGB color sensor. According to Oculus VR, the tester can measure the delay of its own virtual reality glasses. If you want to tinker with the tester a bit further, you can also use it to calibrate the colors of a screen, according to the company. The software and hardware may be used, distributed and even sold under certain conditions. It is not known whether and when Oculus VR will release the files to imitate its own virtual reality glasses.

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