Logitech VR Ink
| Logitech VR Ink | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Input Device |
| Subtype | Stylus |
| Platform | SteamVR |
| Developer | Logitech Inc. |
| Manufacturer | Logitech Inc. |
| Announcement Date | May 29, 2019 |
| Release Date | January 27, 2020 |
| Price | $750 |
| Website | https://www.logitech.com/en-us/promo/vr-ink.html |
| Versions | Pilot Edition |
| Requires | SteamVR compatible headset, SteamVR Tracking base stations (1.0 or 2.0) |
| Successor | Logitech MX Ink (for Meta Quest) |
| System | |
| Operating System | Windows 7 or later |
| Storage | |
| Display | |
| Precision | High precision for both 2D and 3D input |
| Image | |
| Optics | |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | SteamVR Tracking |
| Base Stations | SteamVR Base Stations 1.0 or 2.0 (not included) |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes |
| Positional Tracking | 6DoF (Six Degrees of Freedom) |
| Tracking Volume | Room-scale |
| Latency | Low latency |
| Audio | |
| Connectivity | |
| Ports | USB-C (for charging) |
| Power | Rechargeable battery |
| Battery Life | 2.5+ hours |
| Device | |
| Weight | 68 grams |
| Haptics | Yes, integrated |
| Input | Pressure-sensitive tip, pressure-sensitive primary button, clickable 2D touch-strip, menu & system buttons, side 'grab' buttons |
Overview
The Logitech VR Ink is a virtual reality stylus created by Logitech for professional design and creative applications. Announced on May 29, 2019, and released on January 27, 2020, it was marketed as the world's first room-scale virtual reality stylus.[1] The VR Ink was designed primarily for enterprise users to enable more intuitive and precise 3D creation in virtual reality environments, while also allowing for traditional 2D drawing on physical surfaces.
The device was notable for using SteamVR Tracking technology to provide 6 degrees of freedom (6DoF) tracking in virtual spaces, combined with a pressure-sensitive tip that allowed for drawing on physical surfaces. This dual functionality made it unique among VR input devices at the time of its release.[2]
Design and Features
Hardware
The Logitech VR Ink weighs 68 grams and features a design similar to a traditional pen or pencil, making it intuitive to use without requiring users to learn new skills. It includes several input mechanisms:[3]
- Pressure-sensitive tip for drawing on physical surfaces
- Pressure-sensitive primary button for drawing in 3D space
- Clickable 2D touch-strip for additional control
- Menu and system buttons for interface navigation
- Side 'grab' buttons for object manipulation
- Integrated haptic feedback for tactile response
The stylus is powered by a rechargeable battery with a stated battery life of approximately 2.5 hours. It connects to compatible systems using SteamVR Tracking technology, enabling precise position and orientation tracking in 3D space.
Software and Customization
The Logitech VR Ink is accompanied by a dedicated driver application available on Steam that enables users to customize various aspects of the stylus's behavior:[4]
- Adjusting pressure response curves for the analog tip (for drawing on surfaces)
- Customizing pressure response for the primary button (for drawing in air)
- Setting activation thresholds for the grip buttons
- Configuring the touchstrip behavior
These settings are accessible through a Windows system tray application, and user-specific configurations are stored locally on the user's PC.
Compatibility
Hardware Requirements
The Logitech VR Ink requires the following minimum system specifications to function properly:[5]
- Windows 7 or newer operating system
- Intel Core i5-4590 or equivalent CPU
- NVIDIA GeForce GTX 970 or equivalent GPU (AMD Radeon RX 480 recommended)
- 8 GB RAM (16 GB recommended)
- 56 MB available storage space
- SteamVR-compatible VR headset
- SteamVR Tracking base stations (1.0 or 2.0), not included with the stylus
Software Compatibility
At launch, the VR Ink was compatible with a select number of professional VR applications focused on design, modeling, and creative tasks:[3]
| Application | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Flyingshapes | 3D Modeling | CAD/product design software with special "virtual tablet" feature for VR Ink |
| Vector Suite | Design | Vector-based design application |
| VRED | Automotive Design | Autodesk's automotive visualization and design review tool |
| Mindesk | CAD | CAD visualization and manipulation tool |
| Gravity Sketch | 3D Design | 3D design and modeling application |
| MARUI | Plugin | Maya plugin for VR modeling |
| IrisVR | Visualization | Architecture and design visualization platform |
| Tilt Brush | Creative | Google's VR painting application |
Additionally, the stylus featured integration capabilities with game engines:
- Unreal Engine integration
- Unity integration
These integrations allowed developers to implement support for the VR Ink in custom applications and existing software platforms.[6]
Applications
Professional Use Cases
The Logitech VR Ink was primarily targeted at enterprise users and professionals in design-related fields. Its main applications included:[7]
- Industrial design and product prototyping
- Automotive design and visualization
- Architectural design and review
- 3D modeling and sculpture
- Concept art and sketching
- Engineering visualization
The device was particularly valuable for workflows that required transitioning between 2D sketching and 3D modeling, as it allowed users to start with familiar 2D drawing techniques on a physical surface and then continue developing their designs in 3D space.
Workflow Integration
A key advantage of the VR Ink was its ability to bridge traditional design processes with VR capabilities. The flyingshapes application, for example, developed a specific "virtual tablet" feature for the VR Ink that aligned a two-dimensional drawing surface with a physical desktop or drawing mat, enabling users to seamlessly transition between 2D sketching and 3D modeling.[8]
This integration was reported to significantly reduce production cycles for design projects. According to testimonials, the time required to create full-scale mockups could be reduced from years to months using VR tools like the Logitech VR Ink.
Accessories
VR Ink Drawing Mat
Alongside the stylus itself, Logitech offered an optional VR Ink Drawing Mat for $70. This A1-sized mat provided a low-friction surface texture specifically designed for optimal tracking performance when using the stylus for 2D drawing on a physical surface.[3] The mat was considered necessary for proper 2D input functionality.
Reception
The Logitech VR Ink received positive impressions from technology reviewers who had the opportunity to test it. The precision and pressure sensitivity of the stylus were particularly praised, with some comparing it favorably to professional drawing tablets like those from Wacom.[3]
Reviewers also noted that the device addressed an important gap in VR input methods, especially for professional users who required more precision than what was offered by standard VR controllers. The familiar pen-like form factor was highlighted as a significant advantage, allowing users to leverage existing drawing skills in VR environments.
However, the high price point of $750 was identified as a potential barrier to widespread adoption, along with the relatively short battery life of 2.5 hours. The device was clearly positioned as an enterprise product rather than a consumer accessory.
Legacy and Successor
The Logitech VR Ink Pilot Edition represented Logitech's first entry into specialized VR input devices. While it was primarily targeted at a niche enterprise market, it demonstrated the potential for more precise and intuitive input methods in virtual reality beyond the standard controllers.
In 2024, Logitech announced a successor to the VR Ink called the MX Ink, designed specifically for Meta Quest headsets (compatible with Quest 2 and Quest 3). Unlike the original VR Ink, which required external SteamVR tracking base stations, the MX Ink utilizes the inside-out tracking capabilities of the Quest headsets. The MX Ink was positioned at a significantly lower price point of $130, making it more accessible to a broader range of users.[9]
The MX Ink represented a continuation of Logitech's exploration of stylus input for VR/AR applications, but with deeper platform integration and a more consumer-friendly approach compared to the original VR Ink.
See Also
References
- ↑ "Logitech Introduces World's First Room-Scale Virtual Reality Stylus". Logitech. May 29, 2019. https://news.logitech.com/press-releases/news-details/2019/Logitech-Introduces-Worlds-First-Room-Scale-Virtual-Reality-Stylus/default.aspx.
- ↑ "Hands-on: Logitech is Building the VR Stylus That Needs to Exist". Road to VR. May 29, 2019. https://www.roadtovr.com/logitech-vr-ink-stylus-hands-on-steamvr-tracking/.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 "Logitech's VR Stylus for SteamVR Now Available for Pre-order for $750". Road to VR. December 19, 2019. https://www.roadtovr.com/logitech-vr-stylus-pre-order-vr-ink-pilot-edition-price-release-date/.
- ↑ "Logitech VR Ink Driver on Steam". Steam. January 27, 2020. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1068300/Logitech_VR_Ink_Driver/.
- ↑ "Logitech VR Ink Driver System Requirements". PCGameBenchmark. https://www.pcgamebenchmark.com/logitech-vr-ink-driver-system-requirements.
- ↑ "GitHub - Logitech/vr_ink_sdk: Logitech VR Ink SDK repository". GitHub. https://github.com/Logitech/vr_ink_sdk.
- ↑ "Logitech VR Ink Pilot Edition Stylus lets you be three-dimensionally creative". Gadget Flow. https://thegadgetflow.com/product/logitech-vr-ink-pilot-edition/.
- ↑ "Logitech VR Ink Integration brings a completely new workflow to the table". flyingshapes. March 27, 2020. https://www.flyingshapes.com/logitech-vr-ink-integration.
- ↑ "Logitech MX Ink Is A Tracked Stylus For Meta Quest". UploadVR. June 17, 2024. https://www.uploadvr.com/logitech-mx-ink-for-meta-quest/.