Logitech VR Ink
| Logitech VR Ink | |
|---|---|
| File:LogitechVRInk.jpg | |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual reality |
| Type | Input device |
| Subtype | Stylus |
| Platform | SteamVR |
| Developer | Logitech |
| Manufacturer | Logitech |
| Announcement Date | May 29, 2019 |
| Release Date | February 2020 |
| Price | US$750 (Pilot Edition, 2019) |
| Website | https://www.logitech.com/en-us/promo/vr-ink.html |
| Versions | Pilot Edition |
| Requires | SteamVR-compatible headset + SteamVR Tracking base stations (1.0 / 2.0) |
| Successor | Logitech MX Ink |
| System | |
| Operating System | Windows 7 or newer (Windows 10 recommended) |
| Storage | |
| Display | |
| Image | |
| Optics | |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | SteamVR Tracking (1.0 & 2.0), 6-DoF |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes |
| Positional Tracking | Yes |
| Audio | |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | 2.4 GHz wireless |
| Ports | micro-USB (charging) |
| Battery Life | 2.5–3 h continuous (longer with haptics off) |
| Device | |
| Dimensions | 207 mm × 30 mm |
| Weight | 68 g |
| Haptics | Yes |
| Input | Pressure-sensitive tip & primary button, clickable 2-D touch-strip, dual grip buttons, menu & system buttons |
Overview
The Logitech VR Ink is an enterprise-focused virtual-reality stylus that combines room-scale 6-DoF tracking with a pressure-sensitive nib for drawing on real surfaces. Announced on 29 May 2019 ahead of Augmented World Expo, Logitech billed it as “the world’s first room-scale VR stylus.”[1] Using SteamVR Tracking for six-degree-of-freedom input and a POM pressure tip for 2-D sketching, the device targeted industrial-design, CAD and visual-effects workflows that oscillate between 2-D and 3-D creation.[2]
Development and release
The “Pilot Edition” was revealed the same day as the press release, positioned as a beta unit for select enterprise partners.[2] Public pre-orders opened on 19 December 2019 at US$750, with first units shipping February 2020.[3] Logitech described the hardware as a “beta product” during checkout, underscoring its early-adopter status.[3]
Design and features
Hardware
VR Ink’s pen-like body houses SteamVR sensors, a rechargeable battery rated for 2.5 h (or just over 3 h with haptics disabled), and multiple analog / digital controls.[3] Weighing 68 g and measuring 207 mm × 30 mm, the stylus is large by tablet-pen standards yet light enough for prolonged sketching.[2]
Software customization
A dedicated driver on Steam (released 27 Jan 2020) lets users remap buttons, tune pressure curves and store profiles locally.[4]
Logitech also provides Unity/Unreal plug-ins via GitHub for application developers.[5]
Compatibility
Minimum PC specs
Steam lists the driver’s minimum requirements as Windows 7 64-bit, Intel i5-4590 CPU, GeForce GTX 970 GPU and 8 GB RAM (16 GB recommended).[6]
Verified application support (2020)
| Application | Category | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Flyingshapes | CAD/3-D modeling | Introduced “virtual tablet” workflow for VR Ink[7] |
| Autodesk VRED | Automotive design | Listed by Logitech at launch[3] |
| Mindesk | CAD plug-in | Ditto[3] |
| Gravity Sketch | 3-D design | Ditto[3] |
| MARUI (Maya) | VR plug-in | Ditto[3] |
| Tilt Brush | Creative painting | Ditto[3] |
- (Vector Suite and IrisVR were announced in 2019 but never shipped publicly, so they have been omitted for verifiability.)*
Reception
Hands-on previews praised the stylus’s precision and the ability to alternate between surface sketching and mid-air sculpting, though the US$750 price and short battery life were noted as barriers for mass adoption.[2][3] Design consultancy **Design Partners** reported that VR Ink accelerated early-stage concept work, calling VR “a turbo-charged sketchbook.”[8]
Legacy and successor
In June 2024 Logitech introduced the MX Ink—a lighter (29 g), US$129.99 stylus that uses inside-out tracking on Meta Quest 2, 3 and 3S headsets.[9] Early previews highlighted integrated Quest-OS settings, 7 h battery life and optional “MX Inkwell” dock.[10][11]
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.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "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 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 "Logitech’s VR Stylus for SteamVR Now Available for Pre-order for $750". Road to VR. Dec 19 2019. https://www.roadtovr.com/logitech-vr-stylus-pre-order-vr-ink-pilot-edition-price-release-date/.
- ↑ "Logitech VR Ink Driver". Steam. Jan 27 2020. https://store.steampowered.com/app/1068300/Logitech_VR_Ink_Driver/.
- ↑ "Logitech VR Ink SDK Repository". GitHub. https://github.com/Logitech/vr_ink_sdk.
- ↑ "Logitech VR Ink Driver System Requirements". PCGameBenchmark. https://www.pcgamebenchmark.com/logitech-vr-ink-driver-system-requirements.
- ↑ "Logitech VR Ink Integration Brings a Completely New Workflow to the Table". Flyingshapes. Mar 27 2020. https://www.flyingshapes.com/logitech-vr-ink-integration.
- ↑ "Logitech’s New VR Stylus Gets a Test Run From Design Partners". ARPost. Nov 30 2020. https://arpost.co/2020/11/30/logitechs-vr-stylus-test-run-design-partners/.
- ↑ "Logitech MX Ink, the First Mixed-Reality Stylus for Meta Quest, Is Now Available". Logitech. Jun 17 2024. https://ir.logitech.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2024/Logitech-MX-Ink-the-First-Mixed-Reality-Stylus-for-Meta-Quest-is-Now-Available/default.aspx.
- ↑ "Logitech MX Ink Is a Tracked Stylus for Meta Quest". UploadVR. Jun 16 2024. https://www.uploadvr.com/logitech-mx-ink-for-meta-quest/.
- ↑ "VR Artists Can Now Buy Logitech’s Pen-Shaped Meta Quest Controller". The Verge. Sep 25 2024. https://www.theverge.com/2024/9/25/24254218/logitech-mx-ink-meta-quest-stylus-controller-availability.