Microsoft & Logitech MR keyboard SDK
Introduction
Over the past few months Logitech has been working closely with the Microsoft Mixed Reality team on prototypes of a tracked keyboard for their VR headsets (see here for list of the HMDs from Samsung, Acer, Lenovo, etc.). The keyboard is tracked using the same mechanism as the Microsoft MR controllers, and you can see the keyboard and your hands in VR.
We’re at a stage now where we’ll be soon sharing some of these prototypes with a small number of external partners under NDA (in July/August). We’ll be sharing code example and built applications, as well as an overlay application that lets you use the keyboard in any SteamVR application.
The Development Kit content
- Hardware prototype keyboard.
- Demo app (MR Keyboard browsing demo) that shows basic keyboard usage in VR.
- SteamVR Overlay executable allowing the keyboard to be used on top of any SteamVR app (without modifications).
- Unity package source code to be used for the integration of the keyboard in your app FOR EVALUATION PURPOSES.
- Sample Unity application open source example of a simple keyboard integration.
Setup instructions
In order to setup your MR Keyboard you'll need to:
1) Make sure to have the latest Windows 10 update installed
- Required: Windows 10, version 1809 (October 2018 Update) or newer
- Reference: Mixed Reality software overview and release history
2) Verify you have the correct HMD tracking driver installed
- Connect your HMD to your PC. Close the Mixed Reality Portal that automatically opens.
- Open Device Manager. You can do this by clicking on Start, and typing "Device Manager" into the Search box.
- In Device manager, expand the "Mixed Reality Devices" section, and double click on your Mixed reality headset.
- Navigate to the "Driver" tab at the top and make a note of the Driver version (it must be 17731 or later)
3) Connect your MR Keyboard
- Turn on your Keyboard (there is a switch on the right side of it and it will be green when it's on).
- Press F2 to switch to BT Smart (BTLE) mode. (Note: the keyboard will not be tracked in Unifying mode using the USB Dongle!)
- Add/pair the keyboard in Windows (Bluetooth > Add a Bluetooth Device > Add > Bluetooth Device)
- Select the device named "Kbd K780 MR POC", enter the 6 digit numerical code (yours will differ from this picture), wait for the pairing process to complete.
- Plug your Mixed reality Headset, start Windows's Mixed reality portal.
- Make sure to also plug a USB cable attached to a power brick (or to a PC) to the upper part of the Keyboard (where the constellation is). This will provide power for the LED used for the tracking (but not the whole keybaord. The AAA batteries on the backside provide power to the rest of the keyboard).
4) Launch the demo app
- The demo app requires Steam, SteamVR, and the SteamVR for Windows Mixed Reality plugin (see here for install instructions)
- For a first test, you can launch our MR Keyboard browsing demo app.
5) Use the Unity package to integrate the keyboard into your app
- You can enhance your own steamVR application with an integrated keyboard.
- More customisations will be made available, such as a specific "skin" for the keyboard when your app is launched, and customised key labelings.
- Head to our demo app folder and follow the readme [instructions] (https://github.com/Logitech/labs_mrkeyboard_sdk/tree/master/code/unity_package)
- Note that we don't support UWP apps yet.
Changelog
1.3 (September 28th 2018)
- fix video feed conflict with flashlight feature
- improve desk height calibration in browsing demo app
1.2 (September 3rd 2018)
- tidy up files left behind in the development process
- minor bug fixes
1.1 (August 9th 2018)
- improves keyboard model and texture in SDK
- introduces a sample app, whose code is available
- improves the Web browsing demo app
1.0 (July 17th 2018)
- initial release to selected developers
- contains Overlay demo app
- contains Web browsing demo app
- contains unity package for the integration in your own app
Feedback & Bugs
We strongly suggest to use our private GitHub repository for bug reports and features requests. Follow this link and post it there. Alternatively you can also send us an email.
FAQ and questions
- look for the FAQ, instructions and more questions on our wiki
License
Copyright (c) 2018 Logitech and Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Licensed under the MIT License.