You spoke, We Listened!
MRTK 2.6 is available for download through the Mixed Reality Feature Tool, a new way to discover, update and add Mixed Reality packages to Unity projects. To get started, see https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/develop/unity/welcome-to-mr-feature-tool.
If you prefer to manually import packages, you can download the MRTK from https://github.com/microsoft/MixedRealityToolkit-Unity/releases.
A New Docs Experience
We’ve migrated our documentation for MRTK-Unity from Github to a https://aka.ms/mrtkdocs! Starting with MRTK Unity 2.6, new docs will only be available on Microsoft’s official docs website, docs.microsoft.com. MRTK APIs are also now discoverable through the https://docs.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/microsoft.mixedreality.toolkit?view=mixed-reality-toolkit-unity-2020-dotnet-2.6.0. This puts information alongside other Microsoft Mixed Reality content you so you can stay closer to the action while learning about new tools. Please note that feature documentation and API references on Github will no longer be updated.
- https://aka.ms/mrtkdocs
- https://docs.microsoft.com/dotnet/api/microsoft.mixedreality.toolkit?view=mixed-reality-toolkit-unity-2020-dotnet-2.6.0
Release Highlights
MRTK 2.6 is full of great new features, bug fixes and updates. These changes include:
- Additional support for the OpenXR preview
- Scene Understanding as an experimental spatial awareness observer
- Experimental Interactive Element + State Visualizer
- HP Motion Controller Support
- Teleport gesture now supported on all platforms
- Runtime profile switching
- Reading Mode
- New Solver Graduations
- Support for 3D App Launchers
- Hand Coach as an Experimental Feature
- and more!
Looking for more info, keep reading below or check out the https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/mrtk-unity/release-notes/mrtk-26-release-notes.
Don’t forget to tell us what you think. You can file bugs and feature requests on the https://github.com/microsoft/MixedRealityToolkit-Unity/issues/.
Additional support for OpenXR
Additional support for Unity's OpenXR preview package and Microsoft's Mixed Reality OpenXR package has been added. See https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/mrtk-unity/configuration/getting-started-with-mrtk-and-xrsdk, https://forum.unity.com/threads/unity-support-for-openxr-in-preview.1023613/, or https://aka.ms/openxr-unity-install for more information.
OpenXR in Unity is only supported on Unity 2020.2 and higher.
Currently, it also only supports x64 and ARM64 builds.
Experimental Interactive Element + State Visualizer
Interactive Element is a simplified centralized entry point to the MRTK input system. It contains state management methods, event management and the state setting logic for Core Interaction States. For more information see https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/mrtk-unity/features/experimental/interactive-element.
The State Visualizer is an animation component that depends on Interactive Element. This component creates Animation Clips, sets keyframes and generates an Animator State Machine. For more information see https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/mrtk-unity/features/experimental/interactive-element#state-visualizer-and-unity-animation-system
HP Motion Controllers now supported with MRTK
Controllers for the HP Reverb G2 now work natively with MRTK.
Teleportation with the teleport gesture now supported on all platforms
Users can now use the teleport gesture to move around their play space across all platforms. To teleport with a controller on MR devices with default configurations, use the thumbstick. To teleport with articulated hands, make a gesture with your palm facing up with the index and thumb sticking outwards, completing the teleport by curling the index finger. To teleport with input simulation, please see our updated https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/mrtk-unity/features/input-simulation/input-simulation-service.
Scene Understanding now available in MRTK as an experimental spatial awareness observer
Experimental support of https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/scene-understanding is introduced in MRTK 2.6. Users can incorporate the scene understanding capabilities of HoloLens 2 as a spatial awareness observer in MRTK based projects. Please read the https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/mrtk-unity/features/spatial-awareness/scene-understanding for more information.
Note: Scene Understanding is only supported on HoloLens 2 and Unity 2019.4 and higher.
This feature requires the Scene Understanding package, which is now available via the https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/develop/unity/welcome-to-mr-feature-tool.
Runtime profile switching support
MRTK now allows profile switching both before the initialization of the MRTK instance (i.e. Pre MRTK initialization profile switch) and after a profile has been in active use (i.e. Active profile switch). The former switch can be used to enable select components based on capabilities of the hardware, while the latter can be used to modify experience as the user enters a subpart of the application. Please read the https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/mrtk-unity/configuration/mixed-reality-configuration-guide#changing-profiles-at-runtime for more information and code samples.
Directional Indicator and Follow Solvers Graduated from Experimental
Two new solvers are ready for use with mainline MRTK.
Pulse Shader Graduated from Experimental
The Pulse Shader scripts have graduated from experimental. For more information see: https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/mrtk-unity/features/rendering/pulse-shader
Hand Coach Graduated from Experimental
The Hand Coach feature is now ready for use with mainline MRTK.
Input Recording Service improvements
InputRecordingService and InputPlaybackService can now record and play back eye gaze input. Recording has been optimized to ensure a consistent framerate throughout the recording period while recording file size and save time are also reduced by about 50%. Saving and loading of recording files can now be performed asynchronously. Note the file format of the recording has changed in this MRTK version, please see https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/mrtk-unity/features/input-simulation/input-animation-file-format for more information on the new version 1.1 specifications.
Reading mode
Added support for https://docs.microsoft.com/hololens/hololens2-display#what-improvements-are-coming-that-will-improve-hololens-2-image-quality on HoloLens 2. Reading mode reduces the system's field of view but eliminates a scaling of Unity's output. A pixel rendered by Unity will correspond to a projected pixel on HoloLens 2. Application authors should do tests with multiple individuals to be sure this is a tradeoff they want in their app.
Support for 3D app launchers on UWP
Adds the ability to set a https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/distribute/3d-app-launcher-design-guidance for UWP. This setting is exposed both in the MRTK Build Window and the MRTK Project Settings, under Build Settings. It's automatically written into the project during the build in Unity.
Want more information? Check out the full https://docs.microsoft.com/windows/mixed-reality/mrtk-unity/release-notes/mrtk-26-release-notes.
Try it out!
Want to use the MRTK? Visit the https://aka.ms/mrtkdocs and get started today.
Don’t forget to tell us what you think. You can file bugs and feature requests on the https://github.com/microsoft/MixedRealityToolkit-Unity/issues/.
Thanks,
The MRTK Team 😊
