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VRProtect for HTC Vive

by snowzach, published

VRProtect for HTC Vive by snowzach Jun 22, 2016

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8130Views 462Downloads Found in Toy & Game Accessories

Summary

This is a snap in perscription (or possibly non-perscription) lens adapter system for the HTC Vive that takes a common set of lenses you can order online cheaply from zenni.com. There is a frame piece that it held in with friction and then a lens portion that snaps to the frame using magents. This allows you to easily change out the perscription or remove the lenses entirely for those that don't need them. The frame portion acts as a scaffolding above the lenses to protect them if you don't have a lens installed.

Parts

You need both a lens and a frame piece printed out. Lenses obtained from a pair of perscription Zenni.com glasses and 6 magnets.

Frame and Lens STL Files
There are now two different versions of the STL. There is a 40mm version and a 43mm version. All things being equal, I haven't really noticed a diffence between the 40mm or the 43mm version. If your IPD is on the high end, you may see some benefit from the 43mm version. The glasses from Zenni are the same price so it probably doesn't matter. You might as well use the larger 43mm lenses if you're unsure.

40mm Version

The files that are not marked with a size are the 40mm versions. You need to order these frames/lenses from Zenni.com http://www.zennioptical.com/450021-metal-alloy-full-rim-frame-with-spring-hinge.html
They should be approximately 20-26$ US shipped. You can search around the internet to find coupon codes for free shipping or glare coating. I DEFINATELY recommend the glare coating.

43mm Version

These are exactly the same except the lenses are a tad larger. Use these frames: mhttp://www.zennioptical.com/550021-metal-alloy-full-rim-frame-with-spring-hinges.html
The object files below have 43 in the name.

Magnets

You need to get the magnets to glue into the frame and the lens pieces. The magnets needed are 1/8" diameter and 1/16" thick model D21B-N52 and you need 6 total. I bought mine here: https://www.kjmagnetics.com/proddetail.asp?prod=D21B-N52
They are about 6$ shipped.

Installation

To assemble the kit, you need to first glue in the six magnets, 3 into the frame and 3 into the lens holder such that they will attract each other.
You can see a video here: https://youtu.be/Xb6jRee2Mpo

To install the entire kit into the Vive you need to expand the face piece to allow for the most room. Insert the bottom of the kit into the bottom of the Vive and push down on the spring loaded arms until you can slide the top pieces under the top of the Vive. Then you can contract the face piece of the Vive back down to hold it in place.
Here is a video describing the process: https://youtu.be/nh7g7V6I4us

Just for the sake of disclaimers, install and use these at your own risk. I'm not trying to get rich off this, just recoup some time spent and help fund my new printer.

I spent a lot of time on development on this. WIP Pics: http://imgur.com/ADVQWwo
Donations for the printer fund gladly accepted:

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Just made the 40mm version of this. This was my first 3d print so my frames are very fragile (not high enough plastic density I guess), but works great after adding wire to reinforce it. My Vive can only get up to the second-to-last adjustment knob turn, and any closer starts to press in on the frames. This is further away than I can get with my glasses, but in exchange I don't risk my glasses hitting the Vive's lenses. Worth it. I can notice a very small sliver of the edges of the frame if I look for it (-4.5D, 62 IPD), only downwards and upwards and not to the sides and they are completely invisible during normal use. The magnets were a bit tricky, I put a layer of duct tape over each one because E6000 didn't hold.

Overall good setup, low cost, and way more comfortable than cramming my bespectacled face in there.

Awesome idea and design. I no longer have to fight with my glasses in my vive.

Just printed 43mm version for my lenses. Really wondered how frame should be installed, seems to be impossible.
Are you sure that files are correct or did I print it wrong way? 40mm version frame width is 165mm and 43mm lens version width 152.99mm.

It's definitely crammed in there. I would recommend removing the foam and backing out the face part a little. Start by pushing in the bottom springy pieces one side and then the other and compressing the spring pieces pretty good until you can slide the lip under top piece of the headset. Then wind the face piece back in. It may get caught on the springy pieces at the bottom and you may need to work them around to get it to seat all the way. The good news is, once it's in, you never need to take it back out.

I'm not sure how or what parameter to use when ordering the Zenni
The Vive/Rift are not reading distance, I'm starting to think?
I cant see very well up close (2.5 readers), and over the past few years this has gotten to the point I need lenses to do moderate and even some distance correction. So I use progressive lenses, and have a 6 month old prescription, but these don't work well for VR.
So we want single focus I understand, but what distance is it considered? What part of the doctor scribble do I apply on Zenni?
Thanks
Cant wait...right now I've been using frameless readers, but I'm thinking its way too much magnification.

Well, I can tell you from reading that someone calculated the focal distance of the Vive to be approximately 75cm or 30 inches. I think you should try to optimize your prescription for reading small print on a piece of paper at arms length.

If you have progressives, I would suspect you need to use the middle level prescription. If you show me the prescription I can take a guess at what you should use as long as you don't hold it against me if it doesn't work. :-) or go to your eye doctor and ask them for a prescription for computer glasses optimized for about 75cm or 30 inches. I actually have a set of these I use for my computer.

Comments deleted.
Feb 2, 2017 - Modified Feb 2, 2017

Finally got my lenses in and am printing these now. I wanted to comment on something that is a possible issue with the 43mm frames. When you order glasses, you need to provide your IPD - inter-pupillary distance - this is the distance that your pupils are apart. They need this so that they can center the lenses properly over your pupils. If you have the same exact pair of frames, but if the bridge is wider in one pair, the lenses will be further apart and the lenses will need to be cut differently for the two different frames.

I ordered the 43mm frames from zenni optical. The lenses are 26.25mm apart in them, and the lenses were cut for my IPD of 64mm. However, the lens frame in this thing has the lenses 28.5mm apart, 2.25mm wider, meaning if I put the lenses in as intended for my eyes into this frame, the centers of the lens will be off by 1.125mm for each eye. Likely not enough to cause a problem, but the bridge for the 43mm lenses should be shortened by 2.25mm (so the lenses are moved closer together) to make the lenses be a proper fit.

I'm customizing the file for myself (I have different sized magnets) so if I upload my changes it won't be much help. But it's something to be aware of.

Alternately, when you order the glasses from zenni, you could DECREASE the IPD you tell them by 2.25mm (In my case, with an IPD of 64, I'd say my IPD was 61.75) - that will have the lenses cut so when mounted in the frame, they are too close together, but when placed in the printed frames for the Vive, they will be the right distance apart.

Thanks for uploading this! Do you know if anyone has used it with relatively strong lenses? I'm at -8.5 diopter and am waiting to hear back from VR Lens Lab about whether they will be able to make a set for me, since anything beyond -6 has to be placed as a custom order and quoted. I'm not sure lenses as thick as mine will even fit that model frame at Zenni, or fit within your lens holder. I'll definitely be giving this a try though if VR Lens Lab doesnt come through for me.
I had an easy time making custom lens inserts using zenni lenses for my fatshark FPV goggles, but those use a much smaller chunk of the lens.

Hey, I have no idea if the high diopter will make a difference or not. My only concern would be if the front of he lens would stick out far enough to hit the Vive lense. That would be my only concern. I am very curious if you go through with it, if it fits?

My lenses are typically mostly flat in front, but due to the high strength prescription tend to be very thick at the edges. ran through an online calculator for 40 and 43mm diameter and it looks like 5-6mm thick probably, depending on lens material. Maybe I can get away with a lower diopter strength since so many nearsighted people seem to be able to use the system without glasses at all. If all else fails I'll draw up a customized version!

I just had to say thank you for this. I wear glasses with bifocals that makes it really challenging to focus while using the Vive. Got the single prescription for these and they work amazingly. I no longer have to adjust my glasses every time I put the Vive on, no longer have the annoying arms protruding from the headset, this is seriously a game changer. Thank you so much for designing this.

Awesome! Glad it worked well for you.

I'm in the process of making a set of these (and two pairs of prescription inserts, one for me and one for my husband). I've printed the 43mm frame first and I had a lot of trouble getting it inserted. I went back and printed the 40mm frame and that one fits in my vive much better. It looks like when you scaled the frame up, that you made the outside dimensions (the width specifically) wider as well, which makes for a much tighter fit, to the point that once I rolled the distance knobs back, the 43mm frame refused to stay sitting flat. You might want to trim or redesign the 43mm frame so that the width of the frame is same outside width as the 40mm one.

I just updated the object files for the 43mm version. It took a lot more tries than I was expecting but it fits much better now. For what it's worth, I really don't notice much difference between the 40mm and the 43mm versions. I don't feel like the smaller frames block any of your view. If you have ordered those already, I'd just stick with it.

Cool. I also didn't notice much difference when doing my test fit, other than the fit problem itself. I've got the 40mm frame in my headset now, magnets installed and ready in it and the lens piece. Just waiting on the lenses from zenni now. I can already tell from just my test fitting that it'll be way more comfortable then wearing my glasses with the headset. :)

Thanks for the feedback. I had a little trouble also with them deflecting. The overall width should have stayed the same but I think you are right. It didn't. I will see about repairing it in the next day or so.

I added a version that will take 43mm lenses also now

this works amazingly well to keep my glasses from touching the lenses.

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