Frequently asked questions and answers
Setting up the VR Coach® smart system
with Pico 3
Hardware Setup
Preparing the headset
1. Unpack the VR headset and charge it with the white charging cable for about an hour, until the light turns at least blue.
2. Turn on the headset using the power button on the top side. Then, there are a few steps to complete within the headset:
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- Connect to Wi-Fi.
- Register with your name and email address.
- Perform some system updates.
- Set up the room boundary.
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The controllers will turn on automatically during this process. These are battery-operated and will need to be replaced after frequent use.
Preparing the laptop
The laptop has been prepared by us so that the most important programs are already installed and centrally placed on the desktop:
- VR Coach App
- SteamVR
- Pico App
Please power on the laptop and connect it to Wi-Fi. There may be an available Windows update in the meantime. Please proceed with it if necessary.
The laptop has two relevant ports for the headset: Mini DisplayPort and a special USB port. Colored stickers are located next to these ports.
Connecting the headset with the laptop
Once the headset is prepared and the laptop is ready, it’s time to establish the connection between the headset and the laptop. Please take the black cable included in the headset packaging and connect any adapters according to the enclosed instructions.
Important:
Connect the headset cable end to the port on the right side (when viewed from above). You may need to remove the cover from this port.
Plug the other two cable ends (Mini DisplayPort and USB) into the laptop according to the colored stickers.
5 Steps to Start
5 Steps to Start
These steps will be necessary for starting in the future:
- Turn on the headset and confirm or set up the room boundary within the headset.
- Connect the headset to the laptop using the cable.
- Start the Pico app on the laptop (located on the desktop) and select the DP connection.
- In the Pico app, enable the automatic SteamVR startup.
- Once you see the SteamVR environment in the headset, start the VR Coach app on the laptop. The headset and controllers must be in active mode for them to be recognized by the VR Coach app. To do this, move at least one controller slightly while the VR Coach app is loading. Otherwise, the VR Coach app will automatically restart.
Details for Step 3
It is also possible to select a Wi-Fi connection instead of the DP connection for testing purposes. To do this, you need to unplug the cable, as the headset can then be used wirelessly. However, a good quality Wi-Fi connection is required for this.
Details for Step 4
Still having issues?
Always charge the headset’s battery from the port next to the power button, as the port on the right side is used for video transmission and therefore cannot charge during use.
If something in this process doesn’t work, we are happy to assist you via email or phone.
with Pico 4
Hardware Setup
Preparing the laptop
The laptop has been prepared by us so that the most important programs are already installed and centrally placed on the desktop:
- VR Coach App
- SteamVR
- Pico App
Please power on the laptop and connect it to Wi-Fi. There may be an available Windows update in the meantime. Please proceed with this if necessary.
The laptop has a special USB A port that you will need later for the headset’s cable connection. The correct port is marked with a colored dot.
Preparing the headset
The most important preparation steps have already been taken by us. The following steps still need to be completed by you.
- Charge the headset.
Using the charging cable included in the headset packaging, it’s best to charge the headset at the power outlet. The light on the side of the headset should at least be blue. Then the battery is about 50% charged. If it’s green, the battery is fully charged. - Turn on the headset.
Press and hold the power button on the right side of the headset for a few seconds until the Pico logo appears in the headset. - Set the room boundary.
After turning it on, you will be asked in the headset whether you want to confirm the last “play area” or set a new one. Whenever the headset is used in a room for the first time, we recommend setting up a new area.Using the button on the controller by your index finger, draw a boundary on the floor within which you can move freely with the headset. This area should be as large as possible to ensure a better experience later on. Use the same button on the controller to confirm the defined room boundary. Make sure that the automatic floor adjustment is accurate. The virtual grid should align perfectly with the physical ground. Otherwise, follow the steps in the headset for manual adjustment.
Connecting the headset with the laptop
In the final step, we will connect the headset to the laptop using the 5-meter streaming cable.
The laptop is already powered on and connected to Wi-Fi. The headset is also turned on, and the room boundary has been set.
- Plug the cable into the left side of the headset and the other end into the laptop where the colored dot is located.
- Double-click the Pico app on the laptop to open it. Click “Next” on the right for the USB connection.
- Also confirm this connection in the headset.. Once you click “Next” for the USB connection, a prompt will appear asking you to also select this type of connection in the headset.
- Now put on the headset and take a controller in your hand. Using the index finger button at the bottom in the settings click on “library“. Then click on the Pico Streaming Assistant. This is an app with the Pico logo. When the app opens, you will see your laptop displayed on the right under the USB connection.. Then click on the blue “connect“-Button. After a few seconds, the environment in the headset changes as SteamVR is automatically started. Now remove the headset and set it aside for a moment.
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Starting the VR Coach Software
To open it on your laptop double-click the VR Coach App. For example, Addiction, Phobia, or Depression (depending on what has been installed for you). The headset and controllers must be in active mode during this time for the VR Coach app to recognize them (move them slightly); otherwise, the VR Coach app will automatically restart.
After a short loading time, the therapist view will appear on the laptop.. At the same time, the first scenario will appear in the headset. (the lobby). For changing the hand type or for all control options of the software, please refer to the user manual of the software.
4 steps to start
4 steps to start
- Turn on the laptop and connect to the Wi-Fi.
- Turn on the headset and set up the play area boundary.
- Connect the headset to the laptop using the streaming cable and the two Pico apps on the laptop and
in the headset. - Start the VR Coach app
After a few starts, these steps can typically be completed in less than
five minutes. Provided that the headset has a sufficiently charged battery.
Alternatively, wirelessly
You can also use this headset wirelessly. For this, you need a sufficiently strong Wi-Fi network or a Wi-Fi router.
The headset and laptop must then be connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
There are only a few differences from the steps listed above.
Under “Prepare Headset,” there is then a fourth point. After point 3 (setting up the play area boundary), you need to click on the Wi-Fi icon in the headset, select a network, and connect the headset to it.
The first time, you will need to create a Pico account using your email address and your name.
In the Pico apps on the laptop and in the headset, select Wi-Fi instead of USB.
Turn on the controllers
With frequent use, the batteries in the controllers need to be replaced, by the way. A notification will be displayed on the desktop when the batteries are running low.
Still having issues?
If something in this process doesn’t work, we are happy to assist you via email or phone.
Current software description.
Detailed description of activities, settings, and interaction options within the scenes.
Most scenarios begin in a standing position. However, there are also chairs and sofas in many scenarios. If you want the patient to sit down, you need to provide a physical chair for them to sit on.
Self-installation of the software
Open link
Paste this link into the browser of your gaming laptop and open this page:
https://www.vr-coach.at/appcontent/download_latest_installer.html
Installation
Click on the purchased software package and run the installation . Two security warnings may appear. Click on “Keep” and “Run anyway“. The “Keep” option is a bit hidden. See in this screenshot where to find it:
Start software
After the installation is complete, the software will open on your desktop. Log in to your user account now with the login data provided by VR Coach GmbH.
After logging in, the download of all scenarios and films starts. Please wait for the download to complete fully before closing the software.
Troubleshooting
Issues with Steam
Error message: Critical error
All previous experiences indicate that in this case, the graphics card driver needs to be updated.
Attached is a brief guide on how to find out your current driver version.
In the next step, please select your graphics card from the list and download the appropriate driver from the official website.
Then run the downloaded installer.
Steam is requesting a login
When the Steam window pops up asking who the player is or requesting a login, please create your own Steam account so you can stay logged in with your information. Logging into Steam is important for receiving automatic updates for SteamVR, which is essential for its functionality. The Steam account is free, and the registration process only takes a few minutes.
Issues in other areas
Scenarios cannot be started
If the loading time never ends or a still image (water environment) is displayed in the headset, then this scenario is not available on your computer, which is why it cannot be loaded.
This sometimes happens when the download of the scenarios was not waited for after an update (you can see a progress indicator below the scenarios, and all progress must be completed).
Solution:
Go to your user account (click on the person icon at the top) and then click on “Redownload Content” at the bottom. If the scenario still does not start after this download, click on “Delete Content” and then again on “Redownload Content“.
Patient is positioned far above the ground
This means that the ground adjustment has not been set.
If you are using a Pico headset, the prompt to set up the room boundary will appear shortly after turning on the headset.
Except if you turn on the headset only after it’s already connected to the laptop. According to our hardware setup, it is important with Pico headsets to complete this setting before connecting the cables to the laptop.
For the 360-degree films, the floor height setting has no effect, by the way. In those films, patients are always positioned at either 160 or 170 centimeters, depending on the height of the camera tripod during filming.
Patient cannot move through the scenario
In this case, the room boundary or “play area” was not set up.
For Pico users, this setting comes right after the ground height setting.
The system is "hanging"
If too many buttons are pressed in quick succession, these commands may not be processed, and the laptop may take a long time to load without any results.
In this case, it may help to close the VR Coach apps or even restart the laptop.
Our recommendation is to input new commands only after the previous one has been fully processed.
If you don’t find answers here, we are happy to assist you by phone or email!
