Frequently Asked Questions

Honestly, that is hard to answer objectively since it is my own project. But I personally would not want to go back to playing without eye and face tracking. The only upgrade that ever felt this impactful for me was going from half-body to full-body tracking in VRChat. The beta testers feel the same way after using the hardware for several weeks.

I do not have the funding or an engineering team to create a fully polished product like Meta or Apple can. But everything I sell is made and tested to the best of my knowledge and ability, and I would not sell anything I do not use myself.

If you want the absolute best eye tracking without any installation effort, this kit is probably not for you. You would be better off with a Quest Pro or waiting for a headset with native eye and face tracking.

But if you want to add eye and face tracking to your Index with a reasonable amount of effort, and you are okay with a few quirks like blinking not being perfectly detected every time, then this project is exactly what you are looking for. It is not always perfect, but once you have it, you will never want to play without it.

Performance can vary depending on the software you use, your face shape, lighting, facial hair, calibration, and headset movement, so I cannot guarantee perfect results for everyone. For Baballonia, the current capabilities and known limitations are as follows:

Eye:
Eye movement - perfect, smooth, and reliable
Blinking - works well with adjusted thresholds; short blinks may be missed, but this is rarely noticeable
Winking - mostly reliable with proper calibration
Half-closed eyes - not supported
Eyebrows - not supported

Face:
Expressions like smiling, puffed/sucked cheeks, showing teeth, mouth opening, tongue movement (up/down/left/right), and more work extremely well
Occasionally, mouth opening can trigger tongue detection. This is usually fixed by adjusting thresholds.

Sort of, but probably not in the way you're hoping. Baballonia added experimental foveated rendering support in a recent update (see changelog), but this does not work in VRChat. This kit is primarily made for a more immersive social VR experience through eye and face tracking.

No. The mainboard and plastic parts are the most expensive components which you will need regardless, so splitting it into separate versions would barely change the price for you, and would make logistics messy for me.

Yes. See our Safety page for full details.

Yes. You can get all plastic parts at low cost via JLCPCB3D. LEDs and cameras can be replaced too, but you can only buy them from me since they are custom-made. Replacement prices will be fair, but shipping outside the EU can be expensive.

No. It's made for the Valve Index only.

Current VR Optician lenses are supported. WidmoVR lenses are not supported.

Technically yes, but neither is officially supported since it doesn't make sense, as the kit already includes everything you need. BabbleVR hardware would work plug and play via the USB port. EyeTrackVR hardware requires adjusting the PWM duty cycle to get the correct LED intensity. In both cases, you'd just be duplicating hardware you already have.

The kit has a small built-in fan. It is weaker than the Kiwi fan, which is not officially supported. As for NoFio, I have not been able to test it since I do not have the hardware.

Yes. It adds a passthrough USB port on the front that technically works, but it is power-limited, so only use it if you really need to.

Yes, shop.facefocusvr.com.

I wish it could be cheaper, but small-batch electronics with custom PCBs, 3D-printed parts, and hand assembly add up quickly.

Inside the EU and USA, it is included in the price. Outside the EU and USA, DHL will contact you for customs or VAT if needed. Check your local import rules before ordering.

News and updates are shared only on Discord (facefocusvr.com/discord).

No soldering, but you will need to remove the Index frunk and face gasket. Full guide: facefocusvr.com/instructions

Maybe later, but not at release. The written guide already has many pictures and explains every step.

Depends on your definition of plug and play. You do not solder or hack anything, but you need to follow the setup guide and open your headset. It is more than just plugging in a USB stick, but nothing overly complicated.

Yes, if you follow the guide it comes off cleanly without leaving any marks.

Yes.

Black or transparent, both made from resin.

Yes, all 3D and PCB files will be free to download. Keep in mind that some parts are quite complex and require a good resin printer. FDM works for some parts, but not for the ones that need to be translucent for IR light to pass through.

Each kit is tested before shipping, so this is very unlikely. But if it fails within the warranty period, it will be repaired or replaced.

It is very unlikely that you will damage your Index, but no.

No. I will do my best to help and offer replacement parts at cost, but installation damage is not covered.

1-year warranty. Replacements and repairs are handled generously. All I ask is that you are honest when reporting issues and do not abuse the system.

General or technical questions: ONLY Discord (facefocusvr.com/discord)
Questions regarding your order: Email ([email protected])

Shopify handles store data (Privacy Policy). The tracking software runs locally, and no data leaves your PC unless you explicitly opt in. I strongly recommend opting in, because this helps improve the AI tracking model, which leads to better tracking performance for everyone, including you. All transferred data is anonymous.

Quest 3 hardware is planned, but do not expect updates before 2027/2028.

Yes, prototypes were already tested and improved based on feedback.

If you already create content related to VR hardware, VRChat, or similar topics, early access might be possible. Please DM me with some background or examples of your work.