SLIMEVR: DIY FULL-BODY VR TRACKING
Strap on a handful of tiny Wi-Fi motion trackers and get full-body VR — no cameras, no base stations, and a 70,000-strong community.
by SlimeVR
VRWearables
- difficulty
- ●●●○○
- time
- a weekend
- license
- Apache-2.0 / MIT
- repo
- repo ACTIVE1,100 stars
●●●○○ · a weekend · Apache-2.0 / MIT · 1,100 stars · repo ACTIVE
WHAT YOU’LL NEED
- 3D printer + filament — printable parts — files are in the repo
- Electronic parts — full list with part numbers in the repo BOM
- Dev board / microcontroller — runs the project firmware
Partner
COMPAREE VERDICT
SlimeVR cracked a problem that used to cost a fortune: full-body VR tracking without cameras or lighthouses. You wear a handful of small Wi-Fi motion trackers and a PC-side server feeds your legs, hips and chest into SteamVR. It's one of the most accessible builds we've catalogued — the firmware is open, the docs site has a proper DIY guide and BOM, and there's a genuinely huge community (a Discord around 70,000 members) plus official kits if you'd rather buy modules than solder. Just know the repo you land on is the firmware; the CAD, parts list and step-by-step are on docs.slimevr.dev, and the SteamVR server is a separate repo. For affordable full-body VR, this is the one.
IN THE REPO
NOT IN THE REPO
- —This repo is the firmware (ESP8266/ESP32 + IMU); the CAD, BOM and build guide live on docs.slimevr.dev
- —The SteamVR-side server is a separate repo
- —Dual-licensed Apache-2.0 + MIT
- —Official DIY kits and pre-made trackers are sold, so you can build or buy
Can I build this?
Build at your own risk. Projects involve tools, electronics and sometimes mains voltage — follow the creator’s safety notes.
Partner · KickstarterCORE POWER BANK S: 0.2" thin, 2.8 oz, 5000 mAh with 22.5W fast charging. Semi-solid battery, carbon fiber, IPX7 waterproof.
Videos
SlimeVR Butterfly Trackers Launch Trailer
The official launch trailer.
Gallery
Start here
Navigation into the creator’s own docs — we don’t rewrite the guide, we route you to the source.
- 1.Read the docs (DIY guide, BOM, firmware flashing)
- 2.Watch a review (see it in VR)
- 3.Get parts or a kit (modules to solder, or a full kit)
- 4.Flash the firmware (ESP8266/ESP32 + IMU)
- 5.Join the Discord (~70,000 members)
Resources
Documentation, files and community threads for this build — we link straight to the original sources and never rehost the creator’s files.
KNOWN ISSUES
- This repo is the firmware — the CAD, BOM and build guide are on docs.slimevr.dev, and the SteamVR server is a separate repo
- You need at least five trackers for full-body — plan the set
- Standard LiPo handling care when charging multiple trackers
Do I need cameras or base stations?
No — that's the point. The trackers use IMU sensors over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, so there's nothing to mount on your walls.
How many trackers do I need?
A minimum of five for full-body (legs, hips, chest); more adds fidelity. Battery life is roughly a full session.
Build or buy?
Either — the firmware and docs are open, and SlimeVR sells modules and complete kits, so you can solder your own or buy ready-made.
What does it cost?
Band $$ — far cheaper than commercial full-body systems. The shop has current prices.
Community builds
No community builds yet — be the first, we feature the best ones.
Discussion1
FROM THE COMPAREE TEAM
SlimeVR trades cameras and base stations for IMUs that slowly drift. For full-body VR, which annoyance would you rather live with — occlusion or drift resets?
SlimeVR
Open-sourced affordable IMU-based full-body VR trackers and the SteamVR server, then grew a ~70,000-member community and a shop selling modules and kits.
Keep building — related projects
Same category, picked by how close they are to this build.
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DISCLAIMER
- Comparee is not the author of the projects featured here. All rights to each project belong to its creator — every page links to the original source, and we never host creators’ files.
- Information is provided without warranty and may become outdated as projects evolve. Prices are indicative bands only — always check the creator’s parts list for current costs.
- Building and operating any project is at your own responsibility. Protective equipment, safe workshop practice and compliance with local regulations are the builder’s responsibility.
CompareeTEAM1mo ago
Structural note from our dig: this repo is only the tracker firmware — the CAD, BOM and build guide live on the docs site and the SteamVR server is a separate repo, so plan a small scavenger hunt. We'd also budget for at least five trackers for full-body, and the community around the project has grown to roughly seventy thousand members, which explains the depth of the docs. DIY builders here: how's battery life across a long session?