Virtual & Augmented Reality News - Page 1

HTC announced the Vive Pro 2 this week with a much higher resolution and higher refresh rate than the previous model. The headset supports Display Stream Compression to enable that high-bandwidth signal to pass through a DisplayPort 1.2 cable and work with the Vive Wireless Adapter. Unfortunately, the wireless kit still can't handle the full specs of the new headset.

HTC's Vive Pro 2 has several features that set it apart from the competition. The headset includes dual 2448x2440 120Hz RGB LCDs to give you an ultra-high-resolution VR experience. The new Vive is also compatible with all the existing SteamVR-based Vive accessories, such as the Vive Trackers and the Valve Index controllers. The headset also retains the original Vive Pro's shape, making it compatible with the new Vive Facial Tracker.

Compatibility with the Vive Wireless Adaptor is one of the most significant factors that set the new headset apart from the competition. The Oculus Quest 2 can run PC VR content via a WIFI connection, but HTC has the market cornered if you want the freedom of a tether-free headset and high-precision tracking with accessories.

Orbbec and Microsoft have teamed up to develop a series of Time-of-Flight (ToF) 3D cameras built with Microsoft's 3D sensor technology and Orbbec's embedded computing technology. Orbbec's ToF cameras support multiple ToF Sensors, onboard depth computing, and motion tracking via a 6-axis IMU. The new cameras will also have the ability to run depth vision algorithms through the onboard computing hardware to convert raw data into depth images locally.

"Microsoft is a world leader in high-resolution ToF sensor technology and cloud-based service. Its knowledge and intellectual property allow Orbbec to offer a full range of ToF cameras for the widest possible spectrum of uses," noted David Chen, co-founder and director of engineering for Orbbec. "Orbbec is excited to join the Azure Depth Platform Program, to jointly develop solutions that will enhance the capabilities of both Orbbec and Microsoft's customer and partner ecosystems."

The new cameras, which Orbbec expects to launch in 2022, would have direct integration with Microsoft's Azure cloud platform to enable "device management, data streaming and AI analytics capabilities."

One of VR's most popular shooters just got better. Population: One Season 2 launched on Thursday, with a new Western-themed map, more weapons to blast your enemies with, and even bigger multiplayer matches for even more fun.

BigBig VR launched Population: One in October 2020, the game became one of the most popular titles around. In February, the developer launched Season 1: Uprising, the first update to the game, which introduced five new weapons and launched Battle Pass, a 10-week paid pass that gets you exclusive content and skins.

Season 1 has since concluded, and on Thursday, BigBox VR kicked off Season 2: The Frontier, another 10-week period with an optional paid subscription with extra content. Season 2: The Frontier introduces a new map based in a western town. In the spirit of the western theme, Season 2 also adds the ability to dual-wield the Matador shotguns. BigBox VR added flick reloading so you can add shells without dropping a weapon.

Bionik today announced two accessories for your VR headset. The company is preparing to release a hypoallergenic face cushion for the Oculus Quest 2 to keep your headset clean. It also announced an update to the Mantis VR headphones that work with almost any VR headset.

Bionik's Face Pad VR is a direct replacement for the factory face cushion. The company said the cushion is made of "soft, absorbent, hypoallergenic materials." Bionik's product designers also added vents to the frame to give the headset extra ventilation for extended use.

Bionik's Mantis VR headphones are an accessory for almost any VR headset. These clip-on headphones give you better audio for your VR experience without the need to mess with a separate pair of headphones. The Mantis VR has a universal clip that attaches to the side strap of your headset to give you high-fidelity over-the-ear audio.

Spatial today launched a new beta version of its virtual collaboration platform, which introduces a browser version of the application so you can access Spatial without installing anything. Along with the update, the company partnered with a handful of NFT artists to create art galleries to share digital artwork with the world.

Spatial just launched a new update to its virtual collaboration platform that brings the non-headset version of the app closer to parity with the headset version of the app. Spatial said that over the last year, only half of its users used AR or VR headsets. With strong numbers of non-headset users, the company invested in improving their experience, leading to the creation of the web app version of Spatial.

While Spatial was building the web version of its platform, the world of NFT digital artwork exploded. The Spatial team saw an opportunity to create something unique with its technology.

Pico Interactive this week revealed two new standalone VR headsets for the enterprise market. The company previously announced the Neo 3, a consumer-oriented device that's destined only for China. For the Western markets in both North America and Europe, Pico is focused on working with businesses.

The Pico Neo 3 is a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2-powered standalone headset, which bears a lot of resemblance to the Oculus Quest 2. It features four inside-out tracking cameras, which give the headset spatial awareness. The Neo 3 also includes a pair of optically-tracked motion controllers, which Pico said gives the controllers improved tracking compared to the electromagnetic solution in the Neo 2.

"Business needs are constantly evolving due to the changing landscape all industries are finding themselves in due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Henry Zhou, CEO of Pico Interactive. "For the Neo 3 line, we implemented the latest technologies to meet the ever-changing demands of the enterprise. For instance, as hybrid and remote work continues, more companies are seeking remote collaboration solutions, like Pico Interactive's VR headsets with tools and applications available through our software partners, to allow employees to increase productivity and sales to boost revenue. From training firefighters to decreasing the impact of social isolation on seniors to measuring brain health, Pico's headsets are now being used in a wide range of industries."

HP is now taking orders of the upcoming Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition. The Omnicept is a VR headset that includes a handful of biometric sensors that give it advanced features best suited for business uses, but it looks like anyone can order it from HP's website.

The Reverb G2 Omnicept comes equipped with a pair of pupil-tracking cameras to enable foveated rendering, which gives the headset image quality and performance benefits when paired with the right graphics card. The eye-tracking sensors also allow developers to infer information about the user's cognitive function during a training experience. The Reverb G2 Omnicept even has a heart rate sensor to track the user's level of excursion or anxiety while performing a training task.

The Omnicept Edition also includes a built-in face tracking sensor, which monitors your facial expressions and tracks your lips and tongue to help animate realistic avatars in collaborative VR experiences. When HP announced the Omnicept, face tracking was a novel idea. HTC recently beat HP to market with an attachment for the Vive Pro, but Omnicept has it built-in and integrated with the other sensors on the headset.

HTC revealed its new lineup of VR headsets, which includes a new Vive Pro 2 with improved resolution and refresh rate over the original. The company also revealed the Vive Focus 3, a standalone VR headset with similar features as Facebook's Oculus Quest 2, including the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 SoC driving it.

Unfortunately for gamers, HTC isn't kicking off the VR version of the console wars any time soon. This headset is targeted squarely at businesses, with the primary focus on workplace process training. To that end, HTC has put significant resources into building out an ecosystem that supports current businesses and will soon invest in VR solutions for training.

HTC's Vive Focus 3 is a Qualcomm XR2-based standalone headset with dual 2.5K RGB displays (the same ones found in the new Vive Pro 2) that operate at 90Hz. The headset features 6-degrees of freedom inside out tracking for both the headset and the controllers. The Focus 3 also includes adjustable IPD spacing, with the widest range available in any commercial headset. 57mm to 72mm with an analog adjustment dial for fine-tuning.

HTC just upped the ante for VR headset makers. The newly announced Vive Pro 2 cranks up the resolution, refresh rate and field of view. And this one supports SteamVR tracking and the Vive Wireless Adapter.

HTC today announced the next addition to its Vive Pro high-end VR headset lineup. The company currently offers the Vive Pro, Vive Pro Eye, and Vive Pro Secure headsets for business and arcade use, and by the end of the month, the Vive Pro 2 will join the line for use cases that demand the highest visual fidelity.

The Vive Pro 2 features the same overall design as the original Vive Pro, retaining the visor shape, head strap design, and SteamVR tracking compatibility. The big changes lie under the hood, with 120Hz 2448x2448 pixel fast-switching RGB LCDs, one for each eye, giving it a total resolution of 4896x2448. For comparison, HP's Reverb G2 sports a pair of 90Hz 2160x2160 displays.

Sony is currently working on its next-generation PSVR, and if UploadVR's sources are correct, the new headset could have some tech that no other headset does. Namely, it's said to have a motor inside for haptic feedback. If that's true, it would be the first VR headset that we know of that offers such a feature.

The next PSVR will also get a significant display overhaul. The new device reportedly features a dual-screen setup (the current PSVR has a single display shared by both lenses) with adjustable lens spacing. The new PSVR should also have significantly improved image quality thanks to a 2000x2040 per-eye resolution. Supposedly, the next PSVR will also include gaze-tracking cameras for foveated rendering, which would help with the performance requirements to drive those high-resolution panels.

It seems like Sony may be working to reduce the cable clutter with the next PSVR too. The original model required a breakout box with a pair of cables that ran back to the headset. The new device will reportedly run off a single USB-C cable, which would plug into the front port of the PS5 console.