[CES 2023] A new generation of AR and VR headsets?

This year’s Consumer Electronics Show gave us a glimpse of what could be the first of a whole new generation of high-end VR headsets.

We have been talking about AR/VR glasses/headset for the giant Apple since 2017, according to Bloombergh, 2023 should be the year of Apple’s mixed reality headset. Apple had planned to launch the device in 2020, then in 2021, then in 2022. Current rumors suggest that it will launch this spring before the annual Worldwide Developers Conference in June. Apple has reportedly already shared the device with a small number of top software developers for testing purposes, allowing them to tinker with third-party apps. The operating system of the device, called Borealis internally, will be called xrOS. The media reports that Apple may introduce the device to consumers, possibly under the name Reality Pro, and then update developers on software features in June. In this timeline, Apple is expected to ship the product in the fall of 2023.

At the same time, Apple is planning AR experiences for its stores. Apple is working on an updated version of the Apple Store app for iPhone, adding augmented reality features that are activated when the user enters one of the points of sale. The idea is that customers can point their iPhone at the product to bring up an animation that will cover the screen to provide more information about pricing and specifications.

Anyway, CES 2023 was the announcement site for AR and VR, we’ve been waiting years for this to change uses! Many wonder if this year’s CES will be the tipping point that sends these technologies into everyone’s living room and onto the streets! A few announcements:

VIVE XR Elite

This is a headset with interesting and unprecedented features. From a modular design that allows you to wear it as glasses or in a traditional VR headset, to adjustable lenses that can help glasses wearers see more clearly, the VIVE XR Elite has brought several improvements around AR and VR. The new gaming headset is designed to support high-resolution graphics and high-performance streaming. Four wide-field tracking cameras and a high-resolution color camera offering a combined resolution of 3840×1920. According to Vive, there are also audio performance improvements that will deliver an improved XR gaming experience.

Unlike conventional gaming headsets, its interchangeable design allows users to carry the device on the go with a lightweight and removable battery compartment.

TCL

NXTWear S glasses fill the increasingly popular niche of truly AR glasses, providing a lightweight, head-mounted virtual display for your smartphone, tablet or handheld game console. TCL also revealed a pair of AR and VR headsets.

TCL RayNeo X2 glasses promise a full AR experience with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR2 (Extended Reality 2) core technology and Micro LED-Waveguide optics, while also promising to enhance or assist practical uses such as foreign language text translation under the viewer’s eyes. walk the streets of cities. The RayNeo X2 is the world’s first to implement a full-color micro-LED binocular display in AR glasses. Addressing the industry challenge of making AR glasses look like regular glasses without compromising on technical features, the TCL RayNeo X2 has a slim and lightweight body for everyday use, while offering powerful all-in-one assistive features from smart navigation and automatic translation to photography. music.

TCL RayNeo X2’s smart GPS navigation system uses Synchronous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) and gesture recognition. Its mapping highlights nearby attractions as you move, turning your leisurely walks and bike rides into joyful city discoveries. In addition, TCL RayNeo X2’s Bluetooth-enabled on-screen messages and call notifications keep you informed wherever you go, while navigating and on the go. TCLRayNeo will launch a developer project in the first quarter of 2023, inviting innovative developers to join and create creative and user-friendly features for AR glasses. The TCL RayNeo X2 will be available to the developer community in select regions by the end of Q1 2023, followed by a commercial launch.

Finally, the NXTTear V headset is a premium VR solution that showcases what TCL is doing at the top. Impressive specs like a weight of just 236 grams and a pixel density of 1512 ppi could disrupt the industry if it makes its way to a real offering.

Razer

Despite being one of the biggest gaming peripheral manufacturers on the planet, Razer showed little interest in the AR/VR space before this year’s MWC. Razer has announced two accessory plans for the Meta Quest 2 headset. Both new products include a headband that offers superior comfort and better weight distribution than a standard bungee strap, and a new facial interface that helps reduce pressure on the user’s face. , while sticking to hypoallergenic materials to avoid skin irritation. Razer also promises better light blocking, which helps increase immersion.

Lumus

One of the biggest hurdles AR technology has to overcome to perform like existing glasses is getting rid of their bulkiness. At CES 2023, Lumus demonstrated a new optical engine that transforms its technology into a carrier small enough to be hidden in the upper corner of an eyeglass lens. The new Z-Lens system offers a 2048 x 2048 resolution for color AR content, a 50° field of view and more than 4000 nits per watt of LED illumination. This should make everything reflected in your lens sharp and clear, even in direct sunlight.

AKM

Asahi Kasei Microdevices (AKM) develops technology to improve user experience and simplify AR/VR interactions. This technology includes advanced optical image stabilization, a sensor that provides a ring interface for extended environmental monitoring, and a non-contact temperature sensor that enables fast and accurate measurements.

Ostloong

It introduces ski goggles equipped with artificial intelligence and augmented reality (RA+IA). A world first, these Sirius ski goggles are the only ones capable of providing an outdoor augmented reality experience and viewing with a high-quality color screen. Featuring state-of-the-art technology, it is patented OUTDOOR AR and equipped with a waveguide lens. Based on analysis and algorithms, this mask offers the possibility to place virtual objects (such as slalom poles) outside in the real world, while guaranteeing safety as it identifies dangerous zones. Ostloong Innovations is the first company to offer this combination of outdoor wearable and wearable technologies. Sirius enables a multidimensional and immersive experience that offers a new way to orient, move and communicate outdoors.