Tag Archives: VR Headset

The Atari VR Headset brings back the nostalgia of old-school gaming in a new immersive avatar

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Personally, VR feels more like the future of gaming than consoles do. Imagine being immersed in a game, not because of the graphics, but because the game absolutely surrounds you, involving all your senses. No console can match that… and it’s a shame that so many consoles and game companies haven’t lived long enough to see that future. In an alternate universe, however, this Atari VR Headset is the perfect piece of gear to relive absolute classics like Space Invaders, Unreal Tournament, and Rollercoaster Tycoon. Designed by SF-based Transparent House and Eduard Zhikharev, the Atari VR headset helps the once-unbeatable mammoth of games relive its glorious past. The VR headset sports a familiar design that most enthusiasts would instantly recognize, and comes equipped with sensors, cameras, and even headphones, to help immerse you in the game.

Designers: Transparent House & Eduard Zhikharev

The Atari VR headset is a spitting image of the Ataribox, with the same iconic design language featuring the wooden veneer, black slatted plastic, and the familiar Atari logo. The headset comes with a pretty comprehensive harness that rests around the periphery of your head, with adjustable earphones that give you audio feedback as you game.

For the designers, the Atari VR headset presented the perfect opportunity to build out a device that represented all their wishes and dreams. To that end, the headset doesn’t come with any controllers. It uses a series of fisheye cameras on the front to ‘see’, putting the wearer in a virtual space that corresponds with the physical world. Moving around in real life translates to moving in VR too, thanks to Atari VR’s 6dof abilities. Plus, to make things even more cutting edge, the headset doesn’t come with controllers, but instead has a Leap Motion controller built into its frame. This helps it sense the wearer’s hands, turning them into controllers for the virtual space. This way, users can interact with objects in VR and MR without needing remotes, controllers, and any extraneous paraphernalia.

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Lenovo Legion VR headset tries to be the Meta Quest 2 of China

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Virtual and augmented reality news seems to have taken a backseat these days. Even coverage about the Metaverse has somewhat died down after the initial hype and frenzy. Of course, it’s not that these technologies and buzzwords have actually disappeared, just that the market is slowly starting to settle down and become less sensational. That said, there still aren’t that many mainstream VR headsets available, especially in some markets with restricted access to some brands and technologies. Their design also still has plenty of room for improvement, especially in terms of convenience and comfort. Although Meta’s (formerly Oculus’) Quest 2 and HTC’s Vive seem to be the top two choices in VR, Lenovo is taking another stab at that market, particularly one that Meta can’t reach.

Designer: Lenovo

This isn’t Lenovo’s first virtual reality headset, not by a long shot. Since 2017, it has dabbled in that space and experimented with wildly different designs. There’s the Mirage Solo, for example, which was a standalone headset for Google’s now-defunct Daydream platform. And then there’s the Lenovo Explorer that ran the Windows Mixed Reality and would have made you imagine you were cosplaying as Cyclops from X-Men. This time, Lenovo is attaching its Legion gaming brand to its latest headset, and it’s taking on the Meta Quest 2 in both looks and specs.

The Lenovo Legion VR700 didn’t have much fanfare when it was announced a few days ago, probably because it is serving only one country so far. With no word on a global launch yet, Lenovo’s new VR headset might be limited to the Chinese market only. Given its design, it’s almost a direct stand-in for the Meta Quest 2, which can’t be officially activated in China due to regional restrictions. The HTC Vive is available there, though, so it’s not like Lenovo can claim dominance in the market even with this Quest 2 look-alike.

Some might consider it unfair to even suggest that Lenovo is copying Meta (or Oculus), though there are definitely some similarities you can’t ignore, like the design of the visor as well as the controllers. The two also have some similar specs, like the aging Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 chipset that allows the headset to function without being tethered to a computer. Then again, the designs of VR headsets, as well as their basic hardware, have become almost too common for any single headset to claim originality.

What the Legion VR700 does differently, however, is the way it has designed the head strap for comfort and balance. The main strap wraps around the head as normal, but there is no third strap that goes over the head of the wearer. Additionally, the battery pack is located at the back of the head mount, creating a counterbalance to the heavy visor on the front. This tries to solve one of the biggest problems with front-heavy headsets that become tiring after long periods of use.

Whether the Lenovo Legion VR700 makes it big in China will largely depend on the software platform it will use. Without something like Oculus or Vive, Lenovo might be forced to come up with its own VR experience, which isn’t that easy to pull off these days. If that is the case, the VR700 headset could fall flat on its face, no matter how cheaper it is than the competition.

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Logitech Chorus headset for Meta Quest 2 brings richer audio to the Metaverse experience

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The Meta Quest 2 virtual reality headset has quite a few undeniable merits – it’s lightweight, comfortable and can run graphics-intensive games without twitching. The self-contained VR headset could be the best out there depending on the user’s requirements – be it raw power or the ease of use for long hours of roaming in the Metaverse.

Built-in speakers on the VR headset deliver stereo sound, but if you are looking for a more immersive listening experience to match the visuals in virtual reality, Logitech has just got the right accessory.

Designer: Logitech

Click Here to Buy Now

The off-ear headphones (they don’t sit over the ears like regular ones) christened “Chorus” bring ultra-realistic audio to the listener’s VR experience. The fact that they don’t encapsulate ears means you’ll still be listening to outside ambient sound, something similar to the open ring design of the niche Sony LinkBuds. While personally, I like a secure seal to get fully engulfed in the music, games or movies I watch while being plugged in, there’s still a huge market for such audio listening accessories.

Specifically designed for the Meta Quest 2 headset, these headphones strap onto the VR headset on each side. Mind you, they are compatible with Meta’s Elite straps. The speakers on either side can swivel to adjust the preferred position for listening which is great for customizing the audio being delivered. The thing is powered by the VR headset’s USB-C port and the volume is controlled by the Quest 2 volume rocker button itself.

According to Logitech the speakers weighing 182 grams in total come with custom-tuned drivers capable of delivering the “biggest moments and the tiniest details in the Metaverse.” The open-back design means the sound signature is going to be on the warmer side. Looking around in the playing field, the first similar competition that comes to mind is the HTC Deluxe Audio strap which has a pair of decent-sounding headphones and a set of straps for a similar effect as that of the Chorus.

Matt Green, senior manager, acoustics engineering at Logitech summed up the existence of the headphones by saying that Chorus is more than the next step in audio for VR, it represents years of feedback from developers, gamers, and the VR community, and we couldn’t be more excited for this addition to the immersive VR experience.

Logitech Chorus is soon going to be available from the official Logitech portal and so on Amazon for a price tag of $99. For someone who doesn’t mind shelling out $399 on a VR headset, adding this pair of accessories won’t shake things up that much.

Click Here to Buy Now

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Apple Vision renders what the eventual mixed reality headset from the Cupertino giant could be

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Apple was expected to release information about its mixed reality headset at the recently concluded WWDC 2022. Since the fans were left disappointed, there is no other option but to treat our eyes to designers’ interpretation of what the anticipated headset – that could herald Apple into a new dimension – would look like.

Rumors of Apple working on some kind of Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality headset have been shrouding us for a very-very long time. While we have no clarity on what to expect from the headset and when it may be launched, designer Marcus Kane has conceptualized the Apple Vision – an adaptation of Apple’s mixed reality headset, based on its leaks, rumors, and patents.

Designer: Marcus Kane

If analyst Mark Gurman – who has a long-standing record for accurately predicting Apple’s product plans – is to be believed, the new headset will launch in 2023. The unit will be accompanied by a slew of other products, between fall this year and early 2023, Gurman notes. The ambitious period for Apple is just around the corner, and we are speculatively looking at the new iPhone 14 models, updated iPads, AirPods Pro, and an interesting new HomePod.

Besides, there is a likely possibility that Apple would roll out a few Mac models powered by in-house M2 and M3 chips. Reportedly, the M2 chip could also power the company’s premier mixed reality headset. Whether the Apple headset would eventually be an everyday wear or a Meta Quest 2-eseqe headset, only time will tell. For now, Apple Vision speculates it as any other VR headset on the market – a design that is not too far from the Quest 2.

A comfortable fit is perhaps guaranteed by its curved design with breathable soft mesh cushioning to rest against the face. The adjustable rubber headband would presumably be swappable – as Apple’s eventual headset is expected to achieve. The Apple Vision renders are much influenced by the images of the Apple headset idealized by concept maker Ian Zelbo, but it is likely to support microphones, spatial audio and immersive 8K viewing with response to the wearer’s eye movements and maybe hand gestures using onboard optical cameras.

According to rumors, the mixed reality headset is going to pack 16 gigs of RAM with an M2 processor powering its guts. This if eventually achieved will catapult AR/VR experience offered by the Apple headset well past the Meta’s VR headset option or even any other examples currently out there. Slated to be a dynamic choice for users when launched in 2023, will the headset end up looking anything like the Apple Vision, what do you think?

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Holoride-Audi partnership delivers XR to some Audi series vehicles

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AUDI Holoride In-car Experience

Holoride aims to add thrill to every ride, but not many people will appreciate the idea of turning a vehicle into a moving theme park. It’s the selling point of Holoride, but we recognize the fact many people won’t like it because they quickly get dizzy.

Holoride offers a fun and connected experience to every ride, at least, to the more adventurous people. If you’ve tried holoride and are contemplating getting a new car, you may consider Audi. The Holoride team just announced its integration with Audi series vehicles starting this June.

Designer: Holoride

AUDI Holoride Experience

Audi is the first car company to bring holoride-ready experiences. Audi will be taking advantage of its MIB 3 infotainment system and making holoride a native feature. In addition, the automotive company has partnered with Holoride to offer consumers a unique travel experience XR content in real-time. The Audi-Holoride experience is possible with a motion-synchronized car and location-aware data. XR content is shown in real-time, delivering information or entertainment that will benefit the passenger.

Sample AUDI Holoride Experience

In-car entertainment inside your Audi is taken to the next level with Holoride. It can be educational for the children and recreational for the adults with the gaming content. There is also well-being-related content so you can be happy, healthy, and comfortable all the time.

Passenger experience is usually forgotten once a vehicle’s design has been finalized, but with holoride integration, it can be enhanced once again. Audi will start introducing this feature to several models like the Audi A4/A5/A6/A7/A8, Q5/Q7/Q8, Audi etron/etron Sportback, and Audi etron GT. In your Audi car starting June, you will find the holoride within the modular infotainment toolkit (MIB 3). Make sure you have a VR headset ready with you. It will connect wirelessly to your vehicle via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) standard. You can look at the HTC VIVE Flow since it’s the first holoride-ready headset.

AUDI Holoride Experiences Game

Audi and the Holoride team also worked with groups like Schell Games, ARVORE Immersive Games, TRIPP, PRELOADED, Magnopus, and MEDIASQUAD to develop more content. Future House Studios, SpiceVR, FreshFX, and VRWERX will also release holoride experiences in the near future. The in-car experience will be available in Europe and the United States in fall 2022.

The UK and Germany will get it first followed by more countries in the region by next year. The same holoride for Audi will be ready in China, South Korea, and Japan. Audi getting the holoride integration isn’t exactly a surprise since the startup’s co-founders were previous employees.

AUDI Holoride Experiences Game

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Thinnest VR headset in the world looks exactly like a pair of sunglasses and weighs just 37 grams

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If the EM3 Ether is any indication, the future of the metaverse will have incredibly sleek VR glasses that don’t look like toasters attached to your face.

At first glance, it’s possible that you wouldn’t even notice that the person above was wearing VR glasses. Debuted in Beijing by VR startup EM3 Technology, the Ether currently holds the mantle of the world’s slimmest and lightest VR headset. It looks exactly like an ordinary pair of sunglasses and sits on your face just like one too, but behind that seemingly ordinary veneer is a cutting-edge near-eye optical display system powered by two cameras located on the front of the glasses.

For now, the Ether is a proof of concept for how slim and lightweight a VR headset can be. With current headsets like the Oculus Quest weighing well over 2 kilograms (4.56 lbs), the Ether is radically lighter, weighing a mere 37 grams (0.08 lbs) – roughly the same as your average pair of Ray-Ban wayfarers. This, EM3 believes, will allow more people to wear VR headsets for longer without developing fatigue caused by heavy gear.

The EM3 Ether prototype glass contains two micro-displays, 2560×2560 pixel resolution in full color. For now, the glasses offer a FOV (field of view) of 80° per eye, although EM3 claims that by using a larger format micro-display, the FOV can be pushed up to 100° without seeing any increase in the thickness of the glasses – which measure a record-setting 6.8mm for now.

Given how incredibly slim Ether prototype is (they’re thinner than most phones), it currently doesn’t have the processing capabilities to operate as a standalone VR headset and needs to be tethered to an external device like a smartphone or PC. Nevertheless, Ether sets a benchmark for what to expect in the future and EM3 has announced that a retail model of the VR glasses will probably be ready at the end of 2022. The implications for the technology, however, are far-reaching as companies like Facebook have announced a hard pivot into the metaverse, while there have been rumblings in the past few years that Apple’s been working on their own sleek VR headsets too. Seems like 2022’s going be a pretty interesting year for virtual reality and the metaverse!

Designer: Beijing EM3 Technology Co. Ltd.

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Meet the VR Cap, a gadget design that can make bring a radical evolution to the wearable tech world!

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The VR Cap fixes one nagging problem with VR headsets today – the head-mount. The solution is so ingenious, it makes you wonder ‘why didn’t anyone think of this earlier?!’

While most VR gear comes with a single strap that goes around the side of your head (or a T-shaped strap that also sits on top), they’re almost always fiddly, uncomfortable, and feel like they’re going to fall off. The VR Cap improves upon that detail by turning the headset into a golf cap-style piece of gear that physically wraps around your head as a cap would.

The level of detail and immersive experience a VR-enabled design brings to the table is unprecedented. Can you imagine, actually being a part of the sci-fi world we admire from afar? Which begs the question, why is VR-enabled content not yet mainstream or popular with the general public. I think a huge part of the problem falls with the excessive nature of the wearable required to immerse yourself in VR. Most designs till now focus on a headgear that covers your eyes, giving you the look of a very googly-eyed creature.

VR Cap solves this by merging the glasses with an existing and comfortable piece of clothing – the humble cap! “VR Cap is the world’s first head-mounted display (HMD) to join a crisp VR display with a detachable, woven head covering”, Compal Electronics mentions. Woven from stretchable fabric, one size fits most heads in comfort, and customizations can be made to accommodate users like ponytails without developing new injection molds.

The detachable fabric cap is machine-washable too, resolving the problem we often face (especially in the COVID-era) with being uncomfortable in the level of sanitization for shared gadgets. The fabric of the cap also unleashes the possibility of a ton of customization, taking this a step closer to mass acceptance.

Designer: Compal Electronics

HTC’s leaked Vive VR headset are honeyed goggles that give you a bug-eyed minion-like look!

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Remember the HTC Project Proton concept VR headset shown off in early 2020 that looked like a mix of glasses and ski goggles? The Vive Flow VR headset is the evolution of that very concept and it is coming soon – in fact just a day away from official release at the “Go with the Flow” event set to happen on October 14.

Interestingly the internet is going crazy with the freshly leaked images of the insect eyes like HTC headset that gives off the futuristic vibe. The person in question is trusted leaker Evan Blass who has posted convincing images of HTC’s next-gen VR headset. The big question arises – will this HTC VR headset be able to compete with Oculus Quest 2? Evan has been posting a constant stream of tweets with photos of the said headset, building anticipation for the tech community. For neutral viewers, these images give a much better idea of how the Vive Flow VR headset will look like. It is not much different than the Project Proton concept headset in terms of the alienating presence.

From the images so far, it seems the headset will have a tethered connection to a tube-shaped device to power up the advanced processing of the gadget. There are no straps apparent in these leaked images which suggests HTC has finally found a way to ditch the strap design. How they have managed to balance the weight out will only be clear once the headset is out there for real. Also, the images are highly suggestive of a snap-on face cushion for comfort, adjustable lenses, immersive spatial audio and an active cooling system.

Talking of the possible use case scenarios, the headset will mostly be used for multimedia content consumption and gaming. According to rumors the VR headset will have a microchip less powerful than the Oculus Quest 2, but will come with six degrees of freedom tracking. There are no controllers in view so it is presumed the headset will not ship with one. This will be a major limitation if it wants to go head-butting against the Quest 2.

One of the images suggests the HTC Vive Flow VR headset will be up for pre-order starting October 15th, and shipments are promised in early November. Interestingly it will cost almost $200 more than the Quest 2, at a debut price tag of $499, so it better be good. For all that money you’ll also get seven free virtual reality content and carrying case.

Designer: HTC

 

The ViXion is a mixed-reality headset designed specifically for people with low-vision and night-blindness

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Partnering with Japan-based startup ViXion, Nendo has unveiled an eponymously named mixed-reality headset that’s designed specifically for people with reduced visibility. ViXion is a sleek headset that helps the legally blind (or people suffering from night blindness) see around them. The headset comes with a camera that captures the world ahead of the wearer, while an internal processor increases the visibility of the footage by amping up the brightness and the contrast, and projects the images onto the wearer’s eyes, allowing them to see better.

Fundamentally doing exactly the opposite of what sunglasses do, the ViXion is a headset that aids people with low vision, low peripheral vision, or night blindness, by brightening what’s ahead of them. The headset is characterized by a slim visor with a fisheye camera at the center, capturing footage across a wide periphery. The footage is processed to increase its visibility and then projected onto a semitransparent mirror display in front, for the viewer to clearly see. The wearer can also switch between black and white vision, black and white inversion, and high-contrast colors to match their visual needs.

Designer: Nendo

Apple iPhone 13 VR concept mashes up to envision the future of Cupertino Giant-proof

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Apple’s mixed reality headset has been in the works for quite some time now, and a couple of months ago it became apparent that the lightweight VR headset will be coming in 2022, with the Apple Glasses to follow soon after. On the flip side, the iPhone 13 is destined to arrive this fall, and like all times it is already the topic of interest in the tech circles. While iPhone 13 and the Apple VR headset cannot be launched in the same given timeframe – still it doesn’t deter imaginative designers from mustering up how the two products will look together.

ConceptsiPhone has created a render of the two upcoming devices by Apple and mashed them together in a video dubbed iPhone 13 VR for creative writer’s delight. The VR headset is open to any imagination possible, and the folks over at ConceptsiPhone have taken that opportunity to show the world how the mixed reality headset will be like. It looks plush (after all it’s Apple) and is in sync with the design principles Apple has put in place for the headset – comfort and lightweight aesthetics. The strap looks reassuring as far as ergonomics go while the padding around the viewable area ensures utmost comfort.

To be honest, more than the VR headset, I’m more intrigued by the iPhone 13 design. The concept shown here retains the iPhone 12 Pro’s DNA for the most part of it, and when you have a look at the rear camera module, it’s fresh nostalgia. The camera bump looks so strikingly similar to the newly launched Xiaomi Mi 11 Ultra flagship. Yes, I’m talking about the secondary display that’s actually the same OLED display as on the Mi Band 5 (smart move by Xiaomi) to show notifications, act as a viewfinder or music player widget. The camera module takes up the upper third real estate space on the back of the phone with a four-camera sensor setup accompanied by the squarish secondary screen looking much like the Apple Watch. Since Xiaomi didn’t shy away from making the smart move to use Mi Band 5 as the secondary display, nothing’s stopping me from believing that Apple could also salvage the Apple Watch display for the same on their phone.

While Xiaomi made the leap to this unique rear setup, I doubt Apple would make the same move as long as the whole smartphone industry doesn’t – sway that way. The kind of user-base Apple has, they wouldn’t want to have the distraction of a secondary screen when their phone is turned upside down for digital detox. Apart from showing notifications or other secondary controls, the screen is too small for any interactive space to make a thumping statement for it to be there. Anyways, the concept looks interesting and another interesting story for netizens to have an endless discussion on!

Designer: ConceptsiPhone