Virtual/Augmented/Mixed Reality News & Discussions

[weatheriscool]

EgoTouch tech lets VR users' palms serve as touchscreen interfaces
By Ben Coxworth
November 14, 2024

In the real world, you wouldn't want to carry a handheld controller all the time, or have menus constantly popping up in front of your face – so why put up with those things in VR worlds? With EgoTouch you don't have to, as it puts an interface on the palm of your hand.

Currently in prototype form, the EgoTouch system is being developed by PhD student Vimal Mollyn and colleagues at Carnegie Mellon University's Human-Computer Interaction Institute. It revisits the concept of placing touchscreen-like tactile interfaces on VR users' virtual bodies.

Previous studies have shown that such interfaces have significant speed, accuracy, and ergonomic benefits over the commonly used "in-air" interfaces which are superimposed over the user's view of the VR world.

https://newatlas.com/vr/egotouch-palm-vr-interface/

[Tadasuke]

Despite some optimistic predictions, graphs and extrapolations, VR hardware simply doesn't exponentially improve anymore like some had hoped.

Here are quick specs of $399 standalone VR sets from Meta, serving as examples:

• Quest 1 (May 2019) - 64 GB storage, 4 GB RAM, 2.3 MPx per eye PenTile (2 subpixels per pixel) 72 Hz, 93° horizontal FoV, 93° vertical FoV, weight 571 g, battery life 3 hours, WiFi 5
• Quest 2 (October 2020, 17 months later) - 128 GB storage, 6 GB RAM, 3.5 MPx per eye RGB (3 subpixels per pixel) 120 Hz, 97° horizontal FoV, 93° vertical FoV, weight 503 g, battery life 3 hours, WiFi 6
• Quest 3S (October 2024, 4 years later) - 256 GB storage, 8 GB RAM, 3.5 MPx per eye RGB (3 subpixels per pixel) 120 Hz, 97° horizontal FoV, 93° vertical FoV, weight 514 g, battery life 2.5 hours, WiFi 6

Quest 2 was a lot better than Quest 1 in many areas:
• 2.28x more subpixels
• 1.5x more memory
• 2x faster CPU/GPU processing
• 1.667x higher refresh rate
• 0.88x lighter

Quest 3S is similar to Quest 2. Slightly faster, 2x more storage, 1.33x more RAM, same screens, same field of view, 2% heavier, same WiFi, shorter battery life + upper body tracking with leg position estimation. Valve Index is still the newest Valve VR and still the same price.

Clearly, things are slowing down and the exponential curve is very obviously flattening. VR is quite possibly going nowhere. Looks (to me at least) more like incremental than exponential progress. No breakthrough in sight.

[weatheriscool]

AR glasses put "cinematic spatial" visuals on your face, Bose in your ears
By Paul Ridden
December 05, 2024

Xreal has announced what's described as the "biggest leap forward for the consumer AR industry." The One Series cinematic AR glasses boast in-house spatial computing, audio from Bose, are certified eye-friendly, and can be cabled to "virtually any device."

"The Xreal One Series represents the most advanced consumer AR glasses on the market today," said Chi Xu, CEO and co-founder of Xreal, which rebranded from nReal last year. "With the X1 chip, we're introducing our biggest innovation since pioneering lightweight, portable, tethered AR glasses. X1 is the result of over three years of cutting-edge research and development, culminating in the world's first customized silicon designed specifically for OST [optical see-through] AR glasses.

"This is a transformative moment for Xreal customers – X1 powers the kind of spatial computing we've always envisioned and that customers have been eagerly waiting for. I'm thrilled for everyone to experience the Xreal One Series and see the X1 chip in action. It's a true game-changer."

https://newatlas.com/wearables/xreal-on ... r-glasses/

[weatheriscool]

Google renews push into mixed reality headgear
https://techxplore.com/news/2024-12-goo ... dgear.html

Google is ramping up its push into smart glasses and augmented reality headgear, taking on rivals Apple and Meta with help from its sophisticated Gemini artificial intelligence.

The internet titan on Thursday unveiled an Android XR operating system created in a collaboration with Samsung, which will use it in a device being built in what is called internally "Project Moohan," according to Google.

The software is designed to power augmented and virtual reality experiences enhanced with artificial intelligence, XR vice president Shahram Izadi said in a blog post.

"With headsets, you can effortlessly switch between being fully immersed in a virtual environment and staying present in the real world," Izadi said.

"You can fill the space around you with apps and content, and with Gemini, our AI assistant, you can even have conversations about what you're seeing or control your device."
Google is ramping up its push into smart glasses and augmented reality headgear, taking on rivals Apple and Meta with help from its sophisticated Gemini artificial intelligence.

[weatheriscool]

New full-body gaming system summons the spirits of Wii and Kinect
By Ben Coxworth
January 02, 2025
https://newatlas.com/games/bodylink-ful ... ng-system/

Even though full-body gaming systems like Wii were made obsolete by VR technology, that hasn't stopped US startup Rebuff Reality from getting in on the act. The company's new BodyLink gaming platform is set to pick up where the likes of Kinect left off.

Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, BodyLink consists of just two components: a wireless handheld motion controller with haptic feedback, and a main console that's connected to the user's big-screen TV.

The console is equipped with two cameras.

One of these tracks the player's body position in real time at a frame rate of 90 fps – with a bit of help from a wide-angle lens and an infrared light – without requiring the person to hold or wear a marker of any kind. In fact, it can track up to four separate players at the same time.

[weatheriscool]

BMW blends AR and panoramic displays into the dashboard of the future
By Abhimanyu Ghoshal
January 09, 2025

BMW is rethinking its car infotainment experience with a bunch of new technologies working in tandem. Starting late 2025, it'll begin outfitting all of its vehicles with what it's calling the 'Panoramic iDrive' system, which combines new screens and revamped software.

This is more than just an evolution of its driver-focused cockpit: it actually does away with the iDrive click-wheel controller that's been a staple of BMWs since 2001. Gesture controls, which let you adjust settings with a wave of your hand, are gone too.

The decision to move away from these towards touchscreens, reports Road & Track, was driven by data that indicated people simply weren't using those two interaction modes much.

https://newatlas.com/automotive/bmw-ar- ... dashboard/

[Tadasuke]

Going from 1920x1080 to 7680x4320 is 16x pixels, which means 8x higher graphical performance is needed. Going from 60 fps to 240 fps is 4x higher required CPU & GPU performance (including 4x higher memory bandwidth). Going from 1 screen to 2 screens (one for each eye) = up to 2x higher graphical performance.

That could mean 8 * 4 * 2 = 64x higher demanded computer performance for a similar experience, but in 16x the res, 4x the framerate and 2x the number of screens.

So let's say PS4 visuals in VR would demand even 64x faster hardware (which is more than the RTX 5090 using 500-600 watts at full load). Without some breakthroughs this is just way beyond capabilities of today or even improved today's hardware.

[weatheriscool]

New device could allow you to taste a cake in virtual reality
https://techxplore.com/news/2025-02-dev ... ality.html
by Tatyana Woodall, The Ohio State University

Novel technology intends to redefine the virtual reality experience by expanding to incorporate a new sensory connection: taste.

The interface, dubbed "e-Taste," uses a combination of sensors and wireless chemical dispensers to facilitate the remote perception of taste—what scientists call gustation. These sensors are attuned to recognize molecules like glucose and glutamate—chemicals that represent the five basic tastes of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. Once captured via an electrical signal, that data is wirelessly passed to a remote device for replication.

Field testing done by researchers at The Ohio State University confirmed the device's ability to digitally simulate a range of taste intensities, while still offering variety and safety for the user.

"The chemical dimension in the current VR and AR realm is relatively underrepresented, especially when we talk about olfaction and gustation," said Jinhua Li, co-author of the study and an assistant professor of materials science and engineering at Ohio State. "It's a gap that needs to be filled and we've developed that with this next-generation system."

The system, whose development was inspired by previous biosensor work of Li's, utilizes an actuator with two parts: an interface to the mouth and a small electromagnetic pump. This pump connects to a liquid channel of chemicals that vibrates when an electric charge passes through it, pushing the solution through a special gel layer into the mouth of the subject.

[weatheriscool]

Samsung's Upcoming XR Headset to Outshine Apple Vision Pro's Display by 400 ppi
Apple Vision Pro has approximately 3,400 ppi with 1.42-inch panels.
By Devesh Beri March 7, 2025

Samsung's upcoming Android XR headset, aka "Project Moohan," can challenge Apple's Vision Pro with better display technology, according to a new report from The Elec (via 9to5Google). The headset will have OLEDoS (OLED on Silicon) displays, reportedly manufactured by Sony, which also delivers similar panels to Apple for the Vision Pro.

The displays are said to be 1.3-inch panels with a pixel density of 3,800 ppi (pixels per inch). This surpasses the pixel density of other devices in the market, including typical flagship smartphones (500-600 ppi), the Meta Quest 3 (just over 1,200 ppi), and the Apple Vision Pro (approximately 3,400 ppi with 1.42-inch panels).

Samsung's suppliers are expected to begin mass production of components next month, with a market launch in the second half of 2025. The initial production target is around 100,000 units.

https://www.extremetech.com/electronics ... lay-by-400

[weatheriscool]

Tiny wearable simulates a lifelike sense of touch for VR experiences
By Abhimanyu Ghoshal
March 27, 2025

Today's virtual reality games and content can be pretty immersive, but they largely miss the mark when it comes to haptic feedback. Wouldn't it be cool to 'feel' a textured object, or perceive the sensation of running your hand over rich fabric in VR?

That's what researchers at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, are hoping to achieve with their new wearable. It's a lightweight device about the size of your fingertip that can go far beyond simply vibrating against your skin to deliver richer haptics using more sophisticated tech.

"Almost all haptic actuators really just poke at the skin," said John A. Rogers, a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the university who led the device design. "But skin is receptive to much more sophisticated senses of touch. We built a tiny actuator that can push the skin in any direction and in any combination of directions. With it, we can finely control the complex sensation of touch in a fully programmable way."

https://newatlas.com/vr/wearable-lifeli ... -feedback/

[weatheriscool]

MIT tech recreates old toys as interactive playthings in mixed reality
By Abhimanyu Ghoshal
April 02, 2025
https://newatlas.com/vr/interecon-recre ... d-reality/

A team of researchers from MIT, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, and ETH Zurich, has developed a mind-blowing tool to not only create a digital twin of physical objects around you, but also make them function like the real thing in mixed reality (MR). Whether it's a doll with limbs that move a certain way, or a gadget that plays video and music, the InteRecon tech can recreate all that – virtually.

The researchers are proposing this as a better way to preserve the memories of your beloved toys and other personal items, as well as to help present objects for closer examination to museum visitors.

[weatheriscool]

Apple Sees Double With Upcoming Vision Pro Headsets
A less expensive headset might launch this year.
By Josh Gulick April 28, 2025

With Apple’s first Vision Pro getting long in the tooth, the company appears to have version 2 on the horizon. In fact, according to Bloomberg, Apple may have two models in the works, with one possibly coming out this year. One headset would be less expensive, while the other would be tethered to a Mac.

When we last discussed the Apple Vision Pro’s second generation, analyst Mark Gurman thought the headset could arrive in late 2025 or early 2026. Now, he’s seen more of Apple's plans and thinks we might see at least one of the headsets around the launch of the iPhone 17. We expect the new phone series to drop in the fall of 2025.

https://www.extremetech.com/electronics ... o-headsets

[Yuli Ban]

[weatheriscool]

[wjfox]

A year later, Apple Vision Pro owners say they regret buying the $3,500 headset

May 19, 2025

Facepalm: It's been over a year since Apple launched its Vision Pro, the mixed-reality headset that you might have already forgotten about. Now, many people who paid $3,500 when the device first arrived are experiencing the same emotion: regret.

The Wall Street Journal has interviewed some of the Apple Vision Pro's early adopters, and it seems most people now regret paying $3,500 for something they have barely used.

"It's just collecting dust. I think I've probably used it four times in the last year," said Dustin Fox, a real estate agent in Centreville, Virginia. "It's way too heavy. I can't wear it for more than 20 or 30 minutes without it hurting my neck."

Fox said the novelty factor and potential productivity benefits convinced him to buy a Vision Pro. But its 1.3 - 1.4-pound weight made using it for longer sessions very uncomfortable.

Fox said he considered selling the headset but knew he wouldn't get anywhere near the price he paid.

https://www.techspot.com/news/107963-ap ... -3500.html

[firestar464]

Five things to do in virtual reality—and five to avoid

https://techxplore.com/news/2025-05-vir ... ality.html

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

Samsung’s Apple Vision Pro Rival: Leak Reveals September Launch Date
Project Moohan will use the Android XR platform, which Samsung developed in partnership with Google.
By Devesh Beri June 18, 2025

According to a Korean leak, Samsung will unveil its XR headset, Project Moohan, at its Unpacked event in South Korea on September 29, 2025. The device will be available in the Korean market starting October 13 and gradually roll out to global markets, as reported by NewsPim.

Project Moohan will use the Android XR platform, which Samsung developed in partnership with Google. This platform was first shown at the XR Unlocked event in New York last December.

The collaboration between Samsung and Google goes well with their earlier work on Wear OS for wearables. Samsung says it has used large-scale data analysis to create a wearable design that fits quite a few head shapes and has added multimodal input methods like eye tracking, gesture recognition, and conversational user interfaces. The device is to have AI-based personalized services, using Google’s Gemini AI for natural language conversation.

https://www.extremetech.com/computing/s ... android-xr

[weatheriscool]

[weatheriscool]

Apple May Launch Vision Pro 2 This Year
A faster chip and comfortable strap sound nice, but will they boost consumer uptake?
By Josh Gulick July 10, 2025

It looks like Apple will release its Vision Pro 2 later this year, but don’t expect the headset to lose any weight. The company is reportedly working on a lighter model for 2027, so customers who buy the Vision Pro 2 may have to settle for a revised head strap and a faster chip with better AI performance. One can hope that the price tag will be lower than the $3,500 for the original Vision Pro.

Recent reports suggested that Apple might stop working on the Vision Pro 2 in favor of the lighter (possibly cheaper) model. With the Vision Pro 2 now expected (though not confirmed by Apple) to appear this year, it seems that Apple has made enough progress to put out a new model. But unless there are more changes to the headset than the strap and chip, it seems like more of a refresh than a generational change.

https://www.extremetech.com/computing/a ... -this-year