Sensics Natalia head-tracking 3D goggles work alone or with PCs, consoles and phones
Well, it looks like Sensics is going to give Sony some competition in the high-end, head-mounted display arena with a new 3D head-mounted display. Like the HMZ-T1, Sensics' Natalia headset has dual OLED screens and can connect to consoles, PCs, or phones to let you see your favorite movies and games in 3D. Unlike the Sony, Natalia sports higher-res 1280 x 1024 screens, and isn't simply a display: it has a 1.2GHZ dual-core CPU and 1GB of memory, an SD card slot, WiFi, Bluetooth, and runs Android 4.0. That means that it can be used as a standalone device, and the company's libSensics app programming interface gives devs the tools needed to create software for the new platform. Oh, and did we mention that Sensics' headset does 360-degree head tracking, and can track your hands to allow for immersive AR user experiences (think Minority Report). The final feather in her cap? Though Natalia can run on DC power, she also has hot-swappable batteries so you aren't tethered to an outlet. Sensics isn't telling how much this nifty bit of kit will cost, but the company's aiming for a late 2012 release and will be showing the headset off at CES next week -- where we'll be getting hands on with it and will let you know how well (and if) it works.
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Sensics Introduces the Natalia 3D Goggles, Incorporating SmartGoggles™ Technology
Firm Unveils First Intelligent, Interactive 3D Goggles at CES
COLUMBIA, MD (Jan 5th, 2012) –Sensics introduces Natalia™, the first intelligent, immersive, and interactive 3D goggles based on its new SmartGoggles™ technology. Sensics' Natalia is a fully-immersive 3D goggle that combines the resolution and field of view found in professional head-mounted displays, the unique ability to run powerful applications on board, and real-time, 360-degree tracking of the hands from the user's perspective.
"The ability to use interactive goggles without wires and without the need for an external computer opens up new opportunities for applications that benefit from limitless tracking area, greater portability, and on-board intelligence," says Yuval Boger, Sensics Chief Executive Officer. "Imagine being able to use hand movements and gestures to wield a light saber in a game, to select a movie from a media library, or to interact with augmented reality content," explains Boger. "The possibilities are endless."
Natalia features a 1.2 GHz, dual-core processor running Android 4.0 on board, strengthened by a powerful graphics and 3D accelerator and 1 GB of memory. Its performance is comparable to top-shelf tablets or smart phones. It includes real-time, limitless-area hand tracking, as well as head tracking providing both angular position and linear acceleration data.
Natalia includes two high-brightness OLED displays supporting both 1280×1024 as well as 720p resolution. It can be operated with either hot-swappable batteries or external DC power. WiFi and Bluetooth allow Natalia to communicate with outside peripherals or other Natalia systems, download content and applications from the Internet, and more. An on-board SD card provides additional expansion options.
Through the libSensics™ applications programmers interface, developers can take advantage of the Natalia capabilities to enhance existing applications or create new ones.
Natalia can be used completely standalone or paired with a PC, game console, tablet, or phone.
Natalia will be offered to consumer electronics and phone manufacturers as a reference design using SmartGoggles "system on a module" technology. It also immediately will be available as a development platform to game developers, and be offered as a commercial product to the professional, academic, and defense markets. SmartGoggles-based products will be available to consumers in late 2012.
Sensics will provide private demonstrations of Natalia at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show, being held in Las Vegas January 10-13
For additional information about Sensics and SmartGoggles™ or to schedule a meeting at CES, please visit www.smart-goggles.com and www.sensics.com
