Head-mounted display
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After Math: Are you not entertained?
It's been an exciting week for the entertainment industry. Netflix is leading Emmy season with 18 nominations, Oculus permanently dropped the price of its VR headset and Whiz Khalifa has been crowned the new king of YouTube. Numbers, because how else are you going to count the domestic box office gross?
'Wilson's Heart': Inside Oculus' new psychological thriller
You come to as thunder crashes overhead. Streaks of lightning illuminate the room through gaping holes in the building's blown-out facade as you begin to take in your surroundings. But before you move on to the more pressing matters of why you're waking up in a mental hospital and why the building looks as though it survived an artillery bombardment, you'll first have to figure out how to remove the wrist restraints tethering you to this wall. The worst part is, this may well be the sanest part of your night.
T-Mobile leaks new Windows 10 phone ahead of announcement
T-Mobile accidentally leaked the newest Windows 10 phone, the Alcatel Idol 4S, ahead of the handset's official announcement during Microsoft's Surface event in New York City today. The handset-and-VR-headset bundle was originally released in July as a low-cost competitor to Samsung's Gear VR, though back then, the Idol was still running Android. T-Mobile is now offering the Idol 4S bundled with a VR headset as well as a 45-day trial subscription of Hulu, a 60-day trial subscription to Groove Music and a free copy of Halo Spartan. There's no word yet on pricing or availability.
Google's Daydream View VR headset is available for pre-order
Google announced via Twitter on Thursday that its forthcoming VR rig, the Pixel-powered Daydream View is now available for pre-order. The offer currently only extends to customers in the US, the United Kingdom and Germany. The Daydream will retail for $80 and can be ordered from either Verizon or Google itself. The headset relies on the new Google Pixel phone to generate VR images so you're going to want to make sure you have one of those before plunking down your cash for this gadget. The headset is slated to ship in November.
After Math: Ooooohhh, numbers!
It's been a big week for counting. IBM laid out $200 million in Watson research, Amazon dropped the price of its fresh produce deliveries, Oculus unveiled a slew of new accessories for its VR headset and Sony announced 80 -- count 'em, 8-0 -- titles for its upcoming PSVR platform. Numbers, because what else is your right hemisphere good for?
The Eye-Sync system can diagnose concussions in one minute
Concussions are no joke -- just ask Cam Newton -- but a new diagnostic system developed in conjunction with Stanford University could revolutionize the way these head injuries are determined. The Eye-Sync, from the SyncThink company, uses a modified VR headset and custom software running on a consumer tablet to diagnose concussions in just one minute.
Disney's remote control robots move just like people
Imagine walking into a Disney theme park and being greeted by Mike from Monsters Inc. A life-size Mike, perfectly spherically-proportioned on those spindly legs. Fitting a human into a costume like that is impossible. That's why Disney Research is building a new kind of haptic-feedback remote control system which will allow us to control robots as easily as we move ourselves.
Sony files patent for 'Powerglove'-like controller
Sony has reportedly filed a trio of patents for a new glove-based controller system. NeoGAF user Rösti came across the filings. The system centers around a finger-tracking flex sensor, a separate contact sensor that registers when the user touches a physical object and a communications module that sends this data to a VR headset where it is incorporated into the simulated experience.
Virtual reality's roller coaster ride to the mainstream
In the early '90s, four odd-looking arcade games appeared at a rented-out store in my local mall. For about seven dollars, anyone could play three minutes of a new virtual reality game called Dactyl Nightmare. I paid up, put on the massive helmet and... the game was over before I'd even figured out what I was doing in the blocky, chessboard-like environment. The whole experience left a lot to be desired and I never went back. It certainly wasn't the first VR experience (or the most advanced) made available for public consumption, but it sums up how many felt about the ill-fated, first wave of consumer-facing VR projects: all hype and not enough substance. The times and technology have changed, though, and it's finally time for round two. VR systems are being developed and promoted at a rate that outstrips the previous era, with better graphics and games (and far less queasiness) than ever before. VR, it seems, is just about ready for prime time. So to commemorate its second coming, let's take a look at virtual reality's bumpy road to mainstream recognition.
Canon MREAL Mixed Reality headset hitting US March 1st for $125,000
This isn't the first we've heard of Canon's Mixed Reality system -- not by a long shot. The company's trotted its augmented reality headset out a few times before. The camera maker did, however, take the opportunity to shed some light on its US plans for the head-mounted display yesterday at an event held in Manhattan's Classic Car Club. Surrounded by the classy convertibles, the company also unveiled the more streamlined (and vaguely Cypress Hill-esque) MREAL name. As before, the headset is decidedly industry-facing, targeting product prototypers with an augmented reality system that lets designers interact with computer-generated versions of their creations before actually willing them into existence. The MREAL System for Mixed Reality (that's the full name -- or, if you want to drill down even further: the headset is the HM-A1 and the software platform is MP-100) generates video of one's surroundings using a pair of cameras positioned in front of the wearer's eyes, which is combined with computer-generated graphics. The result is displayed on a pair of small monitors "to create high-impact, three-dimensional images." Amongst the potential target audiences for the product are automotive designers, manufacturers, university researchers and museum exhibit curators. Canon's also planning to open up its SDK to developers, so applications will likely only increase. As per Canon's press release, the MREAL system is set for a March 1st release, priced on a sliding scale, depending on which configuration you opt into -- though the company tossed out the steep $125,000 price point, along with $25,000 in annual maintenance. The aforementioned press release can be found after the break -- or better yet, have a look at our hands-on with the device right now.
Google nabs design patent for left-eyed Google Glass, frees southpaws from tyranny
No more shall lefties wanting Google Glass toil under the oppression of right-handed overlords. Not if Google's newly granted design patent is an indication, at any rate. The filing simply puts the eyepiece on the other side for those who are either naturally left-inclined or just that much opposed to the optical status quo. There's no guarantee Google will be so accommodating when Glass reaches the general public, although we're hopeful: when early adopters are already paying a small fortune to leap in, it wouldn't hurt to produce a batch for left eye use and give the more committed southpaws among us the freedom they've craved since Google I/O.
Zeiss Cinemizer head-mounted OLED display wends its way into stores
Zeiss must be doing well in the lens business, as it hasn't exactly been in a rush to get its Cinemizer OLED on to shelves. Still, we're happy to say that the head-mounted display is at last slipping into retailers: Amazon partners are now carrying the regular 870 x 500 version for $749 in the US (German titling aside) and £578 in the UK. It doesn't look to be the version with head tracking that we tried earlier this year, but you'll still get a 3D image through HDMI 1.4 in addition to 2D through either the HDMI link or analog input. The price makes it a tempting alternative to the more advanced but costlier Sony HMZ-T2 -- and for those who'd like something slightly more discreet-looking while they zone out with a good movie.
Sony 'Prototype-SR' spotted at TGS 2012: the HMZ-T2 tacks on a camera, plays with user perception (video)
Remember the Sony HMZ-T2 3D head-mounted display that we tried on back at IFA? Well, it's being prominently featured here at TGS, too. Tucked away at a smaller, much more modest booth around the corner, however, is something a smidge more interesting. Kept behind glass and a safe distance away from our grubby mitts and sweaty foreheads resides the "Prototype-SR" (Substitutional Reality) that was outed on YouTube last week. Essentially, the unit appears to be the HMZ-T2 with a front-mounted camera for head tracking and camera functionality -- the sort of thing that will provide what's being called a 360-degree immersive entertainment experience. From what we can tell from the booth monitors, the unit displays 3D video overlaid in real space for the person wearing the device. Details are scarce and extremely limited demos were available in an apparent lottery (no luck here). You can rest assured that if we're able to snag one, though, we'll be sure to offer up some impressions. For now, take a look at the camera-wielding set of hi-tech goggles in the gallery below and the aforementioned video awaits just past the break.
Sony quietly drops new HMZ-T2 Personal 3D viewer at IFA
Sony almost sneaked this one by us at today's IFA press event. In fact, it was never mentioned on stage and practically buried in the day's flood of PR. The HMZ-T2 is the company's next generation wearable 3D display. Aesthetically it doesn't appear very different from last year's T1 and, spec-wise, things seem largely the same as well. Put the head-mounted unit on and you'll be presented with a pair of 0.7-inch OLED monitors that deliver 45 degrees of three-dimensional entertainment. There's also the same Virtualphones tech baked in, that create the illusion of a 360-degree 5.1 surround sound system. The T2 distinguishes itself primarily through a refined design that makes it lighter and more comfortable (without resorting to shape-shifting liquid metal, either). For more, check out the PR below. %Gallery-163650%
Editorial: Engadget on EyeTap, Project Glass and the future of wearable cameras
Summer in Paris -- you can't walk a block on Champs-Élysées without locking eyes with at least one camera-equipped tourist. But Steve Mann's shooter wasn't dangling from his shoulder and neck; it was mounted on his head, with a design strikingly similar to Google's Project Glass. Unlike that mainstream Mountain View product, however, Mann's version has reportedly been around in one form or another for 34 years, and was designed with the objective of aiding vision, rather than capturing stills and video or providing a bounty of database-aided readouts. It's also street-ready today. While on vacation with his family, the Ontario-based "father of wearable computing" was sporting his EyeTap as he walked down the aforementioned French avenue, eventually entering a McDonald's to refuel after a busy day of sightseeing. He left without his ranch wrap, but with seriously damaged hardware. What allegedly occurred inside the restaurant is no doubt a result of the increasing presence and subsequent awareness of connected cameras, ranging from consumer gear to professional surveillance equipment. As Mann sat to eat, he writes that a stranger approached him then attempted to pull off his glasses, which, oddly, are permanently affixed to his skull. The man, at that point joined by one other patron and someone that appeared to be a McDonald's employee, then pushed Mann out of the store and onto the street. As a result of the attack, the eyewear malfunctioned, resulting in the three men being photographed. It wouldn't be terribly difficult for police to identify those involved, but this encounter may have greater implications. McDonalds has since launched an investigation into the matter and seems to be denying most of the claims, but it'll be some time yet before the full truth is uncovered. Still, the whole ordeal got us at Engadget thinking -- is the planet ready for humans to wear video recorders, and will it ever shake a general unease related to the threat of a world filled with omnipresent cameras? Join us past the break for our take.
Canon shows how its Mixed Reality makes virtually anything look real (video)
Remember that Canon Mixed Reality project? For those torn between cold, hard real world, and the sickly sweet virtual one? Due for release this month, Canon's been showing off its purpose-built HMD in real (or is it virtual?) use to DigInfo. Using those stereo cameras and a "free-curve" prism -- along with high-speed image processing -- we get a glimpse at how it generates life-size virtual objects in real-time. While this could benefit a number of scenarios, Canon points to industrial design, where mock-ups are commonly used. This system allows designers to run through virtual versions first, before committing to more time intensive physical models. Working on something where this could be handy? Canon also says there will be an SDK for developers coming soon. Head past the virtual break for the real video tour.
Brother AirScouter glasses bring augmented reality, unsightly add-ons to your face
Head-mounted displays may be all the rage as of late, thanks to Sergey Brin's own recent fashion choices, but the space is hardly new. Brother, for one, has been in the game for a while now, with its AirScouter glasses, and before fellow printer-maker Epson steals all its glory, the company wants you to know that it's got some new wearable augmented reality on the way. The AirScouter WD-100G and WD-100A are being targeted toward business users, allowing workers to get all of the relevant information from their computer, without staring at a proper monitor -- of course, you're going to want to use the included USB cable to tether you to that PC. The glasses do SVGA images in full color over an eye, while the other eye remains unobstructed, keeping you relatively aware of your surroundings -- best of all, you can choose the eye. The new AirScouters will be available in Japan this summer for a pricey ¥199,800. But really, how can you put a price on looking like the business casual version of the Terminator?
Epson Moverio BT-100 3D goggles now shipping in the U.S. for $699
Any Americans out there wanna buy a wacky head-mounted 3D display? Then Epson's Moverio BT-100 micro-projection headset ought to be right at the top of the your not-so-long list of options. It's just started shipping in the States for $699, including its Android-powered trackpad controller that streams and navigates content on the perceived '80-inch' transparent viewing window. You could even pair the Moverio with a Parrot AR.Drone and discover what it feels like to be an Apache pilot strafing your neighbor's rabbit.
Here's a Microsoft patent for a bizarre gaming helmet
The gaming world certainly isn't without its crazy patents and, today, we see Microsoft add another to the pile. The patent in question is a "laser-scanning virtual image display" able to display an image very close to a user's eyes. Specifically, two such displays would be incorporated into a helmet, allowing a user to see a stereoscopic, three dimensional image. While not exclusively meant for video games, the patent does mention that the helmet could "be used in applications ranging from video gaming to aviation."Furthermore, as spotted by Patent Bolt, the displays "may be at least partly transparent," which would allow the user to see the world around him as well as the projected image. That's good, because we prefer our pilots to keep their eyes on the sky, thank you very much.
Samsung patents using a phone as a pointer while wearing a head-mounted display
We're not sure how many head-mounted displays you've had your follicles on, but generally the answer around the Engadget compound is, "quite a few." If you've ever played with such a wearable gadget though, you'd know that head-tracking, while intuitive, isn't always the most accurate way to control a device. Samsung has patented an alternative method that lets you keep wearing those silly goggles, but uses your cellphone almost like a gyroscopic mouse to pilot a pointer. Rather than use a gyroscope or accelerometer (both of which are present in many modern smartphones), Samsung's patent turns to the camera -- a feature found in even the lowliest dumbphone. The primarily software-based solution would require that both the phone's sensor and the display have an agreed upon background marker to help line up the motions. If you're the type that loves to dig through the minutiae of patents there's something seriously wrong with you, but you'll find what you're looking for at the source.
