All the productivity. All of it.
One of Sony’s latest devices is played so close to the vest, it doesn’t even seem to have a name yet. the new XR headset, which very much looks like a scaled back PSVR2 is apparently meant for “spatial content creation”… whatever that means. Much like their VR headsets, it comes with a wand for interacting with whatever you’re working on, as well as a ring device. It also features two front-facing cameras, presumably to the end of making that whole “spatial content creation” thing a functional reality. the device, which will release later this year and will have its price announced in the near future, is being marketed towards artists and creators; primarily, those that work in digital spaces (for example, 3D modeling).
Sony kept things simple onstage, though they later sent out a press release with a few more details. Notably, the headset is a self-contained device; it doesn’t need a PC or any other hardware to work in conjunction with, just the headset. It’s also running the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2, itself a chip that was announced at the beginning of this CES. This chip runs the two OLED displays in the headset, as well as provides “user and space tracking” for mixed reality work. According to Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida, the headset provides a “crisp viewing experience” and “intuitive interaction for 3D design”, teasing that the device is aimed at professionals, in case the serious hardware wasn’t a tipoff for the layman.
The device has “video see-through” functionality, including six cameras and sensors. The ring controller is meant for manipulating objects, while the pointer controller allows, presumably, more traditional cursor manipulation in a 3D environment. Sony intends for all of these to be used in conjunction with more traditional peripherals like keyboards simultaneously.
By holding the pointing controller in the dominant hand and attaching the ring controller to the fingers of the other hand, creators can model 3D objects using both controllers and a keyboard, while wearing the head-mounted display.
Sony also makes note of the headset’s balance, claiming that “the balance of the device’s center of gravity” has been fine-tuned. In addition, the display can be flipped up and out of the user’s vision, allowing them to take a break or attend to something non-headset related without removing it entirely; a convenient feature. They also say that users will be able to collaborate and review work through third-party apps.
As of right now, there’s no set date, price, or name for this headset. But it’s not hard to imagine more details will flow out over the course of the coming week.
Source: Engadget
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