There seems to have been a bit of buzz around all-in-one untethered head-mounted displays (HMD), with the latest news of the development of a wireless HTC Vive with Quark VR. It has come out today, during this year’s IFA in Berlin, Germany, that Qualcomm Technologies Inc. has introduced a reference to create a standalone HMD, the Qualcomm Snapdragon VR820.
This reference platform, whose name is based off of the Snapdragon 820 processor, includes advanced features that let manufacturers create their own standalone HMDs. These include integrated eye tracking with two cameras, dual front facing cameras for six degrees of freedom (DOF), see-through applications, four microphones, gyro (short for gyroscope), accelerometer, and magnetometer sensors.
“Consumers everywhere are captivated by truly immersive VR experiences, and Qualcomm Technologies’ capabilities in graphics, displays, video, audio, computer vision and sensor technologies, as well as power and thermal efficiencies proven over years of smartphone innovation, uniquely positions us to help customers bring these experiences to life,” said Anthony Murray, senior vice president and general manager, IoT, Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd. in a press release.
“The Snapdragon VR820 integrates key technologies and features for an exceptional VR experience and provides a springboard for OEMs and developers to usher in the next generation of truly portable and untethered devices that we think are necessary for mass consumer adoption of VR.”
The Qualcomm Snapdragon VR820 is set to come out in the fourth quarter of 2016, and commercial HMDs that use the reference platform to be available shortly after.
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