While augmented reality (AR) in the consumer sphere tends to revolve around mobile phone apps and videogames when it comes to enterprise the technology usually favours headsets like Microsoft’s HoloLens, supplying information whilst providing hands-free operation to carry out tasks. Lenovo previously entered the virtual reality (VR) market with the Lenovo Mirage Solo and the Lenovo Explorer and now it has announced its first venture into the business AR market with the ThinkReality A6.
Revealed as part of Lenovo’s annual Transform 3.0 at Accelerate, ThinkReality is a newly launched sub-brand to provide software and hardware solutions for businesses. The ThinkReality A6 is the first device in this new portfolio with the aim of providing employees assistance, helping reduce repair times, eliminate errors, streamline complex workflows, improve training quality, collaborate with multiple team members and more.
Powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 system-on-chip (SoC) processor, the headset offers a 40-degree diagonal field of view (FOV) with 1080p resolution per eye, weighing in at 380g (0.83lbs). Equipped with a depth sensor, Intel Movidius Visual Processing Unit (VPU), 13MP RGB camera, two fish-eye cameras, and an IMU (Inertial Measurement Unit), users can control the headset voice, gesture, and gaze control, or with a 3DoF (Degrees of Freedom) hand controller.
Additional features include a removable 6800mAh battery which offers up to 4 hours of use, WiFi, Bluetooth, changeable nose pads, built-in speakers and support for glasses wearers.
One benefit for business users with Lenovo’s system is that it’s device and cloud agnostic, enabling enterprise customers to use and manage their AR and VR software applications across multiple operating systems, cloud services, and devices.
The headset is lightweight thanks to the separate compute box which users will have to clip to their clothes using the supplied belt clip. This is similar in design to the Magic Leap One Creators Edition which has the separate puck, while HoloLens is a completely self-contained system. Retailing for $2,295 USD and $3,500 (HoloLens 2) respectively, expect the ThinkReality A6 to also feature a similar price (nothing has been confirmed just yet) when it arrives later this year.
As further details are released VRFocus will keep you updated on the latest ThinkReality news.