During the summer, VRFocus reported on virtual reality (VR) headset manufacturer VRgineers announcing its latest enterprise-focused head-mount display (HMD), the XTAL. With features including 5K resolution, 170º field-of-view (FoV), and patented non-Fresnel lenses, it was already a beast of a device, and now the company has revealed a raft of upgrades which will be showcased at CES 2019 next month.
The upgrades have to do with XTAL’s lenses, with VRgineers creating an even more advanced version of its proprietary non-fresnel lenses, providing a wider FoV and less distortion.
The current 170º FoV lenses have been improved to offer a 180º FoV, with image quality fine-tuned to look even better. There is an Enlarged Super-focused Area which VRgineers claims to offer a 50 percent larger picture area, which is entirely focused. Lastly, the actual eye box has been increased by 20 percent, reducing the need for additional adjustment between different users.
“XTAL’s new non-fresnel lenses will deliver a wider field of view and binocular overlap, a bigger sweet spot, and much less distortion compared to the existing model,” explained Marek Polcak, CEO & Co-Founder of VRgineers in a statement. “This is critically important to our customers. When prototyping a new automobile design, for instance, they’ll be able to see more of the vehicle at once, and come closer than ever to a true-to-life image. We’re getting ever closer to our goal – which is to make virtual reality indistinguishable from reality itself.”
The first public demonstration will take place at CES 2019, in Las Vegas, Nevada next month. Customers may purchase the new XTAL today, while those who have purchased the previous XTAL model can upgrade their device free of charge via a lens-swap if they participate in XTAL’s professional support package.
It looks like the XTAL headset is staying the same price, with it listed on the website for €4,900 EUR. As VRgineers reveal further upgrade plans for the headset, VRFocus will let you know.