CES 2020 – Augmented & Virtual Reality Confabulation

October 12, 2021October 18, 2021

Update: Pimax To Host Online Conference, Pimax Frontier, On October 25

Pimax revealed plans for a new online conference, called Pimax Frontier 2021, where it says it will reveal details about its future roadmap and tease a new product code-named ‘Reality’.

Update: Pimax Frontier has been pushed back from October 20 to October 25, but will still take place online and be available worldwide. Original story follows below.

According to an email from Pimax to potential attendees, this conference will go over the company’s Pimax product roadmap and “related technologies,” alongside “the vision of VR3.0” and a sneak peek of their next product, which is referred to by the name ‘Reality’ in the email. The effort is referred to as “a new product that’s several generations ahead of anything currently on the market.”

Don’t expect a full announcement just yet — Pimax says that Frontier will only feature a “sneak peek” of Reality and that CES 2022 will see the full “formal unveiling” of the new product. CES is the largest annual Western technology conference and the 2022 event is scheduled to take place on January 5-8, 2022 in Las Vegas.

At CES 2020, Pimax announced a 180Hz ‘5K SUPER’ headset — an enhanced version of Pimax’s main offering, the 5K Plus. While Valve’s Index controllers are compatible with Pimax headsets, the company’s own controllers, the long-delayed Sword Lite VR controllers, entered mass production last month, with the aim to begin shipping this month. This will make good on a promise from Pimax’s 2017 Kickstarter, where backers could pay an extra $200 for rudimentary VR controllers to go with its “8K” ultra-wide field of view VR headset.

The company has a long history of shipping delays and in the past we’ve recommended treating orders, particularly ones for products that don’t yet have a ship date, as more like backing a Kickstarter than placing an order. For those interested in attending Pimax Frontier, sign-ups are available now online.

February 18, 2020

CES 2020 Interview: Bringing the Game Show World Into VR

It’s time for VRFocus’ last interview from CES 2020 and it’s not what you might expect. Away from all the high tech gadgetry, glossy stands and hordes of visitors all shoulder to shoulder was a smaller event dedicated to virtual and augmented reality (VR/AR) called DreamlandXR. Here VRFocus caught up with Jersey Feimster, VR Producer for iconic game show Let’s Make a Deal, to discuss the recently released tie-in title and what’s coming next.

Lets Make a Deal

Having begun in 1963, Let’s Make a Deal is one of those American game show’s known around the world. Audience members are selected to take part and then trade with the host. Offered an initial item they then have the option to exchange it for a hidden product, which could be either of greater or lesser value. As part of this process, mini-games are introduced which is where the VR experience takes its inspiration.

Lets Make a Deal launched for Oculus Rift in December 2019 as an official affiliation of the show. Using the CarPong mini-game, players first have to answer a multiple-choice question to gain as much time as possible for the main section. Grabbing some virtual ping-pong balls the idea is to score as many points as possible by sinking the balls in the cups. Fairly basic by VR standards but the twist comes with the affiliation.

Not only are you put inside the game show itself with an actual studio audience cheering you on but you can also win real prizes. Whoever has the highest score at the end of the month wins a prize from the show – if you register of course – but do be aware this is only for US players at the moment.

Lets Make a Deal

Talking to Feimster he reveals that while only Oculus Rift is supported at the moment plans are under to bring Lets Make A Deal VR Carpong to Oculus Quest first followed by SteamVR and PlayStation VR. Depending on how popular the format is in the US the hope is to go worldwide eventually as well as adding further shows like The Price is Right.

Check out the interview below for further details or here for the rest of VRFocus’ CES 2020 coverage.

February 4, 2020

Collaborating in Spatial Offers a Vision of Hands-on Teamwork

CES 2020 in January was a bit of a mixed bag when it came to virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) announcements. There were lots of interesting smaller updates and advancements but nothing like those from previous years – even Panasonic’s Eyeglasses weren’t that amazing. There were products which did catch VRFocus’ eye, one of them being Spatial, a mixed reality (MR) app designed for workplace collaboration.

Spatial Spatial emerged from stealth almost two years ago, with a vision to make it easier for people to work together on projects wherever they are in the world as if they were in the same office together.

This has been made possible thanks to the likes of Microsoft’s HoloLens and Magic Leap 1, allowing digitised information to be overlaid on the real world. Spatial does support VR standalone headset Oculus Quest but that wasn’t available to demo, the HoloLens 2 on the other hand, was.

The software is all about versatility and ease of use, where users can place sticky notes on walls and import 3D models for others to examine and assess. Before any of that takes place a work environment wouldn’t feel very engaging or personal if you were represented as names or amorphous blobs. Spatial has managed to create an avatar system which creates a 3D representation of any user from a normal 2D photograph.

As you can see from the imagery the process works surprising well, creating an avatar that you can genuinely connect and have a conversation with. When VRFocus spoke with Spatial’s CEO and co-founder Anand Agarawala he noted that while eye tracking was currently supported if the hardware had the feature, the avatars could also support further facial movement like lips and eyebrows when the hardware catches up.

During the demo, Agarawala dropped a model of the Mars surface into the workspace, with any of the users able to spin or resize it, all in real-time and viewable by the group, not just them. This was certainly helped by the new hand gesture features of HoloLens 2, markedly improved over the previous model, making the interactions far more fluid and natural. HoloLens 2’s wider field of view (FoV) also made for comfortable viewing, taking in more of what was going on. If the FoV was narrower then it would be difficult to imagine Spatial having the same impact, its vision constrained by the hardware.

While the Mars model was out Spatial demonstrated some of the other tools users had access to. These included putting another model (a Mars rover) onto the surface then opening a painting/drawing tool for users to visually explain ideas and processes, in this case, a possible route for the rover to take.

Spatial Because the system is designed to connect people worldwide – it supports Microsoft Meeting for example – as well as throwing in lots of 2D/3D data it was noticeable that a good WiFi connection was needed, as – no fault of Spatial – the hotel connection did introduce moments of lag which if presented in a work environment would hamper the experience.

Spatial has yet to be officially rolled out with a fully released product expected later this year. Enterprise customers interested can still access the app by contacting Spatial directly. The software provides a tantalising taste of what’s achievable in MR with current technology, with possibilities beyond merely office collaboration, stretching into education and more.

February 4, 2020

CES 2020 Interview: VRgineers has an 8K Vision

Unless you’re a big global company with plenty of money to burn standing out at the world’s largest technology event, CES can be a little difficult. Even so, that didn’t stop Prague-based VRgineers, the virtual reality (VR) headset manufacturer behind XTAL from trying to make an impression. The company attended the event to showcase its new 8K resolution headset and did so in style, bringing a massive flight-sim rig for guests to test the improved resolution. This also proved to be an opportune moment to chat with CEO and co-founder Marek Polcak about the 8K XTAL.

VRgineers XTAL

From the outside the new XTAL 8K looks no different from its 5K sibling, offering that striking crystal design, the wide 180-degree (FoV) as well as the built-in hand-tracking from Ultraleap. It’s only when you put on the headset that the difference becomes clear.

First and foremost VRgineers has designed the XTAL to be an industrial headset, suited to companies and organisations which require high-resolutions and wide FoVs for an unincumbered VR experience. This has led XTAL down the simulator route, flight-sims in particular. Because of this specialism, VRgineers has been working with the likes of the US Airforce and US NAVY to aid in their training programs. During CES 2020 it was announced that Vance Airforce Base in Oklahoma will be the first to receive the 8K version, helping upgrade its training centre.

Hence why VRgineers chose to bring a massive pneumatic rig to the expo, where guests had to climb up and in via a ladder to have a go. The setup featured full flight controls and for that added feel of realism, the XTAL was attached to a flight helmet. It’s the fine detail which sets the 8K headset apart from other VR devices. The landscape outside the cockpit looked nice enough but it was the clarity of all the dials and switches which truly impressed – understandable why the US Airforce was using it.

VRgineers XTAL

After a nice flight around Dubai airspace, it was time to talk with Polcak about the XTAL 8K and the work that went into upgrading the headset. Check out the interview below to see what he said and to see the rig in action. The new XTAL is expected to be commercially available in the second half of Q1 2020. For further updates, keep reading VRFocus.

January 31, 2020

CES 2020 Interview: Bebop Sensors has got the Touch

If you’ve been following VRFocus’ previous coverage of CES 2020 then you’ll know that hands and more specifically gloves had a definite presence during this year’s show. Teslasuit announced its new force-feedback glove and HaptX was there to demonstrate its microfluidic technology. Another was Bebop Sensors, showcasing its latest Forte Date Glove, which had built-in haptics and Oculus Quest compatibility. Continuing with VRFocus’ interview series, Head of Business Development CJ Wheelock was on hand to discuss the latest product.

BeBob Sensors - Forte Data Gloves

Bebop Sensors has attended CES for several years now with VRFocus last testing the Forte Data Glove back in 2018. Back then the glove was more about demonstrating its bend sensor technology rather making a commercial product. In fact, at the time the company said it had no plans of going into full production.

Two years later and things had certainly changed. Not so much in the fundamentals of the Forte Data Glove but the fact that the device is now a viable product which companies can purchase, marketed towards training, simulation and other use cases.

When it comes to the Forte Data Gloves features each device is wireless with bend sensors on each finger and thumb, as well as haptic actuators to create tactile sensory feedback which can be adjusted depending on the developer’s requirements. The gloves themselves can’t be tracked in 3D space so they do require an additional sensor like an HTC Vive Tracker for full 6 degrees of freedom motion. Hence its latest update adding Oculus Quest compatibility.

BeBob Sensors - Forte Data Gloves

As is plainly obvious from the images, Oculus Quest compatibility uses the headsets’ controllers mounted to the back of each hand for tracking purposes, great for those users who want a portable training solution with haptic feedback. The gloves also support Oculus Rift S, Windows Mixed Reality, HTC Vive Cosmos, HTC Vive Pro, HTC Focus Plus, and Varjo.

Check out the interview below or for more CES 2020 coverage why not take a look at VRFocus‘ interview with HaptX, our chat with Teslasuit about its new glove, with Spatial regarding its AR collaboration tool, Insta360 and its new ONE R action camera or Pimax with an ever-growing lineup of headsets.

January 30, 2020

AR/VR Startup Spatial Raises $14M In Series A Funding

AR/VR startup Spatial announced that it raised $14 million in Series A funding, bringing the total amount raised to date up to $22 million.

This latest round of Series A funding was led by WhiteStar Capital, iNovia and Kakao Ventures, along with continued participation from Instagram Co-Founder Mike Krieger and Zynga Founder Mark Pincus.

Spatial is a cross-device, multi-user VR and AR communication platform. The software allows for collaboration in 3D workspaces using AR and VR devices, regardless of whether users are in the same room or in completely different locations, allowing them to collaborate in the same virtual workspace.

This year at CES 2020 we tried out Spatial’s software for ourselves. You can watch the video embedded above for our thoughts on the technology, as well as some mixed reality footage of what the collaboration software looks like in action.

Spatial supports AR devices such as the Microsoft HoloLens and the Magic Leap One, but also VR devices such as the Oculus Quest, and mobile and desktop devices as well. Spatial aims to support as many devices as possible across all platforms, allowing anyone to collaborate and participate without the requirement of a specific device. Users who are not physically present in the same space are represented to others as 3D avatars which can be generated from 2D photos.

The eventual aim for Spatial is to eliminate the need for physical travel for team collaboration and provide a solution that goes farther than existing remote collaboration tools like Zoom and Slack, allowing users to collaborate in the same physical space no matter where they are in the world.

More information can be found on Spatial’s website.

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January 27, 2020

CES 2020 Interview: It All Becomes Clear With Pimax 8K

For the last few years at CES in Las Vegas virtual reality (VR) headset company Pimax has put on a bigger and bigger display of its technology as it matures and customer base grows. This year Pimax had plenty to shout about, showcasing the latest lineup of 8K resolution headsets. On hand to discuss the continually growing product roster was Chief Operating Office Kevin Henderson.

Pimax VISION 8K X

The new Pimax Vision 8K range aims to offer customers the highest-fidelity VR headset, whether that’s consumers looking for a gaming headset which can provide super clear visuals or enterprise use cases where realism and fine detail are top requirements.

Originally announced last November along with the pre-order campaign, the latest flagship model is the Pimax Vision 8K X which boasts dual native 4K displays offering 3840×2160 per-eye resolution. It has a 200° field of view (FoV), as well as a new ‘Dual Engine Modes’ capability for native content as well as upscaling. Retailing for $1299 USD, during CES 2020 Pimax announced that the model has gone into full-scale production.

At the opposite end of the spectrum is the Pimax Artisan. Designed as the new entry-level model for customers new to the world of VR or for those that don’t want to spend massive amounts of money, the Pimax Artisan is priced from $449. Featuring a 170° diagonal FOV with 1700×1440 per eye resolution the headset will work with SteamVR 1.0 and 2.0 tracking setups. It’s available now but only in the US, Canada, EU, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.

As you can see from the image above, Pimax’s product range is quite extensive offering a range of options that should cover any VR customers needs, from entry-level up to the high-end user. In VRFocus’ interview with Henderson, he helps to simplify the range and where Pimax is heading, whilst discussing some of its other products including the Sword Series VR controllers.

January 23, 2020

CES 2020 Interview: Covering all Angles With the new Insta360 ONE R

During CES 2020, camera company Insta360 announced its new flagship action camera called the Insta360 ONE R. Modular in design with three lens variations as well as other additions, the camera aims to cover all aspects of prosumer requirements. Showcasing the camera at the expo, VRFocus sat down with Director of Communications Eli Mackinnon to find out more about this diminutive device.

Insta360 One R

The Insta360 ONE R is all about flexibility, so users can swap and change its functionality depending upon requirements. There’s a core processing unit which houses the touch screen display as well as SD card slot. You can then attach the Dual-Lens 360 Mod to capture 360 pictures and video, the single-lens 4K Wide Angle Mod for general recording, or the 1-inch Wide Angle Mod which was co-engineered with Leica for the best quality footage.

Whichever mod you choose to attach to the core these all sit on the standard battery base for an hours worth of footage, or upgrade to the Boosted Battery Base to double that time.

Just like the company’s other models, the Insta360 ONE R comes with the latest FlowState stabilization algorithm providing super smooth, judder-free recording for all those fans of extreme sports. Other nifty features include Bullet Time, AI-powered subject tracking, cinematic slow-mo, stabilized hyperlapse and much more. It also has IPX8 waterproofing to depths of 5 meters (16.4 feet) – plus a Dive Case is available achieving up to 60 meters (197 feet).

Insta360 One R

During the interview, Mackinnon details the idea behind the new camera and how the collaboration with Leica came about. He demonstrates how the modular functionality works and the ease at which users can attach and detach the various components.

The Insta360 ONE R is available in a range of combinations from the company’s website:

Insta360 ONE R Twin Edition – Dual-Lens 360 Mod and 4K Wide Angle Mod – $479.99 USD
Insta360 ONE R 1-Inch Edition – 1-Inch Wide Angle Mod co-engineered with Leica – $549.99
Insta360 ONE R 4K Edition – 4K Wide Angle Mod – $299.99

Check out the full interview with Mackinnon below and for further updates from Insta360 keep reading VRFocus. Or for more CES 2020 coverage why not take a look at VRFocus‘ interview with HaptX, our chat with Teslasuit about its new glove or with Spatial regarding its AR collaboration tool.

January 22, 2020January 24, 2020

VR Power Accessory For Oculus Quest ‘Heavily Backordered’

The VR Power accessory for Oculus Quest appears to be in high demand and a new email from Rebuff Reality, the company behind the add-on, provides an update on shipping expectations.

Shortly after this year’s CES we ordered the VR Power accessory ourselves to properly review the product after our initial impressions. The accessory attaches to the Oculus Quest strap in the back of the head and connects to the headset to provide backup power and operate as a counterweight with better balance for the headset’s fitting. We placed our order on Jan. 15 and received an email today stating “You should be receiving your order in the next two weeks. If you have placed an order of VR Power in the last week, it is possible you may incur further shipping delays as the first shipment of VR Power from our manufacturer has been completely sold out.”

Rebuff Reality’s website today lists the expected shipping date for new orders as Feb. 20. In case you missed it, VR Power and the company’s VR Ears accessory were both nominees for our Best of Show and People’s Choice Awards at CES.

VR Power delay website — A screenshot of Rebuff Reality’s website reflecting the new ship date.

This isn’t the first backorder we’ve seen in virtual reality recently. The Valve Index has been out of stock for some time, but is expected to ship again before the release of Half-Life Alyx. Just last week, ship dates from the official Facebook site for Oculus Quest in the United States were pushed back to March.

Article originally published January 22, and updated January 24 with the following email received via email from Sciacchetano: “Essentially the first shipment of VR Power has been completely sold out and people who have placed an order prior to one week ago should be receiving their order before the end of January. For orders placed in the last week we are still working to calculate the shipdate as we have not yet received the shipment from our manufacturer ourselves however it is on the way to us already. Bear in mind there is always the risk it gets stuck in customs or has some other issue however we have updated the website shipdate to February 20th for all new orders and are confident we will hit this date.”

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January 22, 2020

CES 2020 Interview: Collaborating in a Mixed Reality World With Spatial

The was a lot going at CES 2020 this month when it came to virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) technologies, with Spatial‘s collaboration tool of particular note. Designed for headsets like Microsoft’s HoloLens or Magic Leap 1, VRFocus had a chance to sit down with CEO and co-founder Anand Agarawala to learn about the company’s plans and where it’s headed.

Spatial

Founded in 2016, Spatial emerged from stealth in 2018, revealing its plans for an AR tool which could help colleagues collaborate in a digital space, all in real-time. Spatial can turn any area into an augmented workspace, where users can pin sticky notes, images or videos to a wall for anyone in the group to see; 3D models can be imported, scaled and manipulated, while devices like a phone or PC can be integrated. This means you don’t actually need a headset to join if one isn’t readily available.

One of Spatial’s most unique features is its ability to create a digital avatar of a user from a 2D photograph. As all users need a digital representation of themselves for remote colleagues to see and interact with, the company has tried to ensure a lifelike reproduction for a more natural working environment.

In the future Spatial aims to add further avatar features when headsets allow, such as facial tracking of lips and eyebrows – eye and hand tracking are already available. The software also supports VR headsets like Oculus Quest and integrates with Microsoft Teams.

Spatial CES 2020 demo

While available on the HoloLens store and Magic Leap World, Spatial has yet to officially launch. That will take place later this year, so for now, interested users have to download the software then contact Spatial at hello@spatial.io to create an account. Once officially available this process will no longer be required with both free and premium paid versions available to businesses.

Check out the full interview with Agarawala below and for further updates from the team keep reading VRFocus. Of for more CES 2020 coverage why not take a look at VRFocus‘ interview with HaptX or our chat with Teslasuit about its new glove.