CES 2019: A Recap of the Latest VR & AR Tech

Last week was CES 2019 – as if you didn’t know already – the biggest technology event in the world, held in Las Vegas every year. It’s a week where companies from around the globe showcase their latest wares, from early prototypes to products that’ll be available over the course of the next year. VRFocus was there to check out the very latest in virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality (MR) gadgets and gizmo’s, so here’s a little round up of what was on display.

For those who say VR is a dead gimmick then they’ve obviously not been to CES and its dedicated VR & Gaming area in the South Hall. The place was packed with interesting innovations, from new headsets, to tracking solutions and much much more. There was also the Sands Convention, playing host to even more booths, with the Eureka Park area, in particular, a bewildering array of small booths showcasing a myriad of different ideas, like being in the beating heart of the tech industry.

It was in these hallowed halls that VRFocus came across companies like Ximmerse and its AR headset, or better known Pimax with its 5K Plus and 8K head-mounted displays (HMDs). FinchShift was proudly demoing its new wireless 6DoF controllers, and Qualcomm had its prototype headset on display. AntiLatency is a company working on positional tracking that can be attached to a range of devices, while 3dRudder was at the show to demo its new foot controller for PlayStation VR.

On the AstroReality booth the company displayed its new AR education tech for learning about the solar system, then we had a play with Orqa’s upcoming FPV.One headset designed for drones. Away from the show VRFocus went hands-on with The VOID and Ralph Breaks VR and saw the Hurricane 360 VR ride. Pico was on hand with is new enterprise-focused G2 4K standalone headset, and Blueprint Reality displayed its latest MR video making software MixCast Moments.

Ralph Breaks VR
Image Credit: ILMxLAB

There’s even more than that so check out the video below for VRFocus’ recap. We will be bringing more in-depth write-ups of the tech on display, so check back every day for more exciting VR and AR news.

Orqa to Officially Debut its FPV.One Headset at CES 2019

The CES show in Las Vegas, Nevada, is the biggest technology show on the planet and it’ll be opening its doors for another week of high tech debuts in a few weeks time. While some companies like to leave their announcements to the last minute, others are more than happy to reveal an early preview. Just like Croatian hardware manufacturer Orqa, which will be using CES 2019 to showcase its latest headset, the FPV.One.

The FPV.One headset isn’t the normal virtual reality (VR) device you’d find on VRFocus, it’s a first-person viewing platform designed for remote reality applications, like the increasingly popular drone racing sport or other remotely operated vehicles (ROVs).

Orqa is currently building its design around premium MOLED panels by Sony Semiconductor Solutions Group. The FPV.One features a 44-degree field-of-view (FOV), a resolution of 1280 x 960, MicroSD card slot to store footage, IPD and lens to eye distance adjustment, and a switchable de-fogging fan.

“The Orqa technology roadmap is a game-changer across the entire existing FPV technology stack, enabling more immersive experiences and more advanced FPV/RR applications the world has never seen before,” said Srdjan Kovacevic, CEO, Orqa in a statement. “Orqa will be a top-tier technology brand, targeting the most demanding applications in drone racing and competitive freestyle acro-flying. This second-to-none FPV technology portfolio will propel Orqa to the top of the emerging Remote Reality market.”

Details including the actual price of the FPV.One and its launch date have yet to be revealed. VRFocus will be at CES 2019 to get a closer look at the headset, a side of the market that gaining more fans who want to race as well as spectate.