Revolutionizing VR: This Virtual Reality Headset Promises 70 Megapixel "Human Eye-Resolution"

in #life7 years ago


The current standards of Virtual Reality don't really live up to their name. The quality is still blurry, not like actual vision.

Although we have seen drastic improvements in the last couple of years, we are still far away from real virtual reality that totally looks and feels like a different reality.

But that is about to change.
A finnish start up has just announced a product with which they could revolutionize Virtual Reality.

They have created the first VR headset with "human-eye resolution"!

You will be able to experience VR as if you were truly looking at another real world!

The startup "Varjo", meaning shadow in finnish, stated that the headset will offer 70 megapixels per eye!
To put that into perspective: Oculus Rift and HTC Vive only manage 1,2 megapixels.

The Varjo offers a 100 degree field of vision, just like other VR headsets.

It's supposed to be released in 2018.


img

Top: Image with Varjo VR headset. Bottom: Image from Oculus Rift VR headset.


What's the technology behind it?

Varjo announced that they will be using "patented technology that replicates how the human eye naturally works, creating a super-high-resolution image to the users gaze direction."
It also uses video see-through technology for "unparalleled" AR (Augmented Reality) and MR (Mixed Reality) experiences.
The technology was developed by experts who formerly worked at Microsoft, Nvidia, Intel and Nokia.

While Varjo hasn't stated exactly how the technology works in detail, they revealed that it combined a context display, focus display, optical combiner and gaze tracker into a "bionic display" for human-eye resolution in VR, AR and XR (Extended Reality).


What is the experience like?

Some big tech websites were invited to try a demo of Varjo in New York recently.
The testimonials were very positive - everyone reported how clear the vision was compared to the regular Oculus Rift graphics.

At a recent demo in New York City, the company showed off what its technology can do using an Oculus Rift. The team downloaded an interior environment off the Unity store and tweaked it to add crisper details and richer textures.

In the preview, a card-sized rectangle was laid over the middle of the field of view to show the difference between Varjo's tech and the standard Oculus Rift render.

During our preview, things that were viewed through the rectangle were significantly clearer than the surrounding areas. On a virtual eye test, letters in the bottom row were easy to read through Varjo's simulated rectangle, but were blurry and almost illegible in the regular Oculus Rift mode.
-Engadget


There was a simple room with a TV in the corner streaming video; a shapeless environment with some floating computer monitors; a plane cockpit. Because this was an Oculus Rift, the image quality was exactly what I expected it to be: fine. However, a small clear rectangle was there as well, sitting in the middle of my field of vision.

If I looked at something through that small rectangle—the text on the virtual computer monitors, the tiny numbers in the plane's instrument panels—it stopped looking like VR. It just looked like...well, like real life.

-Wired


I suppose the best testament to the company’s technology was that I spent most of the demo questioning whether my eye sight had actually been improved. After being dropped into an apartment scene, I was almost disturbed by my ability to read the spines of books on bookshelves several feet away.

-TechCrunch


Challenges

Although the headset should start shipping at the end of this year for "professional users" as a prototype, there are still some challenges to face before it can reach mass adaption.
The company didn't specify anything about frame rate and latency, and they also haven't announced yet how they are going to produce and display content with such a high resolution.

In other games, there are no games for this VR technology yet.

It currently already takes quite a powerful PC to view content on an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive, so for this resolution, the device would have to be much faster.
A specific price hasn't been set yet either, although Varjo stated they wanted to keep the product below $ 10.000 .

So while the technology is spectacular, we might still have to wait a few years until the Varjo will reach consumers with some attractive games to play.



Screenshot from the Original Demo Gameplay


“Varjo’s patented display innovation pushes VR technology 10 years ahead of the current state of the art, where people can experience unprecedented resolution of VR and AR content limited only by the perception of the human eye itself. This technology, along with Varjo VST, jump-starts the immersive computing age overnight — VR is no longer a curiosity, but now can be a professional tool for all industries.”

-Urho Konttori, Varjo CEO and Founder


What's your opinion about Varjo? Do you think they will manage to bring human-eye resolution to mainstream VR consumers?




Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6



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That's insane! Imagine that in 50-100 years we might be able to extend life by going inside VR.. (think Black Mirror style)

Maybe we already inside of VR (cue the music)

Yeah, sometimes I feel like that.

This post received a 3.4% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @codebreaker! For more information, click here!

Hell, I think even Elon Musk thinks it is a possibility (in terms of living in a simulation). We live on a giant ball spinning through space. That in itself is pretty crazy when you think about it.

vr-ception dun dun dun

Wow that would be incredible!

If that flight of fantasy tickles your fancy, definitely read Tad Williams' Otherland series, an amazingly feasible look at how VR could be used as life extension tech. Pretty sure the Black Mirror episode built off Williams' idea.

Awesome haha your so right this thing of the 3D world is Amazing I so this https://3dvisualisierung.co/ but I dont if they can make the same kind of things

Especially immersive video games such as Fallout 4 will be an unfathomable experience with a VR of such quality. I have to get Steem to save up for this! ;)

Imagine a horror game in this VR!

Great article. My first question, which you answered, was the frame rate and latency. If they can make those things more viable and the issue with having a computer to process it, the applications will far extend past gaming. I see the demand for developers skyrocketing.

I always get wary when I see companies promising huge leaps in existing tech within a years time. Hopefully this takes off though

And just think about it.... The VR technology is sooo new....Wait 10 years and it will be mind blowing.

^^^UPVOTED^^^

True, VR technology is still in its infancy, can't wait to see its full potential!

Followed and upvoted. This is so cool! I've been debating on which vr console to get. Pretty amazing. Nice post!

Thank you, appreciate your feedback!

Nice Post, I really want to see how this whole VR thing will work out in the future. It could be that we will be able to have a real fullbody VR experience in the next 10 years or so.

Yes I can't even imagine how far VR will develop in the next decade!

Thanks for the post! Right now I'm waiting for StarVR by Starbreeze studios to come to Sweden. But this looks good.

Yes, can't wait until the Varjo headset will go mainstream.

Not too long until games are indistinguishable from real life. Where the "matrix" theory stems from. Who's to say we're not in a really life like VR game right now? ;) Somebody beat us to the punch :P

Human eye resolution is going to be standard mainstream technology very soon. I love this topic @sirwinchester. Even as i kid i was dreaming about spherical rooms that project reality. That was 25 years ago. Great content as always. Resteemed.

Thank you for your support!
Yes I can't wait until we will get human eye resolution in much more products!