Apple Researching Virtual Reality Headsets

[schneb]

Will it support 3D through LCD shutters in front of each eye? Or maybe via polarized lenses?

Polarizing lenses or even shutters would be a mistake. However, from the look of the design, it looks like two discreet screens. Hence the possibility (and better results) from a split screen, HD Quicktime movie where the first half is your left eye information and the right half is for right eye information. This works FAR better than shutters or filters. The gears seem to be used for either initial monitor alignment to prevent eye strain or focus (probably the latter).

Now add surround-sound headphones and will be one step away from Brainstorm!

 

[Lilx]

Internet + GPS + Augmented Realty + Innovative 3D Glasses could turn the world in a giant and real Second Life.

 

[MrCrowbar]

This is how Nintendo did it:



I don't recommend this. It really does give you crazy eye strain after awhile.

I believe that with new 3D movies you are forced to wear goggles to experience the effect. (I haven't seen any of these yet, but I'd love to.) From my understanding, each lens of the goggles only allows the viewer to see a corresponding left or right image on the screen, respectively. These left and right images are projected on the screen alternating so rapidly that the viewers brain thinks it's seeing both images at the same time. Left eye view plus right eye view equals a field of depth, i.e., 3D.

With a VR headset, each eye could get its own display, vs. both eyes having to share one screen at the theater. This way, each eye could view its corresponding image at the exact same time, potentially creating an even more fluid, realistic effect. The only problem I still see is potential eye strain from viewing a display so close.

What you're decribing are shutter glasses. These were popular among gaming graphics cards circa 1999. Each lens (in the glasses) was a LCD that could alternate between (kinda) transparent and (kinda) not-transparent (think digital watch, same technology) at the same rate as the computer monitor flickers (60 Hz). So the monitor would alternate between left-eye and right-eye image and the shutter glasses "closed" one eye, than the other in the same frequency. The resulting flicker, lower framerate, much lower brighness, etc. gave me headaches.


Imax 3D movie theatres have 2 projectors that light the screen from a different angle, thus having a different polarity when reaching your eye. The glasses have polarity filters in the lenses so each eye gets only the image from one projector. A polarity filter is basically a bunch of very thin black parralel lines so only lightwaves in a certain orientation get through. They sell those for DSL cameras, too, when you turn the filter, you can eliminate reflections from water or windows and make LCDs go totally black.

I guess those VR glasses would just have one display per eye. There are plenty of those for iPods already, and they aren't that bad. But getting a high resolution is tough and it's kind of awkward when you turn or tilt your head and the displays stays right before you. You get used to it eventually, just like when using headphones. But commercial diplay goggles that follow head movements would be awesome.

 

[BigD58]

I love the idea of VR, and since its apple, you know it would be amazing!

 

[SimonTheSoundMa]

How do they patent something like this?

It seems to me the same as the VR headset I had in the early 90's.

 

[schneb]

How do they patent something like this?

It seems to me the same as the VR headset I had in the early 90's.

It might have something to do with a more advanced technology such as high resolution LCD or OLED, and possibly broadcast software. If its not exactly as previously patented, then it is pretty much approved as being "new" or "a better mousetrap".

 

[RoboCop001]

Whenever I hear about VR Headsets, I always think about Virtual Boy and how it was a failure. What they really need is holographic projection. If CNN can do it, then how come I can't have it? J/K

lol That CNN "hologram" was lame. It only exist on camera, therefore not a real hologram.

I hate when they call things by the wrong name. It's just an image being adjusted by a tracking system lol

I bet the guy was like "Oh great, so I have to stand here staring at a red dot, pretending to look at this person..."

 

[Srai-W]

So let me get this straight...Apple can develop futuristic 3D virtual reality movie googles but can't seem to sync notes from my Mac to my iPhone. I go cry now.

Haha - I was thinking something similar along the lines of the fact they can be researching this but cannot even update the Mini Crikey !

 

[ezekielrage_99]

Well it had to be said...

 

[mdriftmeyer]

As long as that research is focused on Advanced Engineering Software Solutions, I don't have a problem with it.

Otherwise, spend some of our stockholder money on something that will expand Apple into more markets.

 

[Erasmus]

There's just so much potential here. Seriously.

Firstly, this will only be good if Apple doesn't take any shortcuts. I guess it would need two of the best LCD screens ever made. I mean, they would have to be very high resolution, as well as incredibly small. Way better than present day iPod screens. They would also need some pretty fancy optics in them also so you could actually see an LCD screen an inch in front of your eye. If done right, this could completely eliminate the need to have to take breaks from the device. But especially cool would be making this optics adaptive (as it would have to be anyway for people who normally wear glasses) and having it driven by a small motor connected to the computer. For example, in new games like Crysis, full screen depth blur effects are used to focus your attention. With these 3D glasses, firstly everything would look 3D, but further, it would be easy enough to implement both on-screen shifting of the image, and refocussing of the optics to force your eyes to act as if they were tracking something moving towards or away from you.

Another idea is to use eye tracking technology to determine the quality of things that get drawn on the screen. This would be incredibly useful in graphics intensive games. If Apple can get their hands on LCD screens of extremely high resolution big enough to cover your complete field of vision, clearly you'd need some serious graphics processing power to run the screens. But if the system knew where you were looking at that point in time, it would only have to render a very small area to the full quality, and could sacrifice everything else substantially. Considering I have difficulty reading words just one inch away from where I'm looking on the screen, this would enable even incredibly graphics intensive games to be run on very modest hardware. And if the whole system could respond to eye movements in less than a 20th of a second or so, you wouldn't even notice it was happening.

Maybe in 5-10 years, Apple can make this work. Clearly the most pressing issue is the LCD screens that would be needed to pull this off properly.

 

[137489]

this is cool and scary at the same time... Didn't a couple of companies try this a while ago and it did not succeed? well, it will be cone by apple, so it might succeed based on brand name alone.

I think Apple should stick to what people have been screaming for in a mac and more inroads to enterprise technology - Unless apple's new branding is fun and the retail consumer only. in which case they might become the new sony with every electronic gadget under the sun.

 

[SPUY767]

Will it support 3D through LCD shutters in front of each eye? Or maybe via polarized lenses?

with one lens in front of each eye, your brain automatically convinced you that it's 3d, so long as the images are set op to simulate stereoscopic vision.

 

[137489]

So let me get this straight...Apple can develop futuristic 3D virtual reality movie googles but can't seem to sync notes from my Mac to my iPhone. I go cry now.

Or:

1) cut/copy-paste on the iphone
2) Make iwork a real office suite
3) bring back the editing/effect features in ilife08 that were in imovie HD 6
4) make a good dock for the macbook/pro
5) Lower prices a bit more to make apple more affordable for more people

ya know just stuff everyday people, and business people need..... - sorry they don't have a crying emoticon

 

[Wolffie]

Great, soon technology will evolve to the point where contact with actual, living people will be entirely unecessary.

Wasn't that the point of Disney's Pixar's WALL-E?

 

[liptonlover]

I remember seeing a video on YouTube where some guy attached a Wii controller to a headset so it could track his head movement, and on the TV, simulated a display looking out a window. It was very convincing.

I saw the same video, and I'm mad at nintendo for not using that technology. One player using two remote "slots" would create the best motion/virtual reality platform yet. It wouldn't even require any updating/new device, they just need to provide the glasses with the game.

@ Erasmus - If the screens are the biggest problem, then I think they're closer than you think... each year they come out with a new set of ipods, each with drastically higher resolution. I don't know specifics, but that tells me it's getting close.

 

[GeorgeD]

that's amazing! cant wait to see what they are like if they do, in fact, come out with them!

 

[tjcampbell]

Porn will never be the same.

 

[Saladinos]

This would be awesome for a games console. Just imagine an FPS with this

 

[Lesser Evets]

I can imagine having the tallest guy step over and sit in front of you. Then you need to ask him to move and get into a fight in the theater, which becomes a first person shooter while you play a DVD of "Sense and Sensibility"...

What's the point of that?

Maybe it is one step from interactive porn where you make out with the girl next to you using an Apple crotch attachment. The possibilities are endlessly droll.

 

[DaBrain]

Does it come with matte screens?

Nope! But it does have the exact same display as the macbook. That's what the motor is for cause Steve figures that we are finally getting tired of constantly tilting our display for a good view!--)))

 

[bluewoodboarder]

snowboard goggles

These look like some crazy snowboard goggles!

 

[psg0]

These look like some crazy snowboard goggles!

My thoughts exactly. Look like a pair of Oakley A-Frames with a bunch of gobbledegook after the lens.

 

[lazyrighteye]

Does anybody remember the movie, The Lawn Mower Man, from the early 90's

Wow. TLMM... Haven't thought of that since.

 

[kjs862]

apple why don't you just make video game systems
glossy screens
computer with mobile chips that don'th don't have fw