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Kuo: Apple's Mixed Reality Headset to Feature Eye Tracking System, Iris Recognition a Possibility

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Apple's upcoming mixed reality headset will be equipped with an advanced eye tracking system, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said this evening in a note to investors that was seen by MacRumors.

apple-mixed-reality-headset-mockup-feature-purple.jpg

The eye tracking system will feature a transmitter and receiver that can detect and analyze eye movement information, providing users with images and information based on algorithms.
Apple's eye tracking system includes a transmitter and a receiver. The transmitting end provides one or several different wavelengths of invisible light, and the receiving end detects the change of the invisible light reflected by the eyeball, and judges the eyeball movement based on the change.
Click to expand...
Kuo says that most head-mounted devices are operated by handheld controllers that can't provide a smooth user experience. He believes that there are several advantages to an eye tracking system like the one Apple will use, including an intuitive visual experience that interacts seamlessly with the external environment, more intuitive operation that can be controlled with eye movements, and reduced computational burden in the form of a reduced resolution where the user is not looking.

There is no word yet on whether Apple's headset will be able to support iris recognition, but Kuo says that based on hardware specifications, an iris recognition feature should be possible. If this can be implemented, Kuo expects users will be able to use it for a "more intuitive Apple Pay method" when using headsets.

This is not the first time we've heard rumors of an eye tracking system. The Information previously said that the headset will feature advanced eye tracking capabilities along with more than a dozen cameras for tracking hand movements.

Kuo earlier this month said that Apple would release its mixed reality headset in "mid-2022," with the headset to then be followed by augmented reality glasses in 2025.

Prior rumors have indicated that the headset will offer both VR/AR capabilities, much like other mixed reality headsets on the market. The headset will include Sony's Micro-OLED displays to provide a "see-through AR experience" as well as a VR experience.

Bloomberg has said that the headset will be a "mostly virtual reality device" offering a 3D environment for gaming, watching videos, and communicating. AR functionality will be limited, and Apple plans to include powerful processors to handle the gaming features.

The headset is expected to be "portable" and lighter than other head-worn VR devices on the market, but it will carry a premium price and could cost somewhere around $1,000 in the United States.

Article Link: Kuo: Apple's Mixed Reality Headset to Feature Eye Tracking System, Iris Recognition a Possibility
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2021/03/18/apple-mixed-reality-headset-eye-tracking/
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I hope it will allow a transparency mode, where it projects into the screens what is outside, so you can wear them outside.
 
I’ve been really looking forward to this. Not because I want to deal with apples proprietary bs but because it will cause others to invest a lot more into R&D. I still don’t have a VR set but wouldn’t mind grabbing one once I get a new card to replace my 2070S.
 
airbatross said:
That was the first thing came to my mind while reading :D Imagine the manipulation they can do using your attention data.. Showing ads wherever you look or changing layout so you are always looking at things that keep your attention..
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Mobile phones are already a distraction with many not paying attention while walking, talking, playing on their phone and crossing into traffic. There should be a safety function to disengage this unit from working while walking on the street and crossing into traffic similar to CarPlay while driving.
 
Don't you have to have fairly powerful GPUs for these things? Last time I tried VR (at least 2 years ago?) - it had to be on a fairly powerful GPU and while the games were fun, I never felt the desire to go out and buy one. Maybe the new M1x M2x M3x chips will be stars at displaying VR?

I don't know of anyone who really likes VR, myself included.
 
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MacRumors said:


Apple's upcoming mixed reality headset will be equipped with an advanced eye tracking system, Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said this evening in a note to investors that was seen by MacRumors.

apple-mixed-reality-headset-mockup-feature.jpg

The eye tracking system will feature a transmitter and receiver that can detect and analyze eye movement information, providing users with images and information based on algorithms.Kuo says that most head-mounted devices are operated by handheld controllers that can't provide a smooth user experience. He believes that there are several advantages to an eye tracking system like the one Apple will use, including an intuitive visual experience that interacts seamlessly with the external environment, more intuitive operation that can be controlled with eye movements, and reduced computational burden in the form of a reduced resolution where the user is not looking.

There is no word yet on whether Apple's headset will be able to support iris recognition, but Kuo says that based on hardware specifications, an iris recognition feature should be possible. If this can be implemented, Kuo expects users will be able to use it for a "more intuitive Apple Pay method" when using headsets.

This is not the first time we've heard rumors of an eye tracking system. The Information previously said that the headset will feature advanced eye tracking capabilities along with more than a dozen cameras for tracking hand movements.

Kuo earlier this month said that Apple would release its mixed reality headset in "mid-2022," with the headset to then be followed by augmented reality glasses in 2025.

Prior rumors have indicated that the headset will offer both VR/AR capabilities, much like other mixed reality headsets on the market. The headset will include Sony's Micro-OLED displays to provide a "see-through AR experience" as well as a VR experience.

Bloomberg has said that the headset will be a "mostly virtual reality device" offering a 3D environment for gaming, watching videos, and communicating. AR functionality will be limited, and Apple plans to include powerful processors to handle the gaming features.

The headset is expected to be "portable" and lighter than other head-worn VR devices on the market, but it will carry a premium price and could cost somewhere around $1,000 in the United States.

Article Link: Kuo: Apple's Mixed Reality Headset to Feature Eye Tracking System, Iris Recognition a Possibility
Click to expand...

Wooohoooo FPV shooter games will be like that of Robotech Saga 1 that Maximillian did to the video game ;) lol.

All kidding aside this is something we all knew and discussed ad nauseum. This would be THE best way for focus selection without a physical hardware navigation by the end user for:
item selection
info of specifics on display (aka Maps: point of interest, navigation, etc)
Taking a pic,
saving a new face to a contact pic,
Menu selection,
Switching to/off FaceTime during an existing call,
tracking for ASL for data input.
 
BigMcGuire said:
Don't you have to have fairly powerful GPUs for these things? Last time I tried VR (at least 2 years ago?) - it had to be on a fairly powerful GPU and while the games were fun, I never felt the desire to go out and buy one. Maybe the new M1x M2x M3x chips will be stars at displaying VR?

I don't know of anyone who really likes VR, myself included.
Click to expand...

DJI FPV is a lot more interesting than VR.
 
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While they're at it, they could do something with pupil size response. Usually it just means that one's eyes are adjusting to dimmer light, but pupils getting large when light has not changed is also an indication of increased interest. Perhaps that has something to do with the reduced depth-of-field with larger pupil, which would "tune out" anything the but object of focus. Anyway, detection of "interest" might be another way of interacting. Imagine the discipline of a really good poker player that gives NOTHING away; can they avoid such reactions, or would that be a subtle signal that they've got a good hand? :)

Speaking of focus, or lack of it, I wonder how well AR/VR goggles would work with those with less than ideal vision, even including the normal loss of ability to focus close-in (presbyopia).
 
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I hope Apple can pull of intuitive and precise hand tracking so for most functions you don't need a controller.

Lighthouses and clunky inside-out tracking controllers might be a bigger barrier of entry to the average consumer than the headset.

Intuitive gesture control with a real-time VR representation of exactly what your hands are doing would be an incredible selling point to the headset too, that most others can't even compete with because they're tethered to controller input.
 
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2022? With Apple's signature device stalling (even for Apple, 4 years to release an over the head pair of headphones is long), I don't see this thing happening before 2029.
 
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