Having watched the movie “Ready Player One”, I decied to buy a PS4 headset and that’s 2 years ago. But the user experience is not as good as seen in the movie. The heaset is heavy, hard to adjust and causes dizziness after long period of wearing.

Looking at the current market headset, it inspires me to try new headset again!

For VR use cases, gaming is the most popular market.

Oculus quest 2 is no double the most attractive one. Single Fast-Switch LCD, 1832×1920px per eye makes the images presented to user more real. Qualcomm® Snapdragon XR2 CPU provides a solid computation power for rendering and processing.

Valve Index which has 1440×1600 LCD panel for each eye. Leveraging the PC end computational power, and backed by the steam platform, Valve delivers great gaming experience for end users. It have greater market compared to oculus.

There are massive use cases in engineering heaset which leaverages AR/MR.

Microsoft Hololens2 is getting very hot with real time enviormental data processing captured by sensors and rich communication capability via wireless.

From industrial application pespective, there is a headset we have to mention:

RealWear HMT-1Z1: I specially pick this headset as I have rich experience working with it. The headset is voice trigged thus it frees operators hands in crucial working enviornment.

The power of AR/VR/MR is not to say of a bright future. There was bubble period where VR was over priced and there were few successful stories. However now AR/VR is getting real useful again as the market is appreciating the benefit AR/VR can bring. The AR/VR headset design is innovating accoridng the following 3 aspects:

User comfortness/experience: The desnsity of chips in a headset increased significantly. The increasing computational power makes the headset lighter and user can make head movement easier. Technology tracking eyeball movement makes it easier to present images more real and ease the tiredness of the eyes.

Application: Either comsumer or industrial user now tend to use the single headset to perform multiple and complicated workload. Market palce with more quality applications attacts more users.

Eco-system: With enterprise and industrial leads, how the headset performs best relies on the software vendors who can deliver the most suitable applicaiton in the right scenarios. Thus it’s a history of hardware and software vendors working together.

As an avid supporter of the Japanese animation ‘Sword Art Online’ which depicts a fully immersive virtual reality game, I was intrigued to find out that these concepts are readily being integrated into the real world and in our daily lives (since that meant a step closer to experiencing such games). Aside from my childish fantasies, being relatively new to this topic on VR/AR/MR and its relevant hardware, what strikes me most when researching would be the price and the aesthetics of the devices, as well as how user friendly it is. Below is a list of devices that caught my attention.

Virtual Reality Headsets

• Oculus Quest 2
• Playstation VR
• HTC Vive

Augmented Reality Headsets

• Epson MOVERIO BT-300
• Everysight Raptor
• Google Glass

Mixed Reality Headsets

• Dimension NXG AjnaLens (not much information but looks cool)
• Magic Leap One
• Microsoft HoloLens 2

Favorite VR Headset – Oculus Quest 2

The reasons for selecting Oculus Quest 2 over the rest are as follows:

• Price
  From SG$430++ is a very reasonable price compared to counterparts that cost up to even thousands of dollars. (HTC Vive costs SG$1740 and Playstation VR coses $750)
  
  
• Aesthetics
  Very pleasing and looks very comfortable (although I do not have first hand experience, HTC Vive somehow looks a little less pleasing with the indentations on the headgear).
  
  
• Handling
  Standalone Headset which does not require any wiring or connection, only logging in using a FaceBook account is required. This will make it so much more convenient to use compared to its wired counterparts.
  
  Dual hand controlling with two controllers seems to allow more freedom of use when interacting with the virtual world as compared to the normal Playstation/console controllers.
  

Favorite MR Headset – HoloLens 2

The reasons for selecting HoloLens 2 over the rest are as follows:

• Aesthetics
  Looks the most professional. (No offence but Magic Leap looks like swimming goggles…)
  *Albeit the higher prices of HoloLens 2 (of more than a thousand compared to its competitors), I would still be inclined to this option due to its aesthetics and confidence in microsoft.
  
  
• Handling
  HoloLens 2 is a standalone headset that does not require wiring and additional connections too, thus makes it portable and more user friendly. In comparison, Magic Leap requires users to always hold a controller.

VR Headset – Oculus Go

My favorite Virtual Reality headset is the Oculus Go. As a beginner in Virtual Reality, it was important for me to find a device that would be beginner-friendly and allow me to experience media that I enjoy to full extent. Hence, Oculus Go was the best choice.

Price Point

Firstly, the Oculus Go is one of the cheapest VR headsets that offer high quality visuals that are on par with headsets twice or thrice as expensive. As a student who is also a non-gamer, affordability, but with good quality, was an important factor.

User-friendliness

Secondly, the setup of Oculus Go is simple and fast and the interface is intuitive and easy to use.

The navigation panels and clear labelling of different buttons or features makes it easy to navigate around the interface. The number of different navigation options are grouped and limited, example ‘My Apps’ is a panel on the left with only 5 to 6 options visible, the Library panel and the control panel at the bottom of the screen also has few limited options. This allows the user to focus and see all their options easily without being overwhelmed.

Besides the interface, the remote control is easy to learn using as well. There are only 4 buttons with specific usage for each. The design and functionalities of each of the buttons are familiar and similar to the buttons in our laptops and handphones. For instance, the mouse on the device is designed similar to the control pad on our laptops and the back button is similar to that of back and home buttons on our phones. Due to the familiarity of both remote control and the simplicity of the interface, the Oculus Go has high learnability and memorability and is easy to be picked up by beginners.   

The intuitiveness of the interface makes it user-friendly for beginners. Furthermore, the headset is standalone and does not require phone or computer for tethering, thus making it mobile and provide users the freedom to use the headsets in any space or positions they prefer.

High Quality Resolution

The resolution is 2560 x 1440 which is high given the Oculus Go’s price point, and is even higher than the more expensive Oculus Rift. However, the refresh rate is low at around 60 Hz which is lower than the usual standard of 90 Hz found offered on the more expensive counterparts. Hence, although the visuals on the screen are very sharp, it is also slightly less smooth than other VR sets.

Since no tethering is required, the Oculus Go allows users to easily move around while watching movies, concerts etc. which makes the experience more comfortable and enjoyable. Shows and concerts can be watched from various angles and allows users to experience events from different perspectives and immerse fully.

Although the games offered in Oculus Go are limited, the media and entertainment aspect of Oculus Go makes it great for experiential VR activities. Since I am not a gamer and primarily enjoy watching movies, shows and other videos, such a VR headset with its price point, ease of usage, mobility and quality and range of visuals and screen makes it very suitable for me.

MR Headset – Microsoft HoloLens

Microsoft HoloLens is my favourite Mixed Reality device and I feel is the best device to be introduced to Mixed Reality. The device is controlled entirely by hand gestures that are simple and intuitive. Its functionalities and features elevates the working and learning experience for students and regular office workers and can also be used for entertainment purposes.

High Quality

The HoloLens has very high resolution. Hence, any tabs, holograms, labels and images feel ‘surreal’ and hyper realistic. This allows users to completely immerse into the mixed reality where the real and virtual worlds are hard to tell apart.

Improved working/studying environment

All the basic functionalities and applications of laptops and PCs are available. Multiple monitors can be opened at the same time in different positions in the room and can be resized, pushed closer or further away from the user, while still maintaining high resolution.

This provides users more freedom and convenience to work in any size of screens and distance they wish to. Furthermore, hand gestures for different tasks are shown when user begins using an application, thus allowing users to learn the usage easily.

Improved research and learning experience

Learning and research is enhanced by allowing users to view and interact with the objects or subjects they wish to know more about.

For instance, when learning about solar system, users are able to zoom into the sun (as shown above) and see the most realistic view of it. Such interactive nature of the HoloLens gives room for a mixture of textual and hands-on learning and research from the comfort of home or office or any other space. This maximizes the facilities and resources that can be provided for learning at all times and places, and improves the learning, working and research experience for all.

To further enhance the mixed reality experience, the HoloLens also is able to map different objects in the room and places/allows users to place different holograms in different parts of the room as shown below. From the HoloLens view, these holograms are very clear and creates an exciting work experience, such as looking up in the room wall to check the weather. The room mapping also allows users to label different objects in the room via the HoloLens. This allows users to see different things in the room and reduces the need to remember where every single object or belonging is kept.

Reduces the need to purchase separate entertainment sets

Besides work and learning, the HoloLens is also a great device for entertainment purposes. Users are able to open different tabs and watch videos, movies etc at any screen size they wish to. This replaces the need to purchase large screen televisions or monitors and provides users full control of the size and distance of their screens or entertainment sets at all times.

Overall, the HoloLens provides a great introduction to mixed reality. Its high resolution, hyper realistic images, room mapping technology, and many other functionalities, creates a more enhanced version of the users’ real environment. This changes the way we work, learn and play and makes these experiences more productive, immersive, and fun.

I do not personally own any VR/AR hardware, so my review of the following devices would be based on the current reviews available online.

VR Headset Review

My criteria for the preferred headset would be based on the following factors:

• Compatibility with existing games or systems – Even with the most sophisticated VR hardware, the experience of VR would be limited by the current offerings that are available on the market.
• Ease of use, ergonomics – With it allows for a greater degree of immersion and thus easier to get a higher degree of presence.
• Price – As a good VR experience requires high-end hardware, which comes at a huge cost, the price of the VR hardware is not an important factor to consider

Below I have shortlisted 3 of the most popular VR headsets in 2020, with various price points and differing specifications.

Technical Specifications

Preferred: Valve Index

Reasoning:

Based on my findings, the Valve Index would allow for the greatest VR experience, despite it’s relatively higher upfront cost. The Valve Index is the only headset on the market capable of refresh rates above 90Hz, allowing higher temporal fidelity. This factor is especially important for me when purchasing a VR headset as I am prone to motion-sickness while playing video games, particularly during first-person perspective games. The Valve Index also has better tracking, with the use of external base stations called lighthouses, they are capable of tracking with sub-millimeter accuracy. Inside-out tracking, which uses the cameras mounted on the headset to track the position of the user, although robust but is still prone to drift, translating to minor annoyances during VR which might break the flow of the user.

One of the main deciding factors for the best VR experience are the controllers that come with each system, which are one of the main ways to interact with the game or system in VR. The controllers in the Valve Index allow for hands-free, full finger tracking, compared to the traditional controllers of other systems.

AR Headset Review

There is limited availability for AR headsets in the consumer market, hence there is not much development in the AR space, compared to VR. The products that are most prominent are Microsoft’s Hololens 2 and the Magic Leap One. However, Microsoft’s implementation is superior and more advanced overall.

Preferred: Microsoft Hololens 2

Reasoning:

The field-of-view has been improved over the first Hololens, now capable of over 52 degrees compared to the Magic Leap’s 30 degrees. The visual fidelity has been improved significantly, due to the new optics found in the Hololens 2, capable of about 2K pixels per eye, compared to Magic Leap’s 1280 x 960 resolution. Windows Holographic OS is also more robust compared to the one found in the Magic Leap One, thus offering a better AR experience overall.

Currently, the Hololens 2 is targeted at enterprise users, but as adoption increases we might have a consumer model in the future.

Technology with regards to Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR) and Mixed Reality (MR) has taken many steps to improve the quality of experiences users get, since they were first introduced to the world.

In this post, I’ll be looking at a few of the latest VR/MR Headsets and comparing them.

VR Equipment

The VR equipment sets I will be looking at are Oculus Quest 2, HTC Vive Cosmos Elite, and Valve Index Full VR Kit. How I will be judging them is based on graphics, audio, level of user interactivity, comfort, and prices.

Comfort refers to how comfortable the user feels during the VR experience. This can be affected by the Degrees of Freedom (DoF) the headset has. Headsets have either 3DoF vs 6DoF. Having 6DoF allows users to have greater freedom of movement within the virtual reality, which will lessen the difference in signals being sent to the user’s head. This way users are less likely to experience nausea from the VR experience, which is why I label it under “comfort”.

I believe the factors I am judging the equipment on are all important aspects of a VR tracking set. Graphics, audio, level of user interactivity and comfort help to judge how immersive an experience the VR headset allows. Price is also always a factor to potential consumers with budgets.

Oculus Quest 2

The Oculus Quest 2 is the latest VR set created by Oculus, a brand under Facebook. It was released October 2020.

Graphics: The Oculus Quest 2’s headset uses a single-panel Fast-Switch LCD, with a resolution of 1832×1920 pixels per eye. Its default refresh rate is 72Hz by default, although it may be changed to 60Hz in certain cases.
This headset has a field of view (FOV) of ~100º.
Audio: Has in-built speakers into its straps; Has a single earphone jack (in case users want to use their own earpiece instead)
Level of Interactivity: The Oculus Quest 2 comes with 2 controllers to be held by the user. These act as the user’s virtual hands to interact with the virtual environment.
Comfort: The Oculus Quest 2’s controllers with 6DoF tracking.
Price: Starts from 299 USD
Miscellaneous: Needs a Facebook account to be used, to which some people may not be keen on creating

HTC Vive Cosmos Elite

The Vive Cosmos Elite was released in March 2020.

Graphics: The Vive Cosmos Elite headset has dual 3.4″ diagonal screens. Dual screens can help increase refresh rate, and make it easier to adjust the distance of eye separation, or the distance from the screen to the user’s individual eye. Its resolution is 1440 x 1700 pixels per eye.
The Vive Cosmos Elite also has a refresh rate of 90Hz and a FOV of 110º (max).
Audio: Comes with its own stereo on-ear headphones. If users are willing to purchase an additional “replacement kit for earphones”, they may unplug the default headphones and replace it with the user’s own earpiece.
Level of Interactivity: The Vive Cosmos Elite comes with 2 handheld controllers, allowing user to interact with the virtual environment with virtual hands.
Comfort: The headset and controllers support 6DoF.
Price: 899 USD
Miscellaneous: Has base stations to help track the user’s (specifically, the headset and controllers’) position(s) in a room

Valve Index Full VR Kit

The Valve Index Full VR Kit was first released in June 2019. It also opened up for orders again in 2020.

Graphics: The Valve Index headset has dual LCD screens and canted lenses (which allow for a great FOV). Its resolution is 1440 x 1600 pixels per eye.
It allows for an FOV of up to 130º.
Audio: The headset has built-in near-field speakers that are positioned near the ears (but not covering). With the speaker drivers it uses, it lets the user experience a 3-dimensional surround sound, which can help further enhance the VR experience.
Level of Interactivity: The Valve Index comes with 2 handheld controllers to act as virtual hands. These controllers track the user’s motion, as well as the user’s hands and individual fingers, which I feel makes it stand out from other VR equipment sets.
Comfort: This VR equipment set offers 6DoF.
Price: 999 USD
Miscellaneous: Has base stations to help track the user’s position in a room; Has generally been commented on as “heavy”

Final Verdict

Overall, I like the Valve Index Full VR Kit the most.

I dislike the idea of needing to link my Facebook account to the Oculus Quest 2 in order to use that headset, although I admit that for most people who already have a Facebook account and find it convenient for them to link their accounts to their VR headsets, the Oculus Quest 2 is a good choice. The Oculus Quest 2 has very good specs for its price (and is the cheapest out of the 3 options!), making it the most accessible to consumers.
Thus, I decided based on my personal preference that I would rather pick other headsets over the Oculus Quest 2.

As for the remaining 2 headsets, the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite is 100 USD cheaper than the Valve Index Full VR Kit. Both systems come with similar equipment. Hence, we need to compare these two sets’ specs to see if the 100 USD is justified.

The Valve Index’s graphics are slightly superior to the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite. While both sets may offer 6DoF and dual screens, the Valve Index’s graphics allows for greater FOV. In terms of resolution, it appears both headsets are quite similar to one another.

In terms of sound, while the HTC Vive Cosmos Elite allows users to plug in their own earpiece (with an additional purchase required), the Valve Index provides users with 3-dimensional sound by default, allowing for a more immersive VR experience.

I do admit that the Valve Index’s finger-tracking sounds appealing but is rarely made use of as a core game mechanic by current VR games. Nonetheless, it has potential to be used in more games in the future. In fact, there are upcoming games with plans to make use of this unique tracking feature, such as Falcon Age and Boneworks.

Hence, overall, I still like the Valve Index Full VR Set the most.

MR Headsets

The MR equipment I will be comparing are the Microsoft HoloLens 2 (2019), and the Magic Leap One (2018).

I considered including the Nreal Light (2019) and the Dimension NXG Ajna Lens (2018) in this comparison. However, the Nreal Light is not a standalone MR headset like the ones I mentioned above, so I have decided to leave it (and other MR Headsets meant to connect to smartphones) out from this comparison.
In the meantime, although the AjnaLens sounds highly competitive compared to the HoloLens 2 and Magic Leap One with its FOV of 90°; not much information can be found about it regarding its resolution and refresh rates. Furthermore, it appears the company is targeting companies rather than individual consumers. Hence, I chose to exclude it as well.

I will be comparing these MR Headsets based on their resolutions, fields of view (FOV), refresh rates and prices.

Microsoft HoloLens 2

The Microsoft HoloLens 2 is a Microsoft product, hailing from the US.

Resolution: 2048 x 1080 pixels per eye
FOV: 52°
Price: 3,500 USD
Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
Miscellaneous: Battery life typically allows 2-3 hours of active use; weighs 566g; has 6DoF tracking; built-in spatial sound

Magic Leap One

The Magic Leap One is the first product released by the company Magic Leap, Inc. Similarly to the Microsoft HoloLens 2, it originates from the US.

Resolution: 1280 x 960 pixels per eye
FOV: 50°
Refresh Rate: 120 Hz
Price: 2,295 USD (excluding any service plans)
Miscellaneous: Battery life typically lasts up to 3 hours; has 6DoF tracking; has onboard speakers, with a 3.5mm audio jack

Final Verdict

In regards to MR Headsets, I would pick the Magic Leap One over the Microsoft HoloLens 2. This is because I find the two headsets largely similar (in the refresh rate and miscellaneous sections). The Microsoft HoloLens 2 has better resolution and FOV than the Magic Leap One, but I do not consider it worth the large price difference of approximately 1,200 USD.
For the same price as the HoloLens 2, a consumer could purchase the Magic Leap One headset with additional services and extended warranty. I would also say that the resolution of the Magic Leap One, while not as clear in comparison, is still sufficient for a good MR experience.

Therefore, I overall like the Valve Index (VR) and the Magic Leap One (MR) the most.

((Written by: Ysabella Tan Yu Lin))

Reality technologies are gaining a lot of traction recently, especially in an increasingly isolated world with a considerable online presence. While its applications in the automotive and healthcare industries are widely known, VR/ AR/ MR technologies are also popping up in other avenues such as retail, tourism, and even recruitment! For instance, in 2017, Lloyds Banking Group was the first organization to introduce a VR assessment. As per their official statement – “Virtual reality allows us to create all kinds of scenarios and puzzles that we’d never be able to recreate in an ordinary interview process”. This aptly summarizes the myriad of applications and development opportunities these exciting technologies present.

VR/ AR/ MR I think are great!

VIRTUAL REALITY:

VR headsets, used to immerse users into a virtual world, are of two main types – PC connected and Standalone. PC connected headsets, as the name suggests, are connected to some external processor (typically a computer or gaming consoles) and can be used with additional controllers. One of the key benefits of this type is that they can leverage the processing power of the external device to create a more persuasive virtual world. Some of the most popular PC-connected devices include

• HTC Vive Cosmos,
• PlayStation VR,
• Oculus Rift
• Valve Index
• HP Reverb G2

The standalone headsets, as the name suggests, do not need to be physically connected to an external device. Instead, they usually use a smartphone as the base. Some of the most popular standalone headsets are:

• Oculus Quest 2
• Merge Goggles VR Smartphone Headset
• Nintendo Labo VR Kit
• Google Cardboard

AUGMENTED REALITY:

With AR, which imposes digital content on to the real-world environment, there are two main ways to access it: Handheld devices and Smart Glasses/ AR headsets. The first option, handheld devices, is what most of us are probably familiar with. We can use our own smartphones with applications that have AR capabilities. Popular examples are the game PokemonGo, the IKEA Place app, and the Nike Fit App. The alternative of AR headsets and smart glasses require specific hardware to support AR capabilities. Some popular examples options:

• Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2
• Vuzix Blade AR
• Epson Moverio

MIXED REALITY:

Mixed reality, which mixes or blends the digital and physical worlds, is one of the most recent developments. Some MR devices work by creating the experience through holograms, and hence the user is still cognizant of their surroundings. The other type of devices completely immerse the user in the virtual world and instead use cameras to track the environment. Examples of popular MR devices today are:

• Microsoft HoloLens 2
• Windows Mixed Reality Headset  (Acer and HP)
• Lenovo Explorer
• Varjo’s XR-3 Headset
• Magic Leap One

Most preferred devices for VR & MR

PREFERRED VR DEVICE: HP Reverb G2

While picking a VR headset of all the options available, there are a lot of factors to be considered as an end-user. These include – the variety of content offered, the comfort of wear, controllers used, price, freedom of movement and space needed, and the technology itself which includes specs such as screen resolution, sensors used, etc.

The go-to option for most people is the Oculus Quest 2. However, keeping all these aspects in mind, and my research, I find the HP Reverb G2 headset to be the most appealing. This is a tethered headset (PC-connected) device, a result of the collaboration between Valve and Microsoft.

First, starting with the comfort of wear, the HP Reverb G2 is lightweight (1.2 pounds) making it extremely wearable for long periods of time. It is even lighter than its top competitors such as the Valve Index (1.79 pounds). It has an anti-microbial fabric that does not irritate the skin. This face interface is also removable and can be cleaned as needed. There are also off-ear speakers on the device which provide great audio but protect users from the heat radiated. Moreover, the headset is also supposed to be extremely comfortable to wear on top of glasses, making it personally more attractive as a spectacles wearer myself.  

Next, the Reverb G2 has an extremely clear display, with an even higher resolution than the Valve Index at 2160 x 2160 per eye. Such clarity in the visuals helps to increase the feeling of presence in the virtual world. It is said to almost completely eliminate the “screen door” effect, which in essence is where users are able to make out the gaps between pixels. However, the downside of this is the necessity for a great, powerful PC that can accommodate the processing. As a workaround, users can reduce the screen resolution to 75% or so, but multiple reviews have stated that the screen is still extremely clear even at these lower resolutions. There is also a manual slider along the top of the headset to alter the interpupillary distance of the lenses and set them to exactly match the user’s eyes (see image above). The Reverb has a field of view of 114° diagonal which is slightly less than the Valve Index, but still in the top available choices, which when combined with the high resolution makes it a great VR experience.

The headset comes with two motion controllers (see image above). In terms of the controllers and the tracking, there are no base stations needed for this headset to work which instead uses in-built cameras for this purpose. This means that the headset does need to see the controllers at all times, ruling out any motion behind one’s back. However, the lack of base stations is a plus point for beginners like me, as it reduces the setup time and complexity, making the device simpler to use. Though a lower priority, the Reverb G2 and its headset tracking features are also supposed to work extremely well in the presence of direct sunlight, while other devices like the Valve Index supposedly have some issues in this area. However, one downside to the controllers is that each one has a huge ring on the top (see image above), and users accidentally bump them together while playing games etc.

For the content available, the Reverb G2 is a Windows Mixed Reality headset, so there is a customizable Windows home environment through which users can access Steam VR. Content can also be accessed via the Windows store. The headset also comes with an extra-long cable of 6m, which enables users to move around freely and play any games of their choice without any restriction is movement.

Finally, the headset costs $600 which is competitively priced, and still “cheaper” than its counterparts such as the HTC Vive Cosmos, Valve Index.  

Thus, considering all positives as well as downsides, the HP Reverb G2 is my favourite VR headset overall. It is comfortable to use, is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, and is beginner-friendly with its simple setup.

PREFERRED MR DEVICE: Varjo’s XR-3 Headset

My preferred choice of MR device is Varjo’s XR-3 PC-tethered Headset. As per the official website, the device “features photorealistic visual fidelity across the widest field of view of any XR headset”, which creates a virtual environment that is true to life. As for the field of view, this Varjo device supports 115°. Apart from this, the device also does eye-tracking and automatic interpupillary distance adjustment, hand tracking, and positional tracking.

In terms of comfort, the XR-3 is a fairly standard headset weighing 1.31 pounds (without the headbands). The headbands are a “triple-ratchet tightening system” that evenly distributes weight and removes any undue pressure on the face, making it comfortable to wear.  

As for the resolution, the device has a full-frame Bionic display with human eye resolution. This extreme clarity is derived using a small 1920 x 1920 display in the center and a 2880 x 2720 panel for the rest of the screen. This focuses on clarity in the center of the vision. The combination of the virtual and real worlds happens with the use of cameras and LIDAR sensors. Such an approach is said to produce more solid-looking virtual objects as compared to other MR devices like Microsoft’s HoloLens, and also creates depth awareness. As Varjo themselves describes, “We’ve solved the ‘hard AR’ problem, which exists on optical see-through devices like HoloLens or Magic Leap that always portray virtual elements as hazy and holographic and can’t display shadows or opaque content”. The RGB cameras on the XR-3 can do video pass through at extremely low latency, making the integration of the real and virtual world seamless.

However, one of the biggest negatives of the device is its steep cost, at $5,495. It also requires a one-year Varjo software support subscription that costs $1,495. Thus, the device is currently targeted towards businesses/ enterprises with specific purposes, such as doctors conducting “telemedicine” sessions.  Nevertheless, it is important to note that Varjo has consistently been reducing its price since the release of their first XR-1 at $10,000, which leaves hope for it to come into the larger consumer market in the near future.  

Thus, due to the extremely advanced technology and futuristic outlook, the Varjo XR-3 is my favourite MR device.

By: Meghana Narayanan (e0260120)

Best VR Headset

The VR Headset is indeed a competitive arena, with many worthy headsets vying to become tops in this area, and features a wide array of headsets catering to different price points and budgets of consumers. After factoring in features, value-for-money and flexibility, the Oculus Quest 2 presented a compelling choice as the best VR Headset.

In terms of flexibility, the Quest 2 can be connected wirelessly, enabling a cable-free experience, which is often valued in gaming VR experiences where the user can utilise the headset without worrying about range of motion or tangling the wires. Should the user desire to use the cable, the flexibility of this option is also available, with the cable being retailed at $79.

At the price point of $299, the Oculus Quest 2 is indeed a reasonably priced VR headset compared to high-end headsets such as the Valve Index whilst packing in features such as 6 Degree of Freedom Tracking, 1832×1920 display resolution and 6GB of RAM that enable good VR experience for users.

The Quest 2 does indeed presents itself as a significant upgrade to its predecessor too, with its internal processor upgraded from the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 to the Snapdragon XR2. This has enabled it to deliver smooth graphics, which are so integral to the whole VR experience. In addition, its colours have been refreshed from the original black to a new sleek white body that looks aesthetically inviting. Another key advantage of the Quest 2 is its significantly lighter weight, weighing 10% less than the original Quest, creating a pleasant VR experience for users especially over prolonged periods.

Best MR Headset

In the Mixed Reality Headset Space, the Hololens 2 by Microsoft presents the best Mixed Reality Headset. One of its most impressive features is the ability to display holograms, which facilitates interactive learning through hand tracking and hand gesture controls, enabling rescaling and rotation of virtual objects with ease. During the tech demo, a visual simulation hologram of a solar farm was also demonstrated, and customised knob controls such as controlling windspeed could be adjusted to tweak the simulation. Whilst Hololens 2 empowers online learning through the mixed reality display, a simple lifting of the visor also creates a seamless transition to real life learning, making it a compelling experience for learning as a whole.

Priced at a high price point of north of $3500, the Hololens 2 comes with a full package, incorporating an Intel CPU, 64GB of storage and spatial speakers for the audio experience. In addition, the availability of Wifi and Bluetooth Connectivity creates a wire-free and hassle-free experience for users. Its IMU (inertial measurement unit) also enables the headset movement to be tracked and incorporated into apps, extending the possibilities of what can be achieved through this MR Headset.

Built by Microsoft, it also caters to companies that desire customised app development for their use cases. This is achieved by building applications on the Azure Platform, which opens the freedom to tap on AI and Machine Learning toolkits that have become ubiquitous in applications nowadays. All in all, the Hololens 2 although costly, presents the most compelling case for the Best MR Headset available in the market at the moment.

VR Devices

When comparing the above VR devices, three main criteria spring to mind: technological sophistication, ease of use, and price. In terms of technological sophistication, the Valve Index is at the forefront. Aside from the headset itself, its controllers have the capability to detect the grip strength of individual fingers. This has the potential to allow developers to create an even greater sense of immersion and presence on a tactile level, which is a greater leap forward than merely increasing the resolutions of the headsets’ displays. However, when it comes to ease of use, the Oculus Quest 2 trumps its competitors by being smaller and, more importantly, completely wireless. This makes booting up a VR experience a much faster and less painful experience since it only involves slipping the headset on and grabbing the controllers without having to plug anything else in or untangle any wires. The Oculus Quest 2 also takes the cake in terms of price. It costs US$299, which is far cheaper than the Valve Index’s US$999. The Playstation VR comes close at US$350 but it also requires a Playstation to use, raising the cost by a few hundred. After considering the technological sophistication, ease of use, and prices of the three VR devices, I would personally go with the Oculus Quest 2. Its ease of use and price make it a good entry point into the world of VR (which I have never experienced before). The Valve Index is, unfortunately, prohibitively expensive and thus would only be a good choice for enthusiasts or beginners with serious money to burn. Since I also don’t own a Playstation, the Playstation VR device would not be an optimal choice.

MR Devices

To compare the above MR devices, two main criteria can be used: technical sophistication and price. Of the three, the Microsoft HoloLens 2 is the latest and most technologically advanced mixed reality device. It has a field-of-view of 52 degrees, which is wider than the Magic Leap One’s 40 degrees; while this is much smaller than the Occipital Bridge’s 120 degrees, it is offset by the fact that the Occipital Bridge is a headset for smartphones which makes it less powerful. However, in terms of price, the Occipital Bridge wins hands down at US$399 against the Magic Leap One at US$2,295 and the Microsoft HoloLens 2 at US$3,500.

With the above criteria in consideration, my preferred MR device would be the Occipital Bridge. The price is simply too good, costing nearly 10 times less than the Microsoft HoloLens 2, and as an inexperienced user, I would hesitate to pay so much for a device that I cannot see myself using daily.