VR Technologies

I personally have not experienced many VR/MR devices firsthand, hence I will be taking a look at some of their specifications and making a comparison across some of the interesting technologies I found.

My personal choice would be the Occulus Quest 2 as it is one of the most affordable models out there starting at $299 for the 64GB Model. Apart from the reasonable pricing, there are several interesting specifications to take note of. Oculus improved the frame rate of the Quest 2 from 72Hz to 90Hz, which provides an even more immersive experience as games and content can take advantage of a higher refresh rate to deliver better quality. The battery live is rather significant at about 2 hours of gameplay (or 3 hours video), and the screen resolution reaches up to 1832 x 1920 per eye which is rather impressive for a VR headset. Furthermore, the Quest 2 rather light weighing about 503g, a great improvement from the original Oculus Quest weighing about 571g.

The design and user experience are also important, since a headset may not necessarily be the most comfortable experience for all. The Quest 2 uses fabric strips that are more comfortable and easier to adjust. Additionally, the Quest 2 does offer an extra battery pack that attaches to the Pro Strap, which doubles the battery life of the Quest 2 for longer and better experiences.

More practically, the lower starting price of the Quest 2 compared to other headsets seem to be the strongest attraction in onboarding newer users (like myself) into VR with a reasonably lower investment. Games that are more tech-savvy would definitely note the Facebook-centric platform of the Oculus environment. The Quest 2 is a great personal choice as it has a lower barrier to entry, along with the comfort and performance it provides to the everyday user.

MR Technologies

Although I haven’t tried this physically, the Microsoft Hololens seems to be the industry-leading and most popular choice for many B2B companies. Their expansion and development into their product are well thought and well-integrated amongst various use cases.

Let’s begin with some ergonomics analysis. Fit and comfort is key for the Hololens 2. Although the initial Hololens already came a long way from the early prototypes, it was clearly highlighted by many that comfort wasn’t the best for extended periods of use. One needs to make adjustments to ensure that the best field of view is obtained while maximizing comfort in wearing. In the Hololens 2, there is a more comfortable fit with a dial-in system specifically designed for extended use. The built is designed in a way that the main processor and battery are located modularly at the back of the headset, with the wires running towards the front, improving the weight distribution of the Hololens 2.

The Hololens 2 is capable of tracking up to 25 points of articulation with both hands in space, allowing natural touch and grasping to move holograms. Their impressive eye-tracking technology also finetunes the interaction with holograms. It can detect what you’re looking at and use that data to further improve the user interface which ultimately results in a better field of view. The Hololens 2 has a field of view to about 52 degrees diagonally, which Microsoft claims to have doubled the effective viewing area. There is also an increase in the vertical viewing area, making it taller when looking at tabletop holograms. This impressive improvement in the field of view is a large differentiator across many MR headsets, which puts the Hololens 2 as one of the pioneers in ensuring a better experience. Unfortunately, the Hololens 2 is priced very high, possibly because of the intricate and complex technologies that it incorporates and may not be ready for the everyday user today. A more expensive price point does limit the audience that is able to use it, hence more applications are centred around businesses currently.

Ultimately, the Hololens 2 is successful in maximizing both performance and comfort, while optimizing current technologies such as having more cameras and better sensors around the headset. This is particularly important for headset wearables as it hopefully seeps into the near future where everyday users can harness MR in their daily lives without the hassle of discomfort or performance-related issues.

I do not have much experience with VR/MR devices, and so I will be relying on reviews and the specs of the devices to determine which ones I feel are best. For VR, I have tried Google Cardboard and other similar VR headsets that use smartphones, but they have not been very good experiences. I have not tried any MR devices.

For VR, the Valve Index is my pick. It is pricey, but the features look the most impressive of all the recently released devices. For instance, it has a higher FOV than other headsets, as well as an above-average refresh rate, which I appreciate. It also has good specs in terms of resolution, audio, etc., though it is on the heavier side. However, for me the main selling point is the controllers, which can can track individual finger movement and grip strength. I think that such controllers are very interesting in both the technology used, as well as practically. For example, it would make gesturing much more natural, as well as allow for users to pick up objects by actually gripping the controller, instead of having to press a button, thus allowing for greater immersion. I hope that controllers with similar features will become standard in the future.

For MR, I would say that the Microsoft HoloLens 2 seems the most impressive. Reviews I’ve seen claim that it is comfortable and feel immersive and intuitive to use. In addition, while it does not have the largest FOV, it is among the top in devices designed purely for MR (i.e. not a VR headset that also has some support for MR). Finally, instead of needing to be tethered to a computer or phone, the HoloLens 2 has its own onboard computer, which allows a user to use it at any time without needing any setup. Finally, as Microsoft Mixed Reality is currently one of the most prominent mixed reality platforms, the HoloLens 2 can be expected to receive support for the foreseeable future.

Some of the more well-known VR headsets available in the market would likely be: Oculus Quest 2, Oculus Rift S, HTC Vive (Pro) and Valve Index.

The Oculus Quest 2 appears to be the overall best VR headset available currently, based on its more affordable pricing, 6DOF functionality, having one of the best resolutions (1832×1920, up to 90Hz refresh rate), ease of use etc. The Oculus Quest 2 can be used as a standalone device without needing the hassle of wiring it up to a computer or messing with cables like what’s needed for the HTC Vive. If more processing power is required, the Oculus Quest 2 can be hooked up to a PC with a slightly pricy cable, which pretty much gets rid of the purpose of the Oculus Rift S with its higher processing power and mandatory connection to a computer/laptop.

 The Oculus Rift S will be discontinued in Spring 2021, as development will be focused on the Oculus Quest series and improving it as a standalone VR device. Apart from requiring a lot of setup for the HTC Vive, using only the standard 2 base stations can have rather inaccurate and glitchy tracking, depending on the size of the room and obstacles in the room. One downside of the Oculus Quest 2 is that the controllers require the use of (rechargeable) AA batteries. Otherwise, the Oculus Quest 2 is pretty good for meeting most of your VR needs, if it’s available on the platform.

For Mixed Reality, there are few smart glasses and the most recognized ones are the Microsoft HoloLens 2 and the Magic Leap One. Depending on the purpose and content of the Mixed Reality application, either one could possibly come up top. However, in terms of features and functionality, HoloLens 2 comes out top.

It has the best resolution out of all smart glasses at 2048×1080 per eye vs the 2^nd best 1280×960 per eye for the Magic Leap One. HoloLens 2 outstrips all its competitors in terms of performance with the availability of the Remote Rendering feature which essentially utilizes cloud computing to overcome hardware restrictions while keeping the smart glass light and portable. HoloLens 2 can fully track all 10 fingers, allowing for detailed controls on the level of being able to play a virtual piano, unlike the Magic Leap One which can only recognize a limited number of fixed gestures and utilizes a controller. HoloLens 2 has a more advanced eye-tracking technology and voice recognition, which greatly increases the range of control a user can have in a Mixed Reality environment.