Panasonic launched the world’s 1st UltraHD VR glasses capable of showing High Dynamic Range (HDR) content at CES 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The major goal was to maintain a comfy fit that can be compared to wearing normal glasses, as per Panasonic, unlike traditional VR headsets, which are much huge.
The Japanese company offered extensive details on the technologies applied to these VR glasses, in case you’re interested.
Panasonic might not be the 1st name to pop in your head if anyone would talk about virtual reality headsets. But at CES 2020, Panasonic has uncovered its first set of VR glasses that has got quite a lot of people talking. It won’t be a widen to state that the form of the VR headset is getting more concentration than its real functionality.
The impact of the HDR
The Japanese company uncovered a model of a VR headset, which is the 1st HDR (High Dynamic Range) capable UHD (Ultra High Definition) virtual reality goggles. Every eye of the goggles has a 1.3-inch OLED panel that delivers a 2560 x 2560 resolution picture with a refresh rate of 120Hz.
Nishikawa Zenji, an author at 4Gamer who got to try the VR glasses, says that HDR made quite an effect when viewing a high definition picture. With the high resolution of the show, there’s also almost no clue of the “screen-door effect” that plagues most VR headsets.
An innovative design
The VR headsets at present weigh 250 grams, and Panasonic already has plans to make them shed another 100 grams to arrive at a comfortable weight of 150 grams. Since this is a PC-connected headset, Panasonic doesn’t need to pack any processing hardware like standalone headsets (like the Oculus Go). The headset also has a pair of earbuds that are powered by the company’s own audio technology and have Technics drivers.
But yes, the steampunk design of the Panasonic VR headsets is what’s drawing more eyeballs. Actually, the pair looks like its borrowed straight from Kuiil from Mandalorian. Unluckily, these pair of VR goggles are still pretty much in their sample stage and are from opposing with more conventional-looking VR headsets that are already existed in the marketplace. There’s no statement on when or if they will even make it to the marketplace as a consumer product. Panasonic says that they plan to utilize them in a range of applications that will crop-up with the forthcoming 5G services (in Japan).
Kopin Corporation’s experience
The VR eyeglasses from Panasonic are diverse, and their technology is defined by the experience Kopin Corporation has as a top developer and provider of vital elements for wearable headset items as the head-mounted exhibits for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Kopin’s, scientists and engineers have produced modern technologies for more than 3 decades that have improved the way people observe, hear and correspond, from the Golden-i, a wearable headset devise for a venture to the Solos smart glasses designed for cyclists and runners.
One of Kopin’s subsidiaries, NVIS Inc. situated in Virginia, designs and manufactures professional virtual reality products that let customers imagine and cooperate with virtual 3D environments. The company provides high-resolution, near-eye display systems designed for high-fidelity immersive training and model. NVIS products are used in places as varied as the Virtual Human Interaction Lab at Stanford University, the Ford Virtual Reality Centre in Melbourne, Australia, the Air Support Operations Squadron (ASOS) Training, in Oklahoma City, or the Non-Rated Crew Member Manned Module (NCM3), a virtual reality model for the rear team members of the CH-47 Chinook as well as UH-60 Blackhawk aircraft.
For the latest VR glasses, Panasonic has developed a high-performance display device in collaboration with Kopin Corporation, which is a top manufacturer of display devices for VR glasses. Additionally, Panasonic’s audio and visual technologies have been included in this latest device, incorporating signal processing technologies cultivated throughout the development of video equipment, for instance, TVs and Blu-ray Disc players, optical technologies, and acoustic technologies of Technics audio products utilized in LUMIX digital cameras. These technologies enabled Panasonic to get compact and lightweight VR glasses offering high-quality images and optimal sound that deliver sensible sensations drawing the user into the images projected before their eyes while in the ease of wearing eyeglasses.
What about 5G services?
With the expectation of the approaching full-grown commercial services of the 5th gen (5G) mobile communications method, a number of latest services using VR glasses are anticipated to be offered, including for VR sports viewing and appealing virtual travel experiences. Panasonic aspires to be in the front row, providing their own solution, which now was unveiled at CES 2020.
Major traits of the developed product
- UHD high-quality images device capable of showing HDR pictures
- Set with a micro OLED panel co-developed by Kopin Corporation and Panasonic
- Achieved natural and even pictures without “Screen door effect”, which is a visual artifact of displays, where the fine lines separating pixels become evident in the displayed image
- High-class sound capable of the reproduction over a broad range of frequencies from ultra-low to high
- The acceptance of Technics’ original dynamic driver using magnetic fluid allows the accurate stroke of the diaphragm and achieves ultra low distortion reproduction.
- Solid and lightweight body enabling the device to be worn in ease without the necessity for a headband
- The approval of an optical module recently developed by Kopin Corporation, 3M Company, and Panasonic allows the exhibit of natural and distortion-free photos in a super single focus. A solid and lightweight design achieved an eyeglass-like shape.
To be obvious, this isn’t meant to be a customer product. Actually, the press release ends with Panasonic promising to ‘further develop’ the VR glasses concept to utilize them in a variety of applications as full-scale commercial 5G services roll out across the world.
