Forget Apple Glasses, Panasonic’s launching “the world’s first” UHD, HD, VR goggles
Panasonic has announced “the world’s first HDR UHD virtual reality eyeglasses”, claiming they are the most advanced ever made.
Panasonic said in a press release that the wearable “boasts a comfortable fit that makes users feel as if they were wearing eyeglasses”. Certainly, this is worlds apart from the clunky ski-goggle-esque headsets we’re used to.
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The company suggested that the growth of 5G would expand the possible uses of the glasses, saying: “With anticipation of the forthcoming full-fledged commercial services of the fifth generation (5G) mobile communications system, a number of new services using VR glasses are expected to be offered, including for VR sports viewing and engaging virtual travel experiences.”
Virtual travel and VR sports are the suggested uses so far then and sport is particularly pertinent with the Tokyo Olympic Games just around the corner.
In terms of the tech itself, there’s a 1.3-inch OLED panel for each eye, each delivers a 2560 x 2560 resolution image. They’re PC connected, so don’t pack any real processing power.
The micro OLED panel was co-developed with the Kopin Corporation and effectively eliminates the “screen door effect” VR glasses can suffer from.
Currently the glasses reportedly weigh about 300g, but Panasonic are planning to halve this in the finalised product.
The design is eye catching too. The glasses have a sort of steampunk-goggle-esque look, they’re worlds apart from previous AR headsets we’ve seen.
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The Samsung headset pictured above is what consumers have come to expect from a VR headset. As a result, it’s the form factor of Panasonic’s glasses that are the real revelation.
Before you get too excited though, it’s worth remembering that these are a concept at the moment. The glasses are in development, not available for purchase and not likely to be for a long time.
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Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.