While the high-end VR market is dominated by the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, there are some solid VR experiences to be had with cheaper headsets such as the Samsung Gear VR.
Google may have encroached upon the Gear VR’s territory this year with the Daydream View headset, but it seems the South Korean firm isn’t going to be outdone too easily.
According to a newly published patent, the company has ambitions to create a new headset that will come with eye and face tracking capabilities(via GalaxyClub).
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According to the report, the new headset will come with a “remote camera” that will pick up the head movements and facial expressions.
The current Gear VR is able to detect head movements, but unlike the HTC Vive or the Oculus Rift, it doesn’t come with sensors to allow for more advanced movement tracking.
If the patent comes to fruition, it’s unlikely the new headset will allow for motion detection on the scale of the HTC Vive – which allows users to walk around in reality and have their movements mirrored in the virtual world.
However, the next-gen Samsung headset could conceivably allow for more complex interactions in the digital world, such as recognising facial expressions and adjusting the virtual experience accordingly.
With the eye tracking, it could also detect blinks, which could be used to select certain options rather than using the current unwieldy method of tapping a pad on the side of the headset.
Related: Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive
The eye sensing tech would also presumably allow the software to recognise exactly where a user is looking and tailor the virtual experience to that information – as well as render the user’s face more accurately in the virtual world.
GalaxyClub’s report claims Samsung specifically details how the new technology will allow for an accurate model of the user’s head and face to be recreated.
It should be said that a patent is no guarantee that the product will ever make it to market, but we’re sure Samsung has plans to introduce new VR hardware, so we’re hoping to see something from them soon.
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Let us know what you think of the patent in the comments.
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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.