HTC has unveiled three new models of VIVE Cosmos, a virtual reality headset.
In the current lineup of HTC Vive, there are VIVE Pro for business, Vibe Cosmos for consumer, and VIVE Focus, which is a convenient hybrid type.
The products introduced this time include the low-cost VIVE Cosmos Play, which simplifies the tracking camera by using the face plate replacement, which is a characteristic of Cosmos, the VIVE Cosmos Elite, the higher version that supports the external tracking method, and a high-definition camera. These are the 3 types of VIVE Cosmos XR, which are XR-compatible models.
Some functions can be upgraded without changing the headset body by purchasing and replacing the faceplate side. Cosmos Play is a model that lowers the price by reducing the number of tracking cameras from 6 in the current Vibe Cosmos to 4. The basic performance of the headset part is the same, and it supports an LCD driven at 90Hz and a viewing angle of 110 degrees at 2880×1700. The controller and headset tracking method is also an inside-out method with the same main body camera as the existing Vibe Cosmos, and does not use external sensors and stations.
The Cosmos Elite is a higher version and is compatible with the SteamVR base station installed in the room, allowing more accurate tracking of a wider range. In order to respond to the vibe tracker, it is possible to synchronize physical items in the virtual reality world by attaching it to an object, or to track the whole body by attaching it to a leg.
The Cosmos Elite is said to be 29,900 NTD, including a Vibe controller, two base stations 1.0, and two months of Viveport Infinity, a virtual reality content flat-rate service. Reservation acceptance began on February 24th, and the release date is in the middle of this quarter. In addition, for users of the existing model Vibe Cosmos, the face plate that supports the base station tracking method will also be sold at NTD 6,600.
Lastly, the Cosmos XR is a model that adds a high-resolution wide-angle stereo camera to the front. It is an experimental model that assumes not only virtual reality but also augmented reality and MR (Mixed Reality) applications that superimpose virtual information in the surrounding environment.
The camera’s viewing angle is 100 degrees, and unlike an open AR headset that adopts a transparent display like a holo lens, it is a structure close to a virtual reality headset that also captures external images. XR is expected to release its developer kit in the second quarter of this year and release detailed information at GDC in March. Related information can be found here .