In a recent Facebook video, Meta Chief Executive Officer Mark Zuckerberg unveiled four VR prototypes to the world. The first prototype, Butterscotch, focuses on raising the pixel count to attain “retinal resolution,” as the company calls it. That works out to about 60 pixels per degree. The prototype achieved 55 pixels per degree, with 2.5 times the number of pixels as the Quest 2, which only covers half the field of view. In any case, the goal is for people with 20/20 vision to be able to see the smallest characters on an eye test chart.
Half Dome, another prototype, attempts to overcome a different problem: our eyes change focus as we shift our look from nearby to faraway objects and vice versa. Eye tracking and varifocal optics are used in this prototype to give virtual scenes a natural sense of depth.
The next one is Starbursts, which could be the first VR headset to offer High Dynamic Range (HDR). Zuckerberg points out, real-life scenes are often brighter than what high-end TVs and displays can provide. Consumer devices may settle with a more pleasant 10,000 nits, Starburst can reach 20,000 nits of brightness.
Holocake 2, the final prototype, is a functioning VR headset that can already play PC VR games. It is Meta’s thinnest and lightest VR headset to date, but the ultimate goal is to use a holographic lens, which would further reduce thickness.
What do you think about the prototypes VR? Are you an avid-VR fan?
