We just came back from AWE 2023, the XR event of Silicon Valley.
And it opened our eyes to the strides XR technology has made.
AR glasses are now as cool as Tony Stark’s, VR is leveling up, and haptics are getting
so real, I felt like I timetraveled to the future.
I couldn’t cram all the awesomeness into one short video, but I hand-picked my personal
favorites just for you.
Let’s dive in.
So we had a chance to try different types of waveguides for AR and smartglasses and
we were wowed by the super thin form factors and that they are wireless now.
These ultrathin displays might not always be full-color – sometimes, it's monochrome,
like green, and it’s not very high resolution.
But they can still project a crisp heads-up display that can show useful info while remaining
comfortable.
For example, I tried VUZIX’s smart glasses.
This one only showed a HUD in green, but look at the size of it!
I also checked out the Shield, a slightly chunkier one.
It’s still monochrome but has advanced 3D binocular waveguides powered by micro-LED
projectors that are just 1 micron in size.
It offers one of the highest-density pixel arrays, providing crisp video with contextual
information.
Plus, the front-facing cameras let you stream video so you can share your perspective to
anyone.
I thought the quality was impressive.
They showed me some 3D models spinning around in a looping, and it was believable.
But the Digilens Argo impressed me the most.
It’s just as tiny, uses 3rd-gen crystal waveguides that have full-color displays with
85% transparency.
It's packing built-in batteries, powered by a Snapdragon XR2 Gen1, has 6DoF tracking and
WiFi6E support, amongst other things.
Sure, don’t expect OLED TV-quality colors, and my camera doesn’t do it justice (it
looks blurry on video).
But, let me tell you - witnessing this kind of tech in something so slim is beyond cool.
It’s a taste of the future, and I'm all here for it when this tech goes mainstream.
Now AntReality was also there showcasing their AR+VR hybrid solutions.
I first met them at CES in January, and I was already amazed.
But now, at AWE, they showed improvement.
Their Crossfire Reference Design looks like regular sunglasses, but here's the kicker
- you can switch between AR and VR with Mechanical Dynamic Dimming, thanks to its polarization
optics.
This honestly looks unreal to me [show the switching], but it works.
This allows a dimming range from 0.002% to 33%, which is a higher range compared to others.
At 0.002% pass-through, the backlight is blocked off so well from the real world that even
a strong light source, like even the sun, is blackened.
Wait, is that a word?
xD I mean blocked off.
So this can fully immerse you in a VR environment.
These glasses weigh only 140 grams (without cable), and has a lens thickness of only 10mm,
with a field of view of 100 degrees, which is actually incredibly high for AR.
The second device they were showing off was the Crossfire Max 3K, and it has improvement
with a resolution of 2880x2560 pixels PER EYE on Micro-OLEDs, and it truly brought super
clear images with great colors.
They have now also partnered with the manufacturer of PSVR2, Goertek, to start mass production
of Ant Reality’s lenses.
The end cost will be below $30 dollars a piece, which should be an attractive price for headset
manufacturers.
Pretty cool to hear that we’re getting closer.
Now, CREAL is developing something else that’s also incredible.
A light-field display.
I might have showed you this before, but this can generate an image that represents how
our eyes work, like how we focus on objects close by and far away.
It’s basically uses a different way of presenting light to our eyes, allowing for a true-to-life
depth perception for a natural visual experience.
This used to be a bit bulky, but they have now unveiled the first AR display that combines
this light field technology with normal-looking lenses.
Here’s why it’s interesting.
If you wear traditional VR headsets, you might have noticed that your eyes might struggle
with focusing on near objects as you’re essentially looking at a display that’s
at a fixed distance from your eyes.
This solves that.
Though I couldn’t look at the lens using my own eyes and only saw it working with their
camera, I’m interested to see where CREAL takes this promising technology.
Now, let's reel it in closer, something you can try at home.
Brilliant Labs' Monocle is a tiny, open-source AR device costing $349 that clips onto regular
glasses and fits in the palm of your hand.
Monocle is all about making AR friendly-and accessible.
It’s got a 640x400-pixel micro OLED display with a slim 20-degree field of view.
It doesn’t focus on heavy graphics, but what’s cool is how it makes experimenting
with it easy.
Stanford students, for instance, integrated ChatGPT into Monocle for face-to-face conversational
aid.
Imagine dating with that.
Yes it went viral on Twitter.
Though it's not visually as advanced as its big brothers like Microsoft HoloLens, its
simplicity, and openness are its charms.
Its hardware can be easily tweaked and customized by developers or you, if you’re interested
in playing with it.
Monocle might be small, but I think it’s a big step for creativity and AR tinkering.
I’ll put a link below.
Before we move on to some awesome VR tech.
First, a question.
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I felt cool using it all weekend.
If you want to check this out for yourself.
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EXIT Suit
Let’s continue.
Hidden in a corner was the EXIT Suit, a custom-made suit tailored to your back that lets you move
in amazing ways in VR.
Its idea is very interesting.
They're open-sourcing it, so anyone could build it at home at a relatively low cost.
You’ll need basic tools, but the designs are user-friendly, customizable, and the system
is modular with force-feedback potential.
You can hot-swap things like base motor drivers and other features.
Plus, it’s using sustainable tech.
Sadly, the clock beat me, and I couldn’t try it, but we were watching someone play
POPULATION: ONE in this suit, and it looked awesome.
If you’re interested, you can join their Discord to follow their progress.
Hypervision was a scene-stealer with their optics game.
They showcased lenses with a jaw-dropping 240-degree field of view - basically human-level
peripheral vision.
Check this out; it's their second-gen, that’s now based on pancake-lenses, which means it’s
designed to fit tiny form factors.
I got to look at a VR demo using these, and I tried moving my eyes without moving my head
and I instantly noticed so much more detail, like there was a little bee flying around
in my far peripheral and I saw it.
Something I wouldn’t have noticed with slimmer FoVs.
Plus the edge-to-edge clarity was great.
I was worried that I could see the crease, but it wasn’t noticeable.
Hypervision said they use some advanced software trick amongst other things to fix that issue.
I mean, we've been craving this kind of peripheral awareness in VR and mixed reality and Hypervision
seems to be the first to deliver.
It’s exciting.
I was also happy to see Lenovo back in the VR game!
They've made consumer headsets before and even teamed up with Oculus for the Rift S,
but then they went radio silent for a bit.
Now, they're making waves with their new standalone VR headset, the ThinkReality VRX.
Though Lenovo is pitching this to the business crowd, it confirms again that the near future
of VR is all about being slim, lightweight, and embracing mixed reality.
The VRX looks sleek!
It runs on a Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 1 and provides full-color, high-resolution pass-through,
which looks great.
It has comfort-enhancing innovations, and the hole-punched controllers are a quirky
touch, making them uber lightweight.
At AWE, they announced the headset is now available in select countries at a $1,299
price tag including extensive support for business features with the aim to revamp enterprise
efficiency in training, collaboration, and 3D design.
Seems perfect for those seeking an enterprise-grade headset.
Tilt Five
Now, here’s something for consumers , you might us cover this already, but this is the
first time we've managed to capture some actual in-game footage to show you what Tilt Five
is actually like.
If you’re not familiar with them.
It’s an AR system that uses innovative projection technology to pair AR glasses with a board,
creating 3D worlds that spring to life on your tabletop.
Plus, it comes with a 6DoF wand controller for interacting with these environments – or,
flip it over and game on like it's a regular controller.
What you’re seeing on screen is precisely what materializes through the glasses – it’s
insanely cool.
And if you have a crew?
Kit them out with glasses and dive into a shared adventure on a single board.
It’s like a time warp to the future of board games, except the future is now.
Tilt Five has has been amping up its game library and constantly adding new ones.
So keep your eyes peeled for this one.
Sightful
Then this company came out of nowhere.
Sightful sneakily unveiled Spacetop, their “augmented reality laptop,” which is like
having a massive 100” virtual desktop that you can carry in your backpack.
The magic combo is AR glasses with a keyboard.
As you can see, it’s neat and compact!
It employs XREAL Light AR glasses that project screens before your eyes, so no monitor needed.
These bad boys come with 6DoF tracking, a 53-degree field of view, and full HD resolution
per eye.
Check out my review of the XREAL Light; they’re pretty great.
Under Spacetop's hood resides a Qualcomm Snapdragon 865 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage,
and an alleged 5-hour battery life.
Spacetop uses its own Android-based OS; think Chromebook.
At the event, I could give it a try: and popular web apps – checkv, but don’t expect heavy-duty
apps like Photoshop or Blender.
What I thought was cool, though, was the ability to drag windows around in a 180-degree arc.
Something not even possible in real life.
So I had a huge monitor that looked sharp.
I could actually see myself using this.
So they have already secured 61 million dollars in funding and Sightful is launching in July,
priced at $2,000, with only 1,000 units available initially.
It’s expensive, but if you’re a frequent traveler, you might be interested to see how
this tech evolves.
ContactCI
Now, time for some haptics.
I featured many haptic gloves before, usually meant for businesses, but I find them exciting,
as today’s enterprise gadgets could be tomorrow’s consumer goodies.
So what caught my eye this time was ContactCI's Maestro EP, which boasts a sleek, wireless
design, unlike the usual skeletal gloves.
It employs a proprietary system that mimics to simulate force on each finger.
With over 100 unique fingertip vibrations, I could feel actions like flipping switches
and lifting blocks in VR, and it actually felt . It would be awesome to see working
gloves like these for consumers finally.
I also stumbled upon a startup named Fluid Reality.
They use fluid-filled bubbles as actuators that imprint shapes on your skin and are controlled
like pixels on a screen.
Check out this footage to see it in action.
What sets Fluid Reality apart is this technology's extreme compactness, enabling thin, lightweight,
and untethered haptic devices.
In addition, it can easily control and power a large number of actuators, which means a
high coverage area, and the sensations are highly detailed.
Just imagine that in haptic suits?!
Having tried it myself, I’m convinced that Fluid Reality has the potential to be a game-changer
in the haptics industry.
I found another interesting company making a high-performance 3D force-feedback controller.
This is the Haply Inverse3.
It’s designed to simulate intricate sensations - think cutting tissue or drilling bone.
What blew my mind was how lifelike it felt.
I could feel the texture and movements of this ball with incredible precision.
Plus, you can hook up several VR controllers to it for added compatibility.
Now, another question, do you agree that typing in VR is a drag?
Well, here’s a cool XR accessory to tackle that.
TapXR is like strapping a full keyboard with 100+ commands on your wrist!
It uses a combination of motion and optical sensors for hand and finger tracking, allowing
it to detect taps and other gestures on any surface.
Even your own skin.
And it should even work in low-light situations.
I tested it and found it very responsive.
Trying to master the finger combos took more than a hot minute, though, but I think practice
makes perfect.
The website claims that users have demonstrated typing at over 70 Words Per Minute with a
single hand, which is double the pace of the national 2-handed typing average.
Pretty crazy.
Now, it’s compatible with anything that has Bluetooth 4.0 or better, including Meta
Quest, Pico, or even regular Windows, iOS, and Android devices.
If you’re interested, you can preorder one now for $249 on their website, and I have
to say, I’m pretty intrigued.
Ultraleap
Up next is Ultraleap’s revamped Leap Motion Controller 2.
For those unacquainted, Ultraleap’s devices are known for their stellar hand-tracking
accuracy.
The previous model had its share of gripes, notably the narrow field of view.
But this next-generation takes it up a notch – better images via higher-res cameras,
a wider field of view, and lower power consumption.
Some VR headsets integrate Leap Motion, like the Lynx R1 integrating Leap Motion and during
the show, we got to try it with Tilt Five, which was awesome.
As for consumer applications?
Vtubers are using it to show hand movements to their viewers.
Or you could use it to control your PC with just your hands.
You can pre-order one for $139.
Now, this is something I absolutely loved as well!
XRAI is software that converts speech into subtitles in real time.
The software can subtitle and translate over 75 languages on the fly, so while you’re
talking to people.
Plus there’s a built-in AI assistant to summarize conversations, and more.
It makes use of ChatGPT, but you can also pick other AI models, and it works with just
your phone, but they’re also aiming to support a variety of AR glasses.
This is a breakthrough for those with hearing impairments.
And even on a personal note.
I’m a second-generation immigrant with Chinese-speaking parents.
I predominantly speak Dutch while they dont, so there’s a language barrier.
XRAI could effortlessly bridge that gap – something that would be incredibly meaningful to me.
I’m going to give this a try.
You can also give it a try right now for free while the app is in early access.
Just look for XRAI in the app store on your phone.
Qualcomm - Snapdragon Spaces
Now, Qualcomm was also there!
No news on fresh XR chips, except for a tantalizing hint that the Quest 3 will utilize Qualcomm's
new chip.
However, their software division, Snapdragon Spaces, showed off an a new feature called
Dual Render Fusion in their free SDK.
It’s designed to help devs effortlessly transform their 2D apps into spatial 3D experiences
with little prior knowledge.
This could be important as it could unlock an untapped markets of millions of mobile
developers, which is gerat news for AR enthusiasts.
Zappar Affordable VR/AR
Lastly, I got my hands on Zapbox, which the company behind it claims is the most budget-friendly
smartphone-powered mixed-reality headset on the planet.
For only about 90 euros, you get two Bluetooth 6DoF controllers with Quest-like input and
a lightweight headset that can do a 100-degree field of view.
You need to pop your smartphone in tho, and set up world anchor markers, but then you're
set for a 6DoF VR experience.
For mixed reality or MR, the phone’s camera is leveraged for passthrough at 60fps.
But here’s the thing: it did look sharp, and it was functional (even played OpenBrush),
but I didn’t find it a very comfortable experience.
I think extended use could strain your eyes.
So while Zapbox could make MR more accessible, don’t mistake it for the full-blown MR experience
of pricier headsets.
Outro
And those were my highlights of AWE 2023.
Which one of these did you think was super cool or not at all?
Let me know down below.
I’ve got more XR advancements here in my CES 2023 video, take a look if you haven’t
yet, as that one showcases the future of VR even more.
I hope you enjoyed this one, thanks SO much for being here.
Special shout out to our Champs & if you can’t get enough, join us beyond reality by subscribing.