A lot of changes are happening in the world of augmented reality. While the current headsets are very bulky at best, there is some progress courtesy of DigiLens. The company has showcased a prototype AR HUD reference headset which looks a lot more like Google Glass, a tool introduced by Google several years ago.
The DigiLens AR HUD has Potential
Although DigiLens has only demonstrated its AR headset prototype, there are some notable improvements. Unlike prior designs, this new unit is very similar to a regular pair of glasses, albeit with a slightly different form than most people are used to. It is still futuristic technology, thus a futuristic design makes a lot of sense at this stage.
The company is currently pursuing wide field-of-view AR which includes hand-tracking. That in itself is a mouthful, but it is evident the company has no shortage of ambition and they have a clear plan of action on the table. With the company recently securing $15m in Series C funding, the concept can be taken to the next level fairly soon.
Building a proper AR headset will be rather difficult. Although the prototype exists, DigiLens is mainly focusing its attention on HUD devices for cars and wearable devices. This AR HUD headset is pretty unique, but it’s also a demo which may never be turned into a commercial product moving forward. Instead, it can serve as a tool for companies looking to build their own AR headsets using DigiLens technology.
What makes this unit so intriguing is how it uses a Leap Motion sensor, which takes care of the hand tracking aspect. Additionally, the demo is capable of offering six degrees of freedom positional tracking, which is something a lot of users will benefit from. For the time being, no official partners have been announced in this regard, but it is expected some news will come forth shortly.
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