The company is working on a “higher-end” Oculus headset that features a variety of game-changing technology.
During today’s Facebook Connect conference, the company, now called ‘Meta,’ revealed a new addition to its lineup of Oculus hardware. Code-named ‘Project Cambria,’ this mysterious XR device will feature a variety of game-changing features that will, according to Meta, provide a “higher-end” experience compared to the Oculus Quest 2.
The company wants to make it clear that this is by no means a successor to the Oculus Quest 2, though it will be compatible with Quest devices. Project Cambria is a brand new product complete with a new set of high-end features. As a result, the device will come at a higher price than the Quest 2. That said, Project Cambria boasts a variety of exciting capabilities.
This includes eye and face tracking. Project Cambria features additional sensors that monitor your eye and lip movements, resulting in more realistic avatars, and therefore more engaging, virtual interactions. The company has also taken steps towards inclusion by offering a variety of customization options.
“Because we want VR to be for everyone, we also have to make sure avatars represent a diverse set of human facial features and skin tones, as well as paying attention to things like glasses and beards that may get in the way of some of the sensors,” said Angela Chang, Head of VR Devices at Meta, during the keynote.
Zuckerberg and Chang also took the time to showcase the device’s mixed reality capabilities. During the presentation, the pair teased a mixed reality workspace powered by high-quality colored Passthrough technology. The visuals are so clear, in fact, you’re able to pick up a pen and write comfortably without removing the headset. This is a major improvement over the Oculus Quest 2’s blurry, monochromatic Passthrough. According to Meta, colored Passthrough technology can be used in other ways beyond work, including mixed reality fitness.
In terms of display technology, Project Cambria uses what the company refers to as “pancake optics” to provide high-quality visuals in a compact design. Pancake optics work by folding light over and over again to achieve a slimmer design than current lenses.
According to Zuckerberg, Project Cambria will be available sometime next year.
Today’s information lines up with several major leaks that began appearing online earlier this week. In the video and pictures released earlier this week on Discord, you can catch a glimpse of a mysterious device that features a similar size and shape to Project Cambria. Chances are good we’re looking at the same device, but we’ll just have to wait to find out for sure.
Feature Image Credit: Meta
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