At the recent CES event, Pico Interactive, Inc. (Beijing, China) debuted two new VR headsets called the Neo 2 Standard and Neo 2 Eye. Both of the headsets are based on the same basic platform consisting of Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 845 chipset and Wi-Fi 5. The main difference between the two is that the Eye model includes an integrated eye tracker.
In many use cases, the Neo 2 will operate in standalone mode, which relies fully on Snapdragon 845 processing in conjunction with 128 GB of on-board storage and an SD card slot. One aspect of the use of the Snapdragon 845 is access to the Qualcomm’s Boundless XR technology. XR refers to Extended Reality, an umbrella term that includes augmented reality, virtual reality and mixed reality. Qualcomm explains that the company’s so-called Boundless XR “creates immersive mobile XR experiences with photorealistic visuals by combining on-device processing, 5G, and edge cloud processing.” More specific to the Neo 2, Boundless XR enables the headset and PC “to share real-time processing responsibilities, delivering a responsive, low-latency viewing and listening experience.”
Pico Neo 2 is mechanically well balanced thanks to the counterbalancing effect of the battery which is mounted at the rear of the headband. The battery provides power for the headset which can be operated either wirelessly, connected to a PC, or in a standalone mode. The batteries can power the headset for 3 – 4 hours given typical use. The fit of the headband can be adjusted with just one hand using a single ratchet knob located on the headband at the back of the headset. The head mounting frame also includes a rubbery overhead strap that has several fixed length settings. Stereo speakers are integrated into the headband. The Neo 2 is white and the Neo 2 Eye is dark grey.
The Neo 2 includes the capability of 6 DOF inside out tracking of the user’s head and hands. The low latency tracking is based on a Northern Digital Inc. Atraxa controller platform. This is a sensor-fusion tracking technology specifically designed for extended reality platforms. The technology fuses data from an on-board electromagnet and an inertial measurement unit. One consequence of this means of tracking is that the system does not suffer from occlusion. An example of what this means is that the hand held controllers can be tracked even when positioned behind the back of the user. When tracking the user’s head, the tracking system also utilizes input from two cameras positioned on the front of the headset.
The two electromagnetic 6 DOF controllers connect to the headset using Bluetooth 5.0. Located on the bottom of each controller is a click-to-grip trigger button.
The features and operation of the Neo 2 headset and the controllers are discussed and demonstrated in several on-line videos. One representative video recorded live at the CES exposition can be found at the end of this article. The figure below illustrates the Neo 2 Eye headset and one of the controllers.
Left: The Neo 2 Eye headset. Right: one of the two controllers.
Each of the Neo 2 headsets includes a single LCD having a 4K resolution of 3840 X 2160. The resolution is divided between the two eyes providing a resolution of 1920 × 2160 to each eye. The optical system in the headset provides a 101 degree field of view. The Neo 2 uses software to implement interpupillary distance adjustment within a range of from 55 mm to 71 mm.
The Neo 2 Eye headset uses foveated rendering. (The fovea is a small depression in the retina where visual acuity is highest.) The technique is intended to improve performance, allowing for higher frame rates and more complex scenes. This is accomplished by rendering the scene at full resolution only where the user’s eye is looking, while reducing resolution in the periphery. The eye tracking is accomplished in the Neo 2 Eye by a Tobii AB (Danderyd Sweden) eye tracker. The Eye also includes somewhat more RAM needed to accommodate the operation of the eye tracking.
At the CES demonstration, one on-line reviewer reported that the foveated rendering was easily noticeable. Neo reportedly responded that this was a characteristic of the CES demo and not the ultimate product. More generally, several on-line reviews suggested that the Neo 2 was about comparable in performance to the Oculus Quest.
The Pico Neo 2 Standard and Neo 2 Eye headsets are currently intended for sale to businesses and not directly to individuals. The company anticipates that the Neo 2 will be used in applications that include in-flight entertainment and Pain management in hospitals. The headsets are planned to launch in the West starting later in 2020. The Neo 2 Standard will sell for $699 and the Neo 2 Eye will sell for $899. A minimum order is for 5 headsets. – Arthur Berman
