The latest headset product designed by Shenzhen NED Optics Co., Ltd.(Hong Kong, China), the Goovis Young, is described as a “personal mobile cinema.” Company literature specifically explains that it is not a face-mounted computer but, rather, a face mounted display and that it is compatible with practically all typical user devices.
Regarding this last point, the headset is indeed plug and play compatible with a wide variety of devices. Included are Android smartphones, tablets and laptop or desktop computers. The connection between the headset and these device is made through a USB Type-C cable that is 107 mm long. An optional video adapter can further expand the range of possible connections to the Lightning port on iPhones and HDMI cables on drones, games consoles, set-top boxes and Blu-Ray players.
A video introducing and demonstrating the Goovis Young headset can be found at the end of this article. Photos of the headset are shown in the figure below.
The Goovis Young headset.
The headset is powered by the auxiliary device. It follows that the headset is physically lite because does not contain a battery. The headset weighs in at about 200 grams. Other physical features of the headset include:
- 2 inches long, 4.3 inches wide and 2.2 inches high.
- Available colors are black and white.
- A “split suspension” design allows for adjustment of the headset height and angle and does so in such a way that compression of the nose-bridge and face are minimized.
- The visor flips up to allow the user a view of the real world.
- The company makes specific mention of the fact that the headset can be comfortably worn even when the user is reclining as well as sitting up.
- Audio port is a 3.5 mm headphone jack.
- Proximity sensor – turns the display off when the user flips up or takes off the headset.
- Fogging, heat dissipation and ventilation issues are all addressed, in part, by the headset’s so-called microcavity heat dissipation design. The design utilizes natural airflow between inside the headset and the outside. In addition, fogging is further minimized because the lens have a hydrophobic nano coating.
Regarding the optical system:
- The display is produced by two 0.71 inchSony AMOLED each with a resolution of 1920 x 1080.
- 3147 PPI (pixels per inch), 42 PPD (pixels per degree).
- Optical system includes 12 glass – plastic aspheric optical lenses.
- virtual 800 inch diagonal screen at a distance of 66 feet – typical of the screen size in a cinema.
- Field of view is 53 degrees.
- Distortion is 1.5%.
- Contrast ratio is 100,000:1.
- Color space is 117% sRGB – and said to be very close to the DCI-P3 standard (the standard of the U.S. film industry).
The Goovis Young is built not only to be comfortable but also to be compatible with user worn glasses. However….the headset includes an adjustable mechanism that allows optical correction ranging from +3D to -8D diopters. The correction is independent for each eye. This mechanism allows the user to set the optics to their preferred range eliminating the need to wear glasses. Other headset features designed to reduce user eye strain include the following:
- Optional astigmatic lens.
- Interpupillary distance adjustment from 56 mm to 72 mm.
- 7 levels of brightness control.
- Display can operate in dark, standard or clear modes.
- The Goovis Young design is claimed to further minimize eye strain because the built in AMOLED microdisplays in front of each eye reduce exposure to short wave blue light. In addition, the enclosed design limits screen glare.
The company has decided to partially fund further product development and production with a Kickstarter campaign which can be found here. At the time this article is written, the funding campaign target of $10,025 has been greatly oversubscribed with 263 backers having pledged a total of $133,920. The campaign can, therefore, be expected to fund on May 3rd.
The price of the headset is currently set at $699. The company reports that headset production is already well underway. Based on this status, the company has expressed confidence that delivery can begin in May for Super Early Bird customer/supporters. – Arthur Berman
