Qualcomm reveals wireless eye-tracking all-in-one VR headset

Currently, there’s a stark division in the virtual reality headset world. Devices are either high-end like the PlayStation VR, HTC Vive or Oculus Rift, requiring the user tether the device to a high-end PC, or they’re empty shells powered by a smartphone.

At IFA in Berlin, smartphone processor manufacturer Qualcomm has released what it calls a reference design for head-mounted displays that take advantage of the company’s Snapdragon processor, but are entirely self contained. The goal behind this system is to deliver an experience that falls somewhere between high-end headsets and phone-based systems in terms of quality.

The reference design, developed in partnership with Goertek, is set to release in the 4th quarter of 2016, though Canadian availability is still unknown.

The design, called the VR820, is capable of delivering 360-degree head tracking and 4K video at 70 frames per second with a delay of just 18 milliseconds between user movement and screen response time.

Specifically, the VR820 is capable of tracking the wearer’s head moving backward, forward up and down, as well as rotating and swaying left and right. This level of accuracy is a step above smartphone reliant VR headsets like the Gear VR and Google Cardboard, which only have three degrees of movement: Pitch, roll and yaw.

The VR820 features a 1440 x 1440 pixel resolution display and integrated eye tracking thanks to its two cameras, dual front-facing shooters for inside-out positional tracking, as well as four microphones. According to Qualcomm, eye-tracking — looking around the experience’s universe just by moving your eyes — lightens system constrains considerably and more closely mimics how the human eye actually works than current headsets on the market.

Qualcomm’s upcoming Snapdragon 821 headset has reportedly been designed with VR in mind and will be a key component in Google’s upcoming Daydream VR certification program.