Facebook’s light VR headset prototype looks more like a pair of sunglasses

Modern virtual reality (VR) headsets often feel quite cumbersome and heavy when you’re actually wearing them.

Facebook is looking to make that less of an issue with a new lightweight VR headset prototype, according to a research paper created by the company’s ‘Reality Labs.’ 

The lighter design looks more like a pair of sunglasses when compared to the goggle-like look of current headsets like the Rift S, which is manufactured by Facebook-owned company Oculus.

Facebook expects the design will appear in future high-performance AR/VR devices. The headset uses a slightly thicker display than what is found in a typical smartphone.

The glasses feature a resolution of 1,200 x 1,600 pixels and a field-of-view that’s either a 93-degree circle or a 92-by-69-degree rectangle.

Facebook is a leader in the VR market with its Oculus headsets, which it acquired back in 2014 for $2.3 billion USD (about $3.14 billion CAD).

The paper notes that the device would deliver a better lightweight VR headset experience than Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 and the Magic Leap. It remains to be seen if that’s true, but the paper does note that those two AR headests are limited by a 40-degree view.

Of course, keep in mind that this paper is created by Facebook, so obviously the company wants to paint its own prototype in a positive light.

Image credit: Facebook Research

Source: Facebook Research Via: VentureBeat