Earlier this year Valve began licensing its SteamVR tracking tech, royalty free, to anyone wishing to develop virtual reality (VR) products. Now the company has announced the availability of new core components needed by VR hardware manufacturers to deliver best in class VR systems, specifically an advanced optical system to unify hardware for an optimal user experience.
While Valve is best known with the VR industry as the creator of the HTC Vive head-mounted display alongside Taiwanese manufacturer HTC, and its SteamVR platform, the company also wants to get as many global firms involved as possible, hence the royalty free technology. This is now expanding to VR headsets as well, via custom lenses that work with both LCD and OLED display technologies, with Valve making these lenses available to purchase for use in SteamVR compatible HMDs.
“These lenses and Valve’s unique calibration and correction software are designed specifically to be paired with several off-the-shelf VR displays to enable the highest quality VR visual experiences,” a press statement explains. “These optical solutions currently support a field of view between 85 and 120 degrees (depending on the display). The lenses, which are designed to support the next generation of room-scale virtual reality, optimize the user’s perceived tracking experience and image sharpness while reducing stray light. Valve is including the custom lens calibration and correction software within the SteamVR technology suite.”
“World class VR requires highly precise tracking, matched optics and display technologies, and a software stack that weaves together the interactions between these components,” said Jeremy Selan of Valve. “For the first time, we’re making all of these technologies available to anyone who wants to build a best in class VR system for the millions of Steam customers accessing over 2,000 SteamVR compatible titles.”
As Valve continues its expansion of custom VR hardware and software manufacturing solutions VRFocus will keep you updated.
via Mint VR