HP might be new to the field of virtual reality (VR) – in comparison to other manufacturers – but that’s not stopping the company from trying to innovate. During the Autodesk University Conference, earlier this week subsidiary HP Labs Innovation revealed its Opera Glass proof of concept, designed for what the company terms “VR snacking.”
The concept focuses on design professionals who utilise VR in their work lives but need a quicker and easier way of switching between monitor and headset without ruining their workflow.
Giving a real-world example of how this concept would work, HP said in a statement: “A designer is designing a new chair for a client. He builds a rough foamboard model. Based on the model, the designer drafts the chair in 3D CAD. The designer spends a long time working on the back of the chair, but he’s not sure if it makes sense at scale. VR would allow the designer to view the chair model at the right proportions, but it disrupts the workflow to put on all the gear and move to the dedicated VR space. HP Labs asked, What if. . . Without leaving the desk, the designer grabs the VR Opera Glasses and looks through the VR view. The chair is virtually presented at full scale. The designer returns to 3D CAD and modifies the design. The designer can quickly – nearly seamlessly – switch from 3D CAD to VR without getting up or gearing up.”
What this seems to mean is ‘VR on a stick’. A VR headset is attached to a desk-based stand. When needed architects, product designers, developers and educators working on VR development projects deskside can simply grab the headset to view their design then quickly switch back.
Additionally, Opera Glass could provide better collaborative discussions as users quickly share a VR experience with a colleague; spending less time gearing up and more time working together.
As this is just a concept at present, it’s unclear if HP will roll out a more official design which will support multiple VR headsets. If it does, VRFocus will keep you updated.
via Mint VR