"Potential is definitely there" for Xbox One VR headset, says Spencer

[starlight777]

"Potential is definitely there" for Xbox One VR headset, says Spencer

http://www.totalxbox.com/75860/potential-is-definitely-there-for-xbox-one-vr-headset-says-spencer/


"While we don't have anything to officially announce, it's clearly an area people are excited about."

Microsoft's acquisition of patents for augmented reality technology set tongues a-wagging last month - see the gallery below for concept artworks. Could this be evidence that the long-rumoured Xbox VR/AR headset project is approaching fruition, fans wondered? If recent comments by Head of Xbox Phil Spencer to CNN are any indication, the answer is a definite... maybe.

"Virtual reality is a really interesting area, especially for games," Spencer told the broadcaster, when asked for his thoughts on Sony's Project Morpheus glasses and the Oculus Rift. "And while it seems like it's been 'just over the horizon' for the last 20 years or so, I think we could finally start seeing it prove out soon for both gamers and developers.

"As I talked about at GDC, our Microsoft research team has been playing with virtual reality for quite a while, and while we don't have anything to officially announce, it's clearly an area people are excited about," he went on. "The potential is definitely there."


Exciting times. It's worth remembering, of course, that Microsoft researches a lot of stuff that never reaches the consumer. Take Xbox Illumiroom, a projection technology that displays game graphics on surfaces around your TV - though enthusiastically received, this isn't expected to see release as it would cost thousands of dollars. Virtual and augmented reality headsets face similar commercial difficulties, as I argued in a recent blog.

Having said that, talk of an Xbox VR headset has proven hard to dispel - the Wall Street Journal, among other publications, claims that the device is in active development. Hopefully, we'll hear more at E3.

 

[Frozpot]

I'd love to see Illumiroom become reality. I really don't think it'd cost more than 2 or 3 hundred bucks. I'd bite in a minute.

 

[pravus]

Judging by those patent photos, this doesn't look Xbox related at all at the moment. Unless somehow all of that outdoor AR stuff somehow can relate back to the Xbox console, or if the experience is produced by the actual console and beamed to the glasses via wifi or something?

I dunno. Definitely something to keep an eye on.

 

[Two Pennys Worth]

I'm way more interested in VR than AR. With every X1 shipping with Kinect too and capable of full skeletal tracking, the X1 seems made for VR to me. Fingers crossed.

 

[Kassen]

Competition always assures customer ssatifaction in the end!

 

[Videodrome]

People got smacked in the face with Wii nun-chuck controllers. Can't wait to see people kick the coffee table over playing VR.

OMG it's Dath Maul. Dammit I knocked over the bowl of Fritos.

 

[ZombiesRUCrazy]

People got smacked in the face with Wii nun-chuck controllers. Can't wait to see people kick the coffee table over playing VR.

OMG it's Dath Maul. Dammit I knocked over the bowl of Fritos.

Xbox man, would be doritos.

 

[Typhoon20]

I wont be playing with my coffee table wink wink.

 

[Kvally]

VR will be shorter lived than 3D gaming.

 

[GordoSan]

Judging by those patent photos, this doesn't look Xbox related at all at the moment. Unless somehow all of that outdoor AR stuff somehow can relate back to the Xbox console, or if the experience is produced by the actual console and beamed to the glasses via wifi or something?

I dunno. Definitely something to keep an eye on.

Doesn't relate to Xbox? Hasn't everyone seen their legit leaked "Road to Fortaleza" roadmap by now??? Notice, they did NOT name this roadmap "Road to Xbox 720"! This AR/VR concept, at least at one point, had a high priority!

Sure, it could have been a concept of MS-past. Still, isn't it logical to think that these Kinect glasses are still on course?

 

[pravus]

Doesn't relate to Xbox? Hasn't everyone seen their legit leaked "Road to Fortaleza" roadmap by now??? Notice, they did NOT name this roadmap "Road to Xbox 720"! This AR/VR concept, at least at one point, had a high priority!

Sure, it could have been a concept of MS-past. Still, isn't it logical to think that these Kinect glasses are still on course?

I mainly meant in reference to these new patents, these diagrams don't seem to relate to a console, but more to a Google Glass-type device functionality in addition to an AR functionality, with no reference to the console per se.

I do remember forteleez though, that's why I found it odd there was no console in the diagram.

 

[GordoSan]

People got smacked in the face with Wii nun-chuck controllers. Can't wait to see people kick the coffee table over playing VR.

OMG it's Dath Maul. Dammit I knocked over the bowl of Fritos.

The patent shows that the glasses have a camera, which works similar to Kinect.

Now combine both cameras' near-field view. You have complete 3D object tracking of everything between you and the TV screen. A realtime inage (or glowing boarder) of everything, including people, pets, and coffee tables can be overlayed to the VR image... making it actually AR AND VR!

That is part speculation on my part, but to me, this concept is already well beyond Oculus. We just need to see an example.

Note: I was the one who proposed the IR Blaster on TXB way back, before Kinect v1 launched. I brought it up a couple times and got little to no response. I guess I have a good imagination for tech uses.

 

[Two Pennys Worth]

The patent shows that the glasses have a camera, which works similar to Kinect.

Now combine both cameras' near-field view. You have complete 3D object tracking of everything between you and the TV screen. A realtime inage (or glowing boarder) of everything, including people, pets, and coffee tables can be overlayed to the VR image... making it actually AR AND VR!

That is part speculation on my part, but to me, this concept is already well beyond Oculus. We just need to see an example.

Note: I was the one who proposed the IR Blaster on TXB way back, before Kinect v1 launched. I brought it up a couple times and got little to no response. I guess I have a good imagination for tech uses.

Good shout about the IR Blaster, credit given where credits due.

 

[GordoSan]

I mainly meant in reference to these new patents, these diagrams don't seem to relate to a console, but more to a Google Glass-type device functionality in addition to an AR functionality, with no reference to the console per se.

I do remember forteleez though, that's why I found it odd there was no console in the diagram.

Iv'e seen that too, but keep in mind that there are MANY tech patents that comprise this concept, not just a couple. Each patent can be specific or broad. I have seen at least 1 broad concept that specifically states "console", in regards to how it's connected. MS LOVES specific patents, though! People say that they have failed at mobile, while they are making BANK off of specific patents that covers every Android phone sold!

Also, it is obvious to me that they wouldn't want to give away too much of their plans through said patents. You kind of have to put them all together and read beteeen the lines... but then also expect some to be dropped, due cost and practicallity.

 

[TDbank24]

When it comes to Microsoft and the Xbox brand. Potential is always there.

 

[GordoSan]

Good shout about the IR Blaster, credit given where credits due.

Thank you! Sometimes I wonder if I shouldn't hold onto my ideas like that, but then, what the hell am I going to do with it? I'd rather someone at MS stumble upon a random post and bring it to use. As I said at the time, if I thought of that, there is no way the brilliant minds at Microsoft Research haven't?

If I could do it all over again, I'd be an engineer. It just never interested me til the end of my 20s. My dad was an engineer, so I guess it could be in my blood. It is MS Research though, that always awakens this gene and inspires me to the core. Their projects are probably 2nd to only the US military (and I guess Isreali, too), but their tech actually has a better chance at actually helping humanity.

 

[pravus]

Thanks for posting those slides btw, it's been a while.. for some reason I wasn't able to see them earlier on my cell phone. They definitely help make a lot more sense out of the patent as these diagrams in particular look like they directly relate to what they have listed for their 2015 roadmap in regards to the "on the go", "cloud rendering", "3g/4g".

I'm looking forward to seeing when MS actually restructure the XBLG tiers; I got the feeling that Spencer was hinting at changing some of those things along with GameswithGold.

 

[Z A C K]

I like the idea of it. Just as I like the idea of Oculus.

 

[SmilingDeath]

What if they mad glasses that projected an illumaroom style experience without the projector? The only down side to VR or ER glasses is cost. We just dropped 500 on a new console and now we will need to spend more to purchase this new tech. I would imagine that if most of us had the choice between VR tech and Kinect 2 being included most would choose VR. I imagine both pieces of tech will play nicely off each other some how.

 

[GordoSan]

What if they mad glasses that projected an illumaroom style experience without the projector? The only down side to VR or ER glasses is cost. We just dropped 500 on a new console and now we will need to spend more to purchase this new tech. I would imagine that if most of us had the choice between VR tech and Kinect 2 being included most would choose VR. I imagine both pieces of tech will play nicely off each other some how.

I have been saying that Illumiroom was basically a demo for these glasses for a while, and I do think that function is only part of what they do. We'll have to see.

Kinect is better to include with the system because it is cheaper, can be used for UI, and will be needed for the visor to work properly.

Price is the tricky thing. You want it to be a quality experience for sure! How much is too high, though? I think $500 is definately too high. Anything below $200 is just gonna be crap, and somewhere about $300 is the sweet spot... but it better be amazing at that price

 

[GordoSan]

... and before anybody freaks out on that price, well it's new tech that has never been done for consumers before. That means cost of everything is higher plus R&D.

If it comes out at $150 like Kinect did, I'd be shocked if it was actually worth a damn. I just really doubt that.