The Niantic AR headset would be ideally suited for Pokémon Go
(Picture: Niantic)Remember the Pokémon Go craze of 2016? Maker of Pokemon Go Niantic has shown off a prototype of its in-the-works augmented-reality headset.
Such hardware lets game creators paste characters and objects into your vision, for a next-generation take on what Pokémon Go showed us in 2016. And, despite being labelled a fad by some, that game still rides high on the “top grossing” charts of app stores. It currently sits at number six in Google Play.
Niantic released a video of the augmented-reality headset as part of a Qualcomm annual technology showcase.
It calls the headset its Lightship Visual Positioning System. In its current form, the headset sits halfway between a pair of glasses and a VR headset. It’s the kind of headgear you could wear outside, but may not want to.
A camera sits to the side of each glasses lens, giving Niantic’s headset a comparable view of the world to your own. This lets it see in three dimensions, and gives its software the ability to place 3D objects into your field of vision and have them move as you turn your head.
Niantic’s demo video shows players holding a controller similar to the one used by the Meta Quest 2, as well as “actual headset gameplay” of 3D robots gliding through the air. They become partly obscured by the environment as they head into the background, which is quite impressive.
Stylish headgear?
The video also shows two different design iterations of the headset. First, it shows a relatively slick-looking ski mask-style visor decked out in grey fabric, then a much clunkier black plastic design, which appears to be Niantic’s working prototype.
Judging by Niantic’s footage and rendered images, the headset puts a sunglasses-like layer in front of your eyes. This darkens your vision a little, making it easier for the see-through display to compete with ambient light.
Niantic plans to get the final headset design to under 250g, and to make it viable for longer play sessions of up to two hours. It is also a wireless design, unlike a previous version teased earlier this year.
This headset was shown off as part of the reveal of the Qualcomm processor that powers these devices, the AR2 Gen 1. Its purpose is to offer the power and features augmented-reality headsets need without taking up much space, allowing for slimmer, lighter headgear people may one day actually be wiling to wear outside.
The Meta Quest 2 uses the predecessor of this chipset, the Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2. When, or if, Niantic’s headset will see a release is as yet unknown, but other Qualcomm partners announced for this new hardware include Xiaomi, OPPO, Lenovo, and Chinese gaming giant Tencent.
