Quick Summary
Researchers at Meta Reality Labs have shared prototype headsets with a wider 180 degree field of vision.
The prototype also claims a better passthrough experience and could lead to an enhanced offering in Meta Quest 4.
For all the devices that have jumped into the AR or VR world, Meta has had the biggest impact with its Quest headset. Much more affordable than Apple Vision Pro and supported by compelling experiences, it’s the platform to watch when it comes to next-gen reality experiences.
Thanks to details published by researchers at Meta Reality Labs (via Tom’s Guide) we now have in insight into what could be coming next, and it takes us closer to the world of Cyberpunk 2077 than ever before.
The core of the published material explains how Meta has developed a headset with a field of view that covers 180 degrees. That means that what you can see in the headset covers a wider field of view than before, with existing devices offering approximately 110 degrees.
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The researchers say that human vision typically covers around 200 degrees, so it’s a view that’s far closer to reality. Uniquely, this has been done in a headset that’s not unduly bulky, unlike the ultrawide Pimax headsets that we’ve seen in the past.
This is important, because it expands what you can see in the headset without moving your head. It means there’s more for your eyes to feast on, helping to avoid that sensation that you’re watching a scene, and helping put you in that scene instead.
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When it comes to mixed reality, this also means that passthrough becomes much more like normal vision, so anything you have overlayed on that is more representative of the sort of bio-implants you might get in a sci-fi movie or game.
Further, the researchers say that their prototype headsets offer more than 80 megapixels for the passthrough cameras, with a 60fps frame rate, so bringing the real world into the headset should be more realistic than ever.
The researchers have included a direct comparison to the Meta Quest 3, showing how much wider the field of view is. It’s likely that such technology would be destined for a next-gen headset, perhaps Meta Quest 4 or some sort of Quest Pro model.
Meta Quest 4 is rumoured to be preparing for a launch in 2026 or 2027, with the suggestion that Meta will be focusing on smart glasses instead, which might see the Quest 4 pushed back a little.
The devices shown off be Meta Reality Labs also have a slim design and while not as aesthetically pleasing as a consumer device, it suggests that work towards miniaturisation could continue.
With launch perhaps not expected until 2027, there’s plenty of time for more refinement, but having a system that offers better passthrough and a wider field of vision takes us a long way into a new world of virtual realities.
