Some of you might know I have been working on a DIY HMD for while now. I have made some progress, but it is going to be months before it gets anywhere, and it is not anything that will be mass produced, just something for my own amusement.

However, I have gotten in touch with the owner of FatShark Vision Systems, the maker of the RCV922 HMD, a 640x480 headset using the same LCDs as the VR920, but with a 46 degree field of vision, and adjustable IPD and focus! He was kind enough to sell me some optics independently of the headset (Last he had, apparently he had just thrown out a whole bunch! ), and I look forwards to trying them out. For reference, 46 degrees is the same as an 80" screen at 7 feet, compared to the 62-inch screen at 9 feet that the VR920 claims.

The headset he makes is designed specially for model plane pilot camera, however, and even has a built in 2.4ghz video receiver. I asked him if there is any chance that his company would make a headset for gaming, especially the stereo3d community. He said that that is not his market, and that flight monitoring is his niche. After talking for a while, though, he said that it is a possibility at some point in the future. He said it would be good to have a "wishlist" of things that we/the general market would want in an HMD within reason. There are already SVGA (800x600) displays made by Kopin that could drop into the existing optics he had designed, and likely any future revisions.

So yeah, wishlist of what you would want in a HMD within reason (And outside of it, why not). Would you be interested in buying it, and how much would you be willing to pay?

Here is the spec sheet for the FPV headset he is currently making: http://www.gowiththeshark.com/RCV922_spec_B.htm

Come on people, someone who actually has some good knowhow, commercial production capability, and pre-existing devices wants your input! Get some good ideas out there! I would post my wish list, but I think it better to hear what other people come up with before posting my crazy long list.

Sounds good!
I got 1 wish: it should have around 90 degree Field of View so that the main vision is covered a lot. I don't know if it is possible though (btw: no need for sound - we have Our own solutions).

Otka, CyberReality, you better post as soon as you see this.

I think the main short coming on HMDs at the moment is the narrow FOV. When people think of HMDs or VR headsets, they have an idea of an all encompassing surround vision experience. With current hardware all you get is a virtual screen that is in many cases not up to par with a real screen. So that main draw of a headset is lost. So far the most immersive experience I have had was at IMAX 3D. The main reason was that it filled my full field of view (more of less). If there were a headset that could provide that I am sure it could prove popular. It just seems that for many reasons this has not happened. In fact, I believe some of the old headsets from the 90's even had larger FOV then whats available today. I mean, 46 degrees is respectable but still a far way off from what is needed. I'd say 90 degrees is a good target, although 120+ would be ideal.

I don't find resolution to be the biggest factor (although it is the one most people look at first). I've got the Vuzix Wrap 310, which is a paltry 428 x 240, and it still looks good. Even the VR920 at 640 x 480 is acceptable when down-scaling from 1024x768. Of course a higher-res wouldn't hurt, but I don't feel its the biggest issue. I think 720P (1280 x 720) would be great and the wide screen would work better for a wide horizontal FOV. I guess if we got into 90-120 degree FOV we may need higher res screens. Although I have thought about possibly using multiple screens, like 3 per eye, to achieve this. Sort of like ATI's Eyefinity for each eye (pun intended). Don't know how the optics would work in that case though.

Also headtracking is essential. HMD is all about VR and you can't have VR without headtracking. The tracker on the VR920 is somewhat usable but still needs a lot of work. Ideally it would use some sort of absolute tracking like that Sixense/Razer controller demoed at CES. Using accelerometers is just not the ticket. On that note it should also include some 6DOF wireless controller like the one just mentioned or a gun peripheral (cyberpuck). No point in using an HMD and then sitting in front of a keyboard and mouse. Kills the whole experience. Also, can someone bring back data-gloves? What happened?

In a perfect world this headset would retail for around $599, which is about the most I'd spend on any single PC component. However if it were really amazing, like you jacked into the Matrix, I might make an exception and spend a bit more. I think at that range it could be a hit in a niche market and maybe get bigger with drops in price. But realistically this is going to be for die-hard VR enthusiasts.

All in all, I think the FOV has got to get a lot bigger. Not just incrementally either. There needs to be a fundamental breakthrough in the optics design to accommodate a fully immersible experience. Otherwise the money would be better spent on a multi-projector rig and a curved screen (aka CAVE style setup). Still, if you could accomplish even half of that you may see some interest from a small niche crowd.

Just curious; How big is your projector screen, and how far do you sit away?

I don't have a projector, sadly. If I had the money I would want this though:

Ah, I see. TBH, I think that 80" at 7 feet is a heck of a lot bigger than most projection screens people here use.

And before I even posted here, he said that he could put in a very nice headtracker. The current one has one, in fact, and it is mappable to a swivel and pan camera on the aircraft.

With the popularity of eyefinity 3 monitor setups and track ir you can see the beginnings. People will want and crave VR, most of them just dont realise it yet and talk down the goofy headsets. But its important to note the vast majority prefer quality over quantity with displays and i think this is the reason for the stall in VR HMD's. The ocau forum i vist has a thread about gamers who are buying the new 120hz lcd monitors JUST for faster reponse and smoother graphics, without using nvision.

With current tech there can still be a cost effective immersive HMD that will call to the more hardcore gamers and create the beginings of big $$ interest that will push VR the rest of the way.

Back on topic. We NEED be a BIG fov covering most of ther peripheral vision. How big.. will need to be worked out based on the way current games and apps present information bars at the edges. You cant turn your head inside a HMD so your eyes will be strained looking at the extremes for ammo and health indicators. The caveat of teh J-Dome is that games really need to have a console command to shift statis info closer to centre. Widescreen aspect is ideal, the resolution isnt too important so perhaps a lot of money could be saved joining 2 640x480 or 2 800x600 screens side by side and using the Headplay page flipping method so you only use 2 screens all up. Another possibily is clever use of edge illuminators that match the on screen display for cheap peripheral view. Price could be under $500 doing this perhaps. And with the possibilty of an ATI page flipping driver on the way this could work.

The lcd drivers MUST be scalable if they are low res so they can take high res input without bitching about being out of range. No one wants to be setting their games to even xga as it stuffs the games fov.

The optics are really important, it must be adjustable and must feel like you are looking far into the distance like the fresnel lens effect. Perhaps if some extremely fine fresnals can be sourced or produced for this. If possible an adjustable zoom should be built in to change the fov for different apps.

Head tracking is vital but like sound can be tacked on by the end user if need be. The gizards out of a gyration mouse or Wii motion plus would be fine, plus some tilt sensors for leaning. The output of the tracking should be configurable to mouse output and someting like another standard to include the possibility of both in use at once.
Another cool feature that can make this a winner is wireless. Even if it is an option. Otherwise the option for long cables that be be user replaced cheaply if damged. This way users can stand, turn around full 360 for head tracking and even include some wireless tilt sensors for the chest- lean fowards,left,back,right =wasd plus a bonce for jump. Configurable hand controls for extra functions or even aiming although there is no gaming support for this

All these things (except the hmd) can be home brewed but that is FAR to hard for the average enthusiest so the VR HMD will struggle until this setup is closer to hand for everyone.

Summary
-Price around $500 depending on the display resolution.
-Huge FOV. Widescreen. And no stretching 4.3.
-3Driver compatiblity preferably not requiring 2x video inputs. (or even a 2d version using fesnals that give psuedo 3d and massive immersion and scale.
-Good Head tracking
-Resolution scaling
-Wireless option.
-Design to block outside light, preferable with flpi design or below display flip to look down at keyboards etc.

I can garuntee in the not so distant future this will be the norm for gaming. People just wont have the space for caves and projectors so HMD's will have to rule.

Hey, someone remembered my idea. Something he says he has always been interested in implementing is a system where the optics are sharp and clear for most of the image, but the optics are made to stretch the edge of the LCD far beyond what can be done normally. It would massively blue the image at the far edges, but that is the goal: Imitate human sight. How much of the image to blur as peripheral view would be the debate, of course, with the added problem of "normal" use like web browsing being very severely impacted. If this is possible, it is pretty likely it would be implemented, as his target market (First Person RC flight people) would not mind at all a headset that cannot be used for web browsing. You can be sure that if a mainstream company made an HMD using this technique, people would slam them for making terrible optics.

Using two displays is extremely hard from an engineering perspective, and I am fairly sure it is beyond the scope of this guy.

The fresnel lens effect just changes the perceived depth. This can be factored into the stock lens design, fresnels not needed.


And I would go and measure an imaginary 80" screen on your wall, then step 7 feet away. That is crazy awesome.

Thanks for the input, anyone else? Add anything you think of later.

Its ok, but its nothing like a decent fov, or even sitting in front af a decent size monitor. Although if the apparent size and distance are correct it may appear that enemies up close are approaching life size and this is what is important for immersion.

I remember 10 years ago, people were saying in 10 years these will be a household item, full wraparound 3D etc. If anything they have taken a step back. Perhaps another 10 years.

I have demo'ed a few in the past and they were all total garbage. Do not waste your money on any HMD at present.

They may not be a household item, but there ARE 120degree FOV full wraparound HMDs. The companies that make them only sell to researchers and military, though, so they are able to charge tens of thousands of dollars per headset. The tech itself exists to make a full wraparound 3d headset, and for under $500, too, but the only people working on HMDs right now are "video glasses" makers in china who just want to sell mediocre gear.

At present, most HMDs are indeed garbage. I got a Vuzix VR920 for $200 shipped, though, and it is definitely worth the money for a stereo 3d head tracking HMD. Hopefully, we will someday have inhome awesome HMDs. Right after flying cars.

And maybe genetically modified flying pigs.

My idea to fill the extreme peripheral vision is two very low resolution displays, without any lense, at each side of the head. Their mission is to show something that makes sense in those far spots where you can't really "see" things but still is important for our visual perception. It doesn't matter if there is a gap between the main, high resolution image at front and those lenseless, low resolutions displays.
I really wonder if something like that would work and give a better feeling reducing the 'looking through a tunnel' effect.

You can have life size objects no matter the FOV. The problem is that looking at a life size virtual world through a 30º hole is not the most exciting thing.

Those same military wraparounds were around 10 years ago, and you are correct, way out of a normal consumer's paycheck. The first thing that anyone comments on when they first experience a HMD is "is that it?"

Hi,
have home my 2 PJ flightsim (4x1,8m, 2048x768 85 Hz active stereo on Matrox Dual head2Go, Trackir 4, It is awesome experience - see this video (2D, works in 3D too). Aprox FOV horisontal is aprox 90-100 gr, vertical is lower. With Trackir FOV is aprox. 170 gr (from one wing to second)


and this is aprox the minimum specs for ideal HMD (more vertical FOV were better)
Use too my Z800 HMD, i think minimal rel.good HMD is 2x2 (per eye) these OLEDS (total res. 1600x1200) , Second - color quality of these OLEDS is not ideal... And good Tracking, working too in bed not only when user is sitting. Peripheral illumination were too nod bad. Good ventilation of space beteween of HMD and face, good Headphones and maximal one wire from this system, better wireless.

Hi I want a HMD sometime and since when I seen them for sale at first they cost like 1500 dollars, but so many options have come out now. Not to say there was not many before but the ones out now are somewhat better for cooling and face placements I think. But you fellas want to be able to see the whole image closer right. The FOV on most games is like 90 or 60 but can be changed with cvars like sv_fov, cl_fov , g_fov and if changed to something like cl_fov 50 you get a closer view of the gameplay. I am saying this as on a monitor but never seen a HMD before. The idea I am getting is that the view on a new HMD is like seeing black around a floating screen that is fairly small and far away. The seems like most of the details are out of range and loss of function and is almost gone, along with imersion since it feels like another 23 inch virtual monitor. By any chance does any of these HMD's have a zoom function for the optics either as a software zoom like in windows magnifier or a zoom + - button for actual optic zoom and also keystone correction for both virtical and horizonal. Also why cannot a new HMD have the head tracking combine the zooming and keystone correction apply with head movement on minimal tracktion or adjusted from syncing with a pc or remote control, so just FOV head tracking. Anyway this seems like an easy adjustment into proper viewing but using optics may need a filter to distort the pixels of the screens but also maybe two micro peco projectors would work on a HMD too. If the LED micro peco projectors upscaled to 1024x768 onto a reverse mirrors as the eye glass lens's then maybe there would be better FOV too and since a projector already has all the keystone and zooming functions along with improved color and brightness also the glasses could be detachable for other styles to be used. I would pay what it cost to make it and double that for this item.

Yeah, I think the best option would be to use 2 pico laser projectors and a folded optic system to achieve a large display area. The helmet would need a dome in the front as the screen. Resolution would be highly stretched but I believe the FOV could be very high. If I ever have some spare cash maybe I will try this myself.

The projector idea is no good because of the distance required plus you still need optics so the image looks far away. Something similar ive read about is to use a large ball lampshade, shine the projector on it and stick your head inside, i may pick one up from my local Ikea if its cheap enough and give it a try . THis is not a hmd though.

Until a display manufacture makes a decent sized mini screen at a decent res for a decnt price HMD's are doomed. Currently they are aiming for far to small a physical size (1/4 inch) making the optics too difficult and expensive to apply for large fov. Surely it would be easier if they made a screen 2 inches across. One of those in front of each eye with some optics and easy large FOV.

Whoa its wireless? Will there be a dual input option?

I think a good head set should have a high field of view, at least 640x480, 32bit colors and 60hz per eye would be a nice bonus.

LCD contact lenses?

Now thats a thought. Be good for passing exams too.

You can try those covert earpieces that use an induction loop coil connected to a bluetooth phone if exam cheatin' is what you're after. The only real problem would be communicating silently what the questions were that you needed answers to. This could be accomplished by wearing a covert camera and transmitter(like a shirt button camera) while your "partner" has the video receiver. He receives video feed of the test questions, finds the answers, and then reads them to you over the cell phone which is piped directly into your ear. That's how I passed the BAR.

It should have 2:1-3:1 aspect ratio. and a 1:1 scaling option for games with bad HUDs
And a high FoV