The upcoming brand-new mixed reality headsets from Apple are expected to have several sensors, including a few for expression and gesture tracking. This means that the headsets will be able to track the facial expressions as well as gestures of the users.
These mixed reality headsets are a super holistic approach on the part of Apple as the multinational giant extends the applications of this cutting-edge technology beyond mere headsets. Now, the company has applied for a patent to track all these inputs and then combine them to deliver immersive mixed reality experiences to its users.
The patent application says, “In some embodiments, the world sensors may include one or more “video see-through” cameras (e.g., RGB (visible light) video cameras) that capture high-quality video of the user’s environment that may be used to provide the user with a virtual view of their real environment.”
Although the company has not announced its plans for the headset publicly, it is expected that their newest headsets will be equipped with separate sensors including eye-tracking cameras and jaw as well as eyebrow tracking sensors. The eye-tracking cameras that come with this headset could also be used later for biometric identification.
According to the patent application, the company might also employ gesture tracking in its headset.
Last year, it was revealed that these upcoming headsets by Apple would also amalgamate the augmented reality and virtual reality technology. The project was codenamed T288 and was slated to be released in 2020.
As per the patent application, it has been revealed the company is likely to capture the real world with its headsets using outward-facing cameras. Thereafter, these images would be displayed on the headsets.
Related: Apple’s New Augmented Reality Patent Points More Upcoming Technology
Therefore, these headsets are quite distinct as they fuse the AR, VR, and MR technology perfectly in one complete pair of headsets. These headsets are also quite different from the typical augmented reality or virtual reality headsets we see today like the AR headsets of Magic Leap.
This is super exciting news for Apple enthusiasts and the proof, as always, will be in the pudding.