Intel to Deliver AR through its Project Alloy VR Headset

Intel’s new virtual reality (VR) headset – Project Alloy, officially unveiled this week at the annual IDF keynote – will also deliver wireless augmented reality (AR) through the company’s advanced RealSense camera technology, capable of “a free range of motion with 6 degrees-of-freedom across a large space”. While Intel won’t be building Project Alloy itself, it will be offering it as an open hardware platform for third-party manufacturers.

Key features of Project Alloy include:

Go untethered: Operate without pesky cords dangling from your VR headset connecting to the computer. The computing power is located in the Alloy Head-Mounted Device (HMD), which allows the user to experience VR untethered. That means you can “cut the VR cord,” allowing a free range of motion with 6 degrees-of-freedom across a large space.  This, combined with collision detection and avoidance, enables the user to utilize physical movement to explore a virtual space.

Immersive experience: Through merged reality, see your hands, see your friends … see the wall you are about to run into. Using Intel RealSense technology, not only can you see these elements from the real world, but you can use your hands to interact with elements of your virtual world, merging realities.

No external sensors: Alloy’s merged reality is made possible by Intel RealSense cameras attached to the headset and is not dependent on setting up any external sensors or cameras around the room.

Available to make your own: The Alloy HMD is an example of how Intel’s suite of sensing and computing technologies, such as Intel RealSense technology, are being made available to developers, makers and inventors to deliver the future of immersive experiences. Additionally, Intel is collaborating with Microsoft to optimize Windows-based content and experiences on Intel-based VR devices such as Alloy.