
Canon is jumping on the VR bandwagon.
At this year's Canon Expo in New York, the Japanese camera giant unveiled a high-resolution virtual reality headset that supports 2560 x 1440 from two 5.5-inch panels for a total of 5K resolution, 120-degree field of view, and multidirectional sound.
The VR headset - if you can call it that - is a prototype in the early stages of development; it doesn't even have a name yet. It features a viewfinder with a large, square backside and two downward-facing handles that the user holds while peering into the headset instead of wearing it on his or her face. The backside of the headset sports an LED lit frame to indicate that the device is in use.
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The company claims (as noted at the VR headset demo booth) that its multidirectional audio will offer "a natural sense of orientation aligned with viewing direction." However, the demo model at the expo didn't yet have built-in audio and users had to put on external headphones to experience the location-based sound.
Canon has been working in the digital reality sphere for some time. In 2013, the company launched its "Mixed Reality" augmented reality system, which is geared toward businesses and sells for approximately $125,000.
Unlike the Mixed Reality system, it seems like the VR headset might be geared toward the retail end, which would mean it will, hopefully, cost a lot less than $100k. Currently, there is no information about pricing or availability.
Source: Mashable
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