Snapdragon XR2 and the viewers “go” wirelessly
The digital present is all concentrated on smartphones and computers, in the future it could move to viewers and, who knows when, digital lenses. We have dealt with the issues related to the viewers several times, recently also on the occasion of our test of the Spectacles 4, and they are almost all related to the computing power available on these devices, temperature management and autonomy.
Qualcomm is obviously committed to this front and already last year presented a first reference platform called Snapdragon XR1, a starting point that today sees another step forward with the new Snapdragon XR2. It is not a simple step forward within fourteen months of the San Diego home has in fact managed to eliminate the cable that connects the AR viewer to a smartphone or PC. A novelty which is accompanied by other technical improvements that bring that near future a little closer.
ALL IN WIRELESS
It was to guarantee this generational passage the Qualcomm FastConnect 6900 chip, the same mounted on some of the best Qualcomm SoCs in circulation that eliminates lag (latency <3 ms) using WiFi 6 / 6E and Bluetooth. This component is then joined by the new FastConnect XR software suite, developed ad hoc to ensure maximum signal stability.
Removing the cables obviously facilitates manufacturers in developing prototypes based on this new hardware platform, thus imagining headsets that are smaller, freer and more comfortable to wear. All decisive factors for the development of this segment.
To offer a precise reference, Qualcomm has thus created its reference design in collaboration with Goertek: compared to last year it has a 40% thinner profile and better weight distribution. From the lenses it is possible to enjoy a double 0.49 “micro-OLED binocular display that will show contents at Full HD resolution (1920 x 1080) per eye at a frequency of 90 Hz and function no-motion-blur which will make the images even smoother.
Next to it there are two monochrome cameras and an RGB camera that allow the tracking of the head and six degrees of freedom (6DoF), in addition to the tracking of the hand which is essential for the gestures to be recognized. To close, the built-in battery is 650mAh. In essence, a major upheaval that affects the design and the new capacity for calculating and managing consumption. But, as already mentioned, the challenge is still long.
