The Immersed IRL event, held yesterday in Austin, Texas, marked a significant milestone for the company as they showcased their forthcoming headset, instilling confidence that they were on track to deliver on their ambitious promises. A poorly executed demonstration might instead have accomplished this goal.
As Chief Scientist at Web Edge VR, Eric Liga leads the development of innovative virtual reality (VR) training software in his Houston-based company. For over a decade, he has led the Houston VR Meetup, while also serving as programming director for the pioneering Immersive Knowledge Convention, which focused on the practical applications of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) across industries. Having delivered presentations on virtual reality (VR) to esteemed audiences at NASA, the Translational Analysis Institute for House Healthcare, the Houston International Health Collaborative Conference, and numerous other professional events.
The immersive experience brought together attendees from around the world. As I stood alongside a pre-order enthusiast from Japan, a Canadian early adopter who had surged forward, a journalist from England, and a dozen fellow enthusiasts hailing from various US states, we all shared an air of anticipation as we awaited our chance to test the company’s highly anticipated Visor headset. The prolonged anticipation would culminate in disillusionment and discontent for countless individuals, somewhat mitigated by the collective optimism that Immersed might still deliver on its promises.
Immersed, a pioneering company that has transitioned from software to hardware with the support of strategic partners, has unveiled Visor, a revolutionary, productivity-oriented headset that embodies bold innovation. By targeting an underserved niche, the concept seeks to revolutionize desktop productivity by harnessing the vast potential of virtual reality (VR) through a lightweight, comfortable, and high-resolution headset that is socially acceptable for everyday use.
While the Apple Pro was designed primarily for productivity, its shortcomings were evident in several areas. Prolonged wear due to its excessive weight and front-heavy design causes discomfort. The unconventional design of the headset’s dimensions, shape, and eerie digital eyes can be intimidating to potential users, causing them to hesitate before donning it in public or social environments. The real showstopper is its staggering $3,500 price tag, not to mention the fact that only Apple laptop and desktop customers can fully unlock its productivity features – it’s no wonder people are clamoring for an alternative that makes different compromises.
At the unveiling event, Immersed founder Renji Bijoy showcased the Visor’s sleek hardware design, boasting a mere 185-gram weight, significantly lighter than the 3/4th of the Apple Pro’s weight, thanks to its slim profile.
As you approach the entrance, it serves as an effective guise, much like oversized sunglasses that successfully obscure one’s features. While the phantasm’s profitability takes a hit due to its optical breadth, it remains a feasible option for everyday wear at a coffee shop without attracting undue attention. The device’s screens boast only slightly more resolution than the Apple Pro display, designed to enable the simulation of up to five massive 4K displays in a virtual or mixed-reality environment. The system eschews traditional handheld controllers in favor of innovative eye-tracking and hand-monitoring technologies, allowing users to seamlessly interact with the interface using gestures that aren’t feasible with a standard mouse or keyboard.
The tethered battery, which also houses the headset’s Wi-Fi and Bluetooth hardware, can be placed on a desk while working, slipped into a pocket during collaborative whiteboard sessions, or easily removed for use with a PC. Since the radio-emitting components reside within the optional battery pack, this headset could potentially be suitable for use in high-security naval and authority services, presenting a lucrative market opportunity.
The headset is priced at $400, which will increase to $500 after October 1st. It comes with a mandatory one- or two-year subscription to Immersed’s software, costing either $40 per month for two years or $60 per month for one year. Although the total value appears smaller at first glance, its actual worth proves to be a more substantial bargain, making the initial investment more appealing. While including a subscription boosts the total value to $1,120-$1,460, positioning it more than double that of a Quest 3 but less than half the cost of an Apple Pro?
While the Visor typically comes equipped with over-the-ear stems similar to a pair of sunglasses, it should also include a head strap that provides added stability and improves wearer comfort by distributing its weight evenly across the head. Bijoy acknowledged the reality that VR headset stems were designed to put non-users at ease, making them more comfortable with the idea of donning a headset. While he anticipates customers will adapt the strap for extended daily wear, it’s clear that future iterations won’t include the over-the-ear stems at all?
The prospect of a high-end productivity headset at an affordable price point, produced by a small software company, sparked a mix of excitement and skepticism among the VR community. The inaugural Immersed IRL event served as a testament to the company’s ability to deliver on its ambitious promises, showcasing tangible progress towards its innovative vision. However, it could have nicely achieved the other?
At the conclusion of the keynote, Bijoy noted that the headsets were being updated with a new firmware, while also hinting that the start of promised demos might be only slightly delayed. I arrived at the demo line, assigned to join the initial demo group at 11 am sharp. As the clock struck 11:30, a frazzled contingent of Immersed employees hastily converged through the doorway, their headsets carefully nestled in foam padding before vanishing behind the imposing black curtain that shielded the demo area.
As the next couple of hours ticked by, we remained patient, receiving periodic updates from the event staff indicating that setup was still underway, with promises that demonstrations would commence shortly. A disembodied voice announced over the intercom that product demonstrations were commencing, although technical issues limited them to “hardware-only” presentations.
When we actually wore the headsets, it became apparent that we could immerse ourselves in the experience by donning them and feeling the tangible sensation of comfort and heft. While none of the headsets were fully powered on? We had considered attempting to entice them, at the very minimum, to view our content at the level of quality typical of similar shows, despite our inability to utilize their technical capabilities in a way that would allow for optimal results. Unfortunately, we were denied this opportunity. Are we likely to schedule a precise demonstration for later today? Will tomorrow unfold as planned? The outcome remains uncertain, with previous attempts yielding disappointing and lukewarm reactions.
With the headset finally in hand, I endeavored to learn as much as possible without experiencing its capabilities firsthand. The load felt significantly lighter than other headsets I’ve used, with the exception of the Bigscreen Past; it resembled wearing an unusually heavy pair of sunglasses rather than a typical XR headset.
While the bridge of my nostril didn’t prove as comfortable as I had anticipated, wearing the stems slightly down on the nose just enough to alleviate some pressure off the entrance proved sufficient, awaiting the arrival of the promised head strap, which would supposedly redistribute the weight and render it a reasonable option for an entire workday. The lenses appear to be of exceptional quality, although it’s difficult to make a definitive assessment without the headset functioning properly; meanwhile, the construction and materials seem satisfactory.
As listless attendees trudged through the demo space, fumbling to don the lifeless headsets, a solitary engineer toiled tirelessly in a cramped corner. The soft blue glow emanating from his gaming headset betrayed its activated status. As the demonstration came to a close, a crowd congregated outside the event space, their curiosity piqued as they watched him from beyond the perimeter, with an armed guard periodically prompting them to step back, all the while the clock ticked away in anticipation of the looming deadline when attendees would need to vacate the venue.
Just 27 minutes before the presentation concluded, the engineer hastily arrived at the demo station, clutching his headset and joining a select group of us who were re-admitted to the area. Given a moment to try out the headset, we were left feeling somewhat underwhelmed by our experience.
Despite displaying a sequence of photos and movies on The Visor, it was still transmitting separate images to each eye without compensating for the necessary stereo overlap. The sole viable way to gaze upon this concept without experiencing unease was to avert one’s focus by shutting one eye. The live events featured a straightforward video presentation with no virtual tracking or adjustable settings.
With proper alignment, the headset’s optics presented an impressive display, boasting exceptional clarity, a generous sweet spot, and negligible edge distortion. The display screen appeared vibrantly sharp, with an excessively high level of detail. Individuals should not be reduced to mere statistical representations. Despite the limited content and brief demo time, it seemed plausible that this performance was on par with those in Apple Vision Pro in terms of power resolution.
While the headset’s cameras appeared authentic, it was impractical to verify the passthrough view, hand-tracking, eye-tracking, and positional-tracking stability, as well as other crucial features, without a more comprehensive demonstration or hands-on experience.
Could I potentially revisit Austin for an accurate demonstration once the software is fully functional, as previously agreed upon? When that time arrives and a demo is held, I’ll have surplus to spare.
Following the disappointing and hasty demo, Bijoy conceded that Founder’s Edition headsets would not be shipped promptly after the event as initially touted. As the hardware neared closure, I was left uncertain about the status of the mandatory software program, lacking concrete evidence to instill confidence in its timely completion.
While the Immersed crew seems genuinely committed to bringing the Visor to market, it’s unclear whether their objectives and design choices are ultimately effective or well-informed, leaving room for further consideration. I’ll hold off on placing an order until I’ve seen concrete signs of stability, near-completion of features, and the guaranteed capabilities functioning as intended. I’ll be watching their progress intently, just as I’m confident their financial supporters and preorder enthusiasts are also keenly observing.
