Canon, the Japanese tech giant responsible for making some of the best cameras in the world, is getting back into the AR headset game. Although this might be the first time you have heard of Canon and AR, this isn’t their first time getting their development team working on an AR headset. The headset that has been unveiled is planned to replace the MREAL Display MD-10, a headset that was made in 2016. The previous headset was priced at brought $82,000.
The newest headset they are revealing is the older brother to the MD-10. The newest enterprise-focused headset is named MREAL Display MD-20. This will be a tether AR headset, and the specs known right now are slim.
The headset has yet to receive a price tag, and that might be for the better. If this upcoming headset is even a tenth of the price of the previous, it won’t have any sales to its name. There are plenty of other AR headsets on the market right now that could find a home, even if it is a Canon enthusiast in question.
As for the release date, we are still in the dark. We know the headset is going to be debuted at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba, Japan. This will be taking place from the 26th of February to the 28th.
Just like the first Canon headset, this will be aimed at the Japanese market. It is being marketed as a tool that is going to help high-end manufacturers make decisions on products in real time. This task is important to Canon, and they have made some key improvements to the headset to deliver the experience their soon-to-be customers are hoping for.
Tech Specs
One of the biggest improvements with the MD-20 is the CMOS sensor with a global shutter. This is going to deliver the world to the customers like never before. Canon is on record saying that this will “accurately capture real-world images without distortion”, something many AR headsets struggle with.
The new CMOS sensor will also be responsible for positional tracking from a real-time spatial map. This won’t be the only form of tracking though, as companies can buy extra visual markers and optical sensors aside from their headset purchase.
The MD-20 display is going to have some upgrades in the display department as well. The new display will have a resolution of 2,560×1,600 per eye. This won’t go to waste either, as the headset has an improved field of view that is 70° horizontal by 40° vertical. To compare to the MD-10, that heads had a 60° horizontal FoV with the same 40° vertical field of view.
Lastly, but importantly, the MD-20 is going to roll with a refresh rate of 60Hz. This is on par with many other competing headsets. Although Canon doesn’t have a lot of competition in the high-end consumer market in Japan, it is important to give users a fantastic experience.
Competing…Maybe
If you are a consumer looking for an AR headset that is going to make your day-to-day life easier and more rich with tech, this isn the headset for you. It is pretty clear now, this headset is going to be aimed at high-end enterprises inside of the Japan borders.
If you think that the Magic Leap or the Hololens will be competing with this headset, you are simply wrong. There are levels to this, and Canon is aiming at the highest level. If you want to get into AR, a great place to start is the Vuzix Blade or the Nreal headsets. For more VR and AR news and community updates, make sure to check back at VRGear.com.
