HTC Vive took to Facebook today to announce a modification to their upcoming HTC Vive Cosmos. In this release, we see a new faceplate that will be on the front of their headset
The Vive Cosmos originally had four cameras on the exterior, all with the purpose of inside-out tracking. Two on the front of the headset with alien-like features, and one on each side for additional tracking of the headset and the Vive controllers. Now as you can see in the video teaser above, the faceplate will add two new cameras to the headset when attached. The cameras are placed on the top and bottom of the Cosmos. This should help with additional controller tracking, as the positional tracking will be taken care of with the original four camera setup.
Because this is Vive’s first consumer-focused headset in sometime, we can expect them to not cut any corners with this headed. There are plenty of inside-out tracking headsets that can lose sight of the controller when they are brought below or above the head, and Cosmos is doing all it can to avoid that problem.
With a plethora of first person shooter games making their way onto virtual reality headsets, many companies are trying their best to accommodate. When looking down the scope with your virtual gun, your controllers are naturally going to be below your headset, and one hand directly below the headset. If the Cosmos never added this clip on, the tracking would go completely out with this motion.
Along with the need to have a camera on the bottom of the Cosmos, Vive recognizes the need for a camera on the top side of the headset. This will make many games more enjoyable. Any game that deals with putting things on your shoulder or back will benefit front this. Bow and arrow games will be played by the masses now, and we may just get a look a long-coveted Hunger Games virtual reality video game. Even games like Beat Saber and Swords of Gargantua will benefit from this faceplate.
HTC also teased in the trailer that the faceplate will be removable from the Cosmos. This seems like a fun idea, but logically speaking, I can’t think of a good reason to ever remove it. Maybe if the headset can be converted to standalone (like many people are hoping and assuming) it could benefit from taking the plate off. We can’t think of a great reason to ever remove extra tracking, but we know this is simply a “mod” of the Cosmos.
HTC Vive released this statement to UploadVR shortly after their teaser saying “The ‘mod’ shown will ship with Cosmos as default. As noted, it adds two additional tracking cameras from what we showed at CES this year. More to come down the road as to future ‘mods.”
This sheds some light on what the plan is for the Cosmos. Make it a customizable headset that is focused on what the consumers what and need. Specs for this headset and official prices will be breaking the news in the coming weeks.
