Qualcomm introduces new VR reference platform based on the Snapdragon 820
Qualcomm has today unveiled a VR reference platform at IFA, powered by the Snapdragon 820 chip. Called the Snapdragon VR820, the prominent chip maker touts a completely untethered, standalone experience devoid of connection to PC. Two AMOLED displays, plenty of processing power and an abundance of sensors are all packed into Qualcomm's vision for VR, which it hopes will prompt manufacturers to jump on board and come up with their own iterations.
The headset's quad-core Snapdragon 820 SoC is flanked by the familiar Adreno 530 GPU. Each eye gets its own 1440 x 1440 AMOLED display, while Qualcomm promises 4K video playback and refresh rates of 70 FPS thanks to HEVC compression. The display duo also supports stereoscopic 3D and foveated rendering — a buzzphraze in the virtual reality scene which essentially promotes a more immersive, natural-seeming experience while reducing VR motion sickness.
The device is adorned with four cameras in total; two for eye-tracking and a further two for monitoring head movements, hand gestures and interactions with virtual objects. The eye-tracking part is quite significant, since it's perhaps the first time a big-named firm has dropped the feature in. Set to bring an all-new level of interactivity to the masses, Qualcomm has drafted in the expertise of an outside company for this particular element, though hasn't divulged the name of the firm in question.
The device also has four mics dotted around to help drown out ambient noise, and includes a gyro, accelerometer and magnetometer. Sound-wise, the device gets stereo, 3D surround sound, and Qualcomm Aqstic-powered binaural positional audio.
The VR820 chipset will arrive at some point in Q4 2016, shortly followed thereafter by the first headsets. A full press release from Qualcomm can be seen below.
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) today announced at IFA 2016 that its subsidiary, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., has introduced its first virtual reality (VR) reference platform, the Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ VR820. Based on the powerful Snapdragon 820 processor, the Snapdragon VR820 enables OEMs to quickly develop standalone head mounted displays (HMDs) optimized for VR content and applications while meeting the processing and performance demands of an all-in-one, dedicated VR headset.
“Consumers everywhere are captivated by truly immersive VR experiences, and Qualcomm Technologies’ capabilities in graphics, displays, video, audio, computer vision and sensor technologies, as well as power and thermal efficiencies proven over years of smartphone innovation, uniquely positions us to help customers bring these experiences to life,” said Anthony Murray, senior vice president and general manager, IoT, Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd. “The Snapdragon VR820 integrates key technologies and features for an exceptional VR experience and provides a springboard for OEMs and developers to usher in the next generation of truly portable and untethered devices that we think are necessary for mass consumer adoption of VR.”
Developed with Goertek, a leading global ODM, the Snapdragon VR820 includes advanced features such as integrated eye tracking with two cameras, dual front facing cameras for six degrees of freedom (6DOF) and see-through applications, four microphones, gyro, accelerometer, and magnetometer sensors, all contained in an elegant, sleek and comfortable design. The reference platform combines Goertek’s innovative system design including mechanical, electrical, optical, acoustic, and firmware development with the groundbreaking computing, graphics, sensor fusion, audio, connectivity, power management, VR software and system capabilities of the Snapdragon 820.
The platform is built upon the groundbreaking Snapdragon VR Software Development Kit (SDK) providing OEMs and developers with access to optimized, advanced VR features, to help simplify development and improve VR performance and power efficiency with the Snapdragon 820 for standalone VR HMDs.
Snapdragon 820: Designed with VR in Mind
The Snapdragon VR820 is built upon the powerful Snapdragon 820 mobile processor, which is designed to support and advance the requirements for immersive VR. The Snapdragon 820 processor is an ideal solution that allows the platform to provide compelling visual and auditory experiences, as well as intuitive interactions.
Visual Quality:
Qualcomm® Adreno™ 530 GPU for next-generation console-quality VR gaming and apps, while delivering up to 40 percent improvement to graphics performance and compute capabilities compared to its predecessor
Smooth, stereoscopic 3D, with foveated rendering, and support for the latest graphics APIs
1440x1440 resolution per eye, AMOLED panel that supports up to 70Hz
360° 4K video playback processing with HEVC compression and display refresh rates at 70 FPS
Qualcomm® TruPalette™ display gamut mapping, color enhancement comprehensive control over colors
Qualcomm® EcoPix™ pixel compression, with variable refresh for extended battery life
Sound Quality:
Stereo, binaural positional audio, and 3D surround sound, powered by Qualcomm Aqstic™ audio technologies
Four microphones with Fluence™ HD noise filtering and active noise cancellation
Intuitive Interactions:
Dual Qualcomm Spectra™ camera ISPs combined with Qualcomm® Hexagon™ DSP for advanced vision features such as look-through imaging and 3D reconstruction, eye-tracking and hand gestures
Predictive, monocular visual motion tracking with full 6DOF at 800Hz for smooth tracking of head motion in movement as well as rotation
Ultra-fast sensing, processing with average motion to photon latency under 18ms
Powerful computing:
Custom-designed 64-bit Qualcomm® Kryo™ quad-core CPU for high-performance computing
Integrated Hexagon 680 DSP for efficiently processing advanced vision, audio, and Qualcomm All-Ways Aware™ ultra-low power “always-on” sensor technology without impacting CPU processing load
The Snapdragon VR820 is anticipated to be available in Q4 2016 with the first commercial devices based on the platform expected to be available shortly thereafter.
About Qualcomm Incorporated
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm’s licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm’s engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 30 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm’s website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.
“Consumers everywhere are captivated by truly immersive VR experiences, and Qualcomm Technologies’ capabilities in graphics, displays, video, audio, computer vision and sensor technologies, as well as power and thermal efficiencies proven over years of smartphone innovation, uniquely positions us to help customers bring these experiences to life,” said Anthony Murray, senior vice president and general manager, IoT, Qualcomm Technologies International, Ltd. “The Snapdragon VR820 integrates key technologies and features for an exceptional VR experience and provides a springboard for OEMs and developers to usher in the next generation of truly portable and untethered devices that we think are necessary for mass consumer adoption of VR.”
Developed with Goertek, a leading global ODM, the Snapdragon VR820 includes advanced features such as integrated eye tracking with two cameras, dual front facing cameras for six degrees of freedom (6DOF) and see-through applications, four microphones, gyro, accelerometer, and magnetometer sensors, all contained in an elegant, sleek and comfortable design. The reference platform combines Goertek’s innovative system design including mechanical, electrical, optical, acoustic, and firmware development with the groundbreaking computing, graphics, sensor fusion, audio, connectivity, power management, VR software and system capabilities of the Snapdragon 820.
The platform is built upon the groundbreaking Snapdragon VR Software Development Kit (SDK) providing OEMs and developers with access to optimized, advanced VR features, to help simplify development and improve VR performance and power efficiency with the Snapdragon 820 for standalone VR HMDs.
Snapdragon 820: Designed with VR in Mind
The Snapdragon VR820 is built upon the powerful Snapdragon 820 mobile processor, which is designed to support and advance the requirements for immersive VR. The Snapdragon 820 processor is an ideal solution that allows the platform to provide compelling visual and auditory experiences, as well as intuitive interactions.
Visual Quality:
Qualcomm® Adreno™ 530 GPU for next-generation console-quality VR gaming and apps, while delivering up to 40 percent improvement to graphics performance and compute capabilities compared to its predecessor
Smooth, stereoscopic 3D, with foveated rendering, and support for the latest graphics APIs
1440x1440 resolution per eye, AMOLED panel that supports up to 70Hz
360° 4K video playback processing with HEVC compression and display refresh rates at 70 FPS
Qualcomm® TruPalette™ display gamut mapping, color enhancement comprehensive control over colors
Qualcomm® EcoPix™ pixel compression, with variable refresh for extended battery life
Sound Quality:
Stereo, binaural positional audio, and 3D surround sound, powered by Qualcomm Aqstic™ audio technologies
Four microphones with Fluence™ HD noise filtering and active noise cancellation
Intuitive Interactions:
Dual Qualcomm Spectra™ camera ISPs combined with Qualcomm® Hexagon™ DSP for advanced vision features such as look-through imaging and 3D reconstruction, eye-tracking and hand gestures
Predictive, monocular visual motion tracking with full 6DOF at 800Hz for smooth tracking of head motion in movement as well as rotation
Ultra-fast sensing, processing with average motion to photon latency under 18ms
Powerful computing:
Custom-designed 64-bit Qualcomm® Kryo™ quad-core CPU for high-performance computing
Integrated Hexagon 680 DSP for efficiently processing advanced vision, audio, and Qualcomm All-Ways Aware™ ultra-low power “always-on” sensor technology without impacting CPU processing load
The Snapdragon VR820 is anticipated to be available in Q4 2016 with the first commercial devices based on the platform expected to be available shortly thereafter.
About Qualcomm Incorporated
Qualcomm Incorporated (NASDAQ: QCOM) is a world leader in 3G, 4G and next-generation wireless technologies. Qualcomm Incorporated includes Qualcomm’s licensing business, QTL, and the vast majority of its patent portfolio. Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qualcomm Incorporated, operates, along with its subsidiaries, substantially all of Qualcomm’s engineering, research and development functions, and substantially all of its products and services businesses, including its semiconductor business, QCT. For more than 30 years, Qualcomm ideas and inventions have driven the evolution of digital communications, linking people everywhere more closely to information, entertainment and each other. For more information, visit Qualcomm’s website, OnQ blog, Twitter and Facebook pages.
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