HTC Project Proton showcases a new unified vision for VR and XR
While HTC is betting on the Vive Cosmos being the most versatile family of VR and XR HMDs on the market, Project Proton represents a singular vision that looks straight out of a science fiction movie (or Johnny Depp’s Willy Wonka). HTC is utilizing the term “Augmented Virtuality” for this headset because it represents the entire range of AR and VR (known together as XR) melded into a singular hero product. HTC’s goal is to allow virtual experiences to switch between the fully virtual and fully real worlds on the fly, with augmented experiences that can happen at any point in time.
While no specific examples were given during the briefing, it’s not hard to imagine a game that blends together elements in the real world, say a stack of LEGO on the floor in your living room, with virtual elements such as animated characters or other virtual set pieces. You could then venture straight into a fully-virtual world with these other elements, creating a reality all its own, all without having to remove the headset. This is all achieved with a set of micro-displays that can turn on and off when needed.
Instead of having built-in headphones, HTC is planning on working a wireless solution in the mix and is said to have significantly reduced the latency from which wireless Bluetooth headphones currently suffer. That’s massively important for the VR space where any kind of latency is an experience-killing beast. There’s no date set for Project Proton to come to market, and no available price point at this time either.