For automakers, it takes years to go from design to concept to showroom-ready cars, and by the time their vehicles are ready for the road, it’s often too late to make major changes. But what if there was a way to upend that dynamic to make it possible for designers to see and interact with full-scale digital versions of their works-in-progress? Essentially, that’s the premise behind the new Meta 2 development kit augmented reality headset.
After many months of prototyping, the system has finally started shipping, offering a 90° field-of-view in a high-resolution display. To get it to work, all you have to do is plug it into your laptop, meaning it’s mobile.
Currently, the headset is aimed at developers. It’s easy to use and offers compelling 3D holographic imagery that you can manipulate with your hands, walk around with in physical space, and see inside of. The last feature, for example, can come in handy in the case of automakers designing vehicles.
Next month, California-based Meta will be at CES, allowing you to look inside a 3D representation of a human brain to see the neural activity happening inside. Something such as this would be useful for scientists, especially given that it’s possible to use your hands to grab and expand an object.
According to Meta’s vice president of sales and partnerships, Ryan Pamplin, the company isn’t competing with other AR devices, but with traditional 2D screens. The challenge now is making the Meta 2 useful enough so that users will never be able to imagine going back.
Until the end of the year, pre-order pricing for the Meta 2 is $949, after which it will likely rise above $1,000.
Source: Fast Company
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