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Show HN: Simula One – Portable Linux VR Computer

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Re: Show HN: Simula One – Portable Linux VR Computer

#331

Post by chaostheory »

lallysingh wrote: post #124

This looks like a decent deal looking deeper into it. Things that weren't obvious on first pass: (1) The VR specs are much higher than consumer level. I suspect this is what makes it reasonable to read text on it. The comparison headset is this: https://varjo.com/products/aero/ (They named it, but didn't google it) (2) They said "VR Computer" but don't define the term. They mean that it's a full PC with a headset ins…

Agree with dropping the coffee shop video. It borders on cringe. Why? The giant box of a headset isn’t socially acceptable. It looks intimidating to use, alien, and heavy. IMO this is currently one of the largest challenges to XR. tbf this is a problem for all current and past generation VR headsets. I believe this is the main reason Apple is opting for thin goggles instead of a form factor that more closely resembles other VR headsets.

Re: Show HN: Simula One – Portable Linux VR Computer

#332

Post by zmmmmm »

boredumb wrote: post #321

As terrified as I am of VR headsets taking over society, this is cool. One of my most immediate and less paranoid concerns that people with current VR sets probably know, does looking around like that make your neck/back/shoulders ache at any point? Also is AR mode nauseating after a few hours?

> does looking around like that make your neck/back/shoulders ache at any point

no. There are plenty of practical issues but that isn't one from my usage :-)

Re: Show HN: Simula One – Portable Linux VR Computer

#333

Post by kanetw »

jvanderbot wrote: post #325
georgewsinger wrote: post #150

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Upvoted for the excellent feedback. 1. We'll do a better job defining the term "VR Computer" in our sales page. 2. We'll consider adding a keyboard/mouse as optional add-ons. We have thought about including a "keyboard apron" as an item add-on that is actually differentiated from other keyboards, and one that would be particularly useful for VR computing (with the added freedom of movement).[1] Would something like t…

I just want to comment that, my interest in a VR headset is precisely for standard terminal-based editing, except that now the focal point is at infinity and my eyes can relax better. That might be an underappreciated draw. Consider seeing if that holds and including that as a use case. You'd have +1 consumers here and I cannot be alone.

The focal point in our headset is on the order of ~2m. Infinite conjugate adds significant difficulty and basically nobody does this (we tried in our first iteration). But 2m is comfortably far, imo

Re: Show HN: Simula One – Portable Linux VR Computer

#334

Post by greggman3 »

lallysingh wrote: post #124

This looks like a decent deal looking deeper into it. Things that weren't obvious on first pass: (1) The VR specs are much higher than consumer level. I suspect this is what makes it reasonable to read text on it. The comparison headset is this: https://varjo.com/products/aero/ (They named it, but didn't google it) (2) They said "VR Computer" but don't define the term. They mean that it's a full PC with a headset ins…

The coffee shop video is cringe for me. Conversely, sitting an a virtual cafe with others using their Simula One (like BigScreen and Immersed) is a draw for me. My brief experience with BigScreen (without the movies) was of being in a shard space, similar to a coffee shop vibe. People's avatars, in front of their *visible* monitors, with voice, and of course the avatars motions tied to the HMD made it feel very much like I wasn't alone.

Re: Show HN: Simula One – Portable Linux VR Computer

#335

Post by yaomtc »

kanetw wrote: post #266
cdata wrote: post #260

The website suggests there will be eye and hand tracking, but I could not find any mention of head tracking. Will the head be tracked in 3DOF or 6DOF?

Head tracking (positional) is 6DOF. Got lost in some editing, I'll re-add it.

So it has inside-out positional tracking, then. No reliance on base stations. Camera-based?

Re: Show HN: Simula One – Portable Linux VR Computer

#336

Post by creakingstairs »

I've tried very hard to get into working in VR using Oculus 2 and Immersed but the biggest dealbreaker for me was that texts that were not at the center of my view were blurred. This meant I had to rotate my head a lot more. No more glancing sideways at the other window in my IDE. I just ended up getting a 32 inch 4k monitor instead.

I suspect this issue would remain even with better specs. The moment this issue is fixed, I'll gladly throw in 5k.

Re: Show HN: Simula One – Portable Linux VR Computer

#337

Post by kanetw »

yaomtc wrote: post #335
kanetw wrote: post #266

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Head tracking (positional) is 6DOF. Got lost in some editing, I'll re-add it.

So it has inside-out positional tracking, then. No reliance on base stations. Camera-based?

Correct. Visual-inertial SLAM using the AR passthrough cameras, with possible additional input from mmWave RADAR.

Re: Show HN: Simula One – Portable Linux VR Computer

#338

Post by kanetw »

creakingstairs wrote: post #336

I've tried very hard to get into working in VR using Oculus 2 and Immersed but the biggest dealbreaker for me was that texts that were not at the center of my view were blurred. This meant I had to rotate my head a lot more. No more glancing sideways at the other window in my IDE. I just ended up getting a 32 inch 4k monitor instead. I suspect this issue would remain even with better specs. The moment this issue is f…

I'll post a through the lens image in a few weeks but this is equivalent to a 1080p monitor two feet away anywhere where you can direct your gaze. (Slight dropoff towards the edges but still over 30 PPD and 20um RMS spot size)

Re: Show HN: Simula One – Portable Linux VR Computer

#339

Post by zmmmmm »

I love how breathtakingly audacious this is, and I yearn to pre-order it. However, the same thing (the audacity) is what makes it nearly impossible to put down $3k on it before it really ships and real people really try it. Watch any of John Carmack's keynotes and see the just incredible level of detailed engineering refinement that has to go into solving even basic showstopper issues with VR headsets. That a small team with (from what I can tell) no production experience in this space can pull off creating something that won't fall victim to even one of these problems is a huge risk to take.

Having said that: if 6 months from now these are shipping and there are reviews of them that aren't terrible, I will be all in.

Good luck and thank you for being audacious. It is definitely something the field needs at this point!!!!

Re: Show HN: Simula One – Portable Linux VR Computer

#340

Post by floatboth »

lallysingh wrote: post #250
kanetw wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That would be so, so cool. I don't see this happening for a while unless a CAD vendor works with us but definitely where I see this tech.

The Blender / FreeCAD communities might bite.

Yeah, sure, definitely FreeCAD. OpenCASCADE failing to make fillets, blocking the main thread with long operations and crashing the entire application is exactly what I always wanted to see in VR!
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