Where are we standing with open XR? Especially equipment, including controllers? I love XR (=VR/AR/MR), but I still didn't manage a good easy open source way to do that.
The main open XR project is called Monado and it implements Khronos OpenXR:
To Control Its Destiny, Facebook Bets Big on Hardware
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Re: To Control Its Destiny, Facebook Bets Big on Hardware
#12This is the age of vertical integration in technology. Truly astounding to see, and not something we've witnessed much of historically.
Personally I think a lot of it is being driven by the comoditization of advanced chip fabrication. Now with TSMC you can actually have better manufacturing capabilities than Intel. A situation we've not been in for over 30 years.
Re: To Control Its Destiny, Facebook Bets Big on Hardware
#13VR is neat, but I'm absolutely inspired by the idea of improved human-computer interfaces like those described and their more mundane uses. We have eye tracking, the ability to read electrical signals and positioning from hands or head, the ability to feedback to the body through vibration (or sound), and existing high quality peripherals like keyboards for high precision entry and correction. There has to be a way to combine all of this into a better vim.
A couple binary inputs for CTRL and SHIFT from reading brainwaves seems doable. Feedback on whether they're active from different high frequency vibrations on the hands, neck, or ears.
There are lots of easy wins here if I can just push a couple mental buttons with my brain. Trigger scrolling or text selection based on eye movement. Select a buffer or macro based the mental buttons I'm pushing. You basically get a binary digit for every mental button you're capable of simultaneously tracking.
I'm home sick, and maybe it's the fever talking, but I think I'm going to do some basic research and start hacking something together. Very small chance of success, but I want mental modifier keys with vibrational feedback!
Re: To Control Its Destiny, Facebook Bets Big on Hardware
#14It's interesting how a number of Facebook engineers are willing to comment on what they work on, while the company itself refuses to provide any official statements.
I think a better analogy is probably that engineers are also not willing to implement any feature anyone asks for.
The company has a lot of public statements that are easy to find, and the people who aren’t “providing comments” are likely either working on the next ones or think providing this comment would not be helpful to the company (including taking into account how much time they can invest in it).
Of course none of this is specific to FB in any way.
Re: To Control Its Destiny, Facebook Bets Big on Hardware
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
Doesn't AR also mean Mixed since it's augmented?
I think that’s a _really_ fair question! xD I’ve heard “mixed reality” being used to refer to the continuum between reality - augmented reality - virtual reality. In the above question I’d read it as asking about the state of problems particularly pertaining to the transitions along this continuum. (Made up example: of you solve locomotion in VR by putting people on moving belts, a problem in MR would be how to trans…
I believe Mixed Reality was a term coined by Microsoft to differentiate their products, basically a marketing term.[1]
[1]https://www.vox.com/2015/7/27/11615046/whats-the-difference-...
Re: To Control Its Destiny, Facebook Bets Big on Hardware
#16VR is neat, but I'm absolutely inspired by the idea of improved human-computer interfaces like those described and their more mundane uses. We have eye tracking, the ability to read electrical signals and positioning from hands or head, the ability to feedback to the body through vibration (or sound), and existing high quality peripherals like keyboards for high precision entry and correction. There has to be a way t…
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Re: To Control Its Destiny, Facebook Bets Big on Hardware
#17This is the age of vertical integration in technology. Truly astounding to see, and not something we've witnessed much of historically. Personally I think a lot of it is being driven by the comoditization of advanced chip fabrication. Now with TSMC you can actually have better manufacturing capabilities than Intel. A situation we've not been in for over 30 years.
> Personally I think a lot of it is being driven by the commoditization of advanced chip fabrication.
That's an interesting perspective. With mobile device chip manufacturing being modularized, Facebook is able to integrate forward with the end user by combining software (i.e. their portfolio of apps) with consumer electronics.
Aggregation theory at work: https://stratechery.com/2015/aggregation-theory/
Re: To Control Its Destiny, Facebook Bets Big on Hardware
#18So you all have a subscription to theinformation.com? Wow. I can't just buy a subscription for every random "news" site that appears on hacker news.
Re: To Control Its Destiny, Facebook Bets Big on Hardware
#19Where are we standing with open XR? Especially equipment, including controllers? I love XR (=VR/AR/MR), but I still didn't manage a good easy open source way to do that.
What is MR?
Microsoft's brand for their platform which covers both VR (their confusingly named Windows Mixed Reality range of VR headsets) and AR (eg. HoloLens).
Re: To Control Its Destiny, Facebook Bets Big on Hardware
#20It's interesting how a number of Facebook engineers are willing to comment on what they work on, while the company itself refuses to provide any official statements.
You can assume anyone named and quoted in an article like this is speaking officially on behalf of the company they are working for, with some level of preparation and filtering by their Comms team.