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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

#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?

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

#322

Looks like a very interesting prospect for a laptop replacement. One small question I haven't seen answered here is if you can plug in an external display, or how you plan to handle web conferences. Most orgs I've worked for like you to have a webcam on, and see others. I'm not sure how that would practically work if they see a webcam of someone with their headset on, would make for a pretty akward meeting.

Comparable services like ImmersedVR have a virtual webcam that projects a picture of you as an avatar, including moving your mouth when speaking etc. It's pretty out there and I suspect I would be too worried about looking hiliarously silly while saying something serious to ever use it in earnest. But that is the kind of direction things are going, with some offerings now actually mapping a texture map of your face onto the avatar and animating that.

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

#323

Looks like a very interesting prospect for a laptop replacement. One small question I haven't seen answered here is if you can plug in an external display, or how you plan to handle web conferences. Most orgs I've worked for like you to have a webcam on, and see others. I'm not sure how that would practically work if they see a webcam of someone with their headset on, would make for a pretty akward meeting.

We have several external DP ports via USB-C. Web conferences... hm. Difficult to have some form of webcam with the headset on, but maybe there's a good way we'll discover down the line.

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

#324

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?

AR mode is tricky, and it's one of the things I need full integration for. This will take a few months to get the sensors, FPGA, etc. sorted.

So far with prototype units it was fine, but haven't tested for longer periods of time.

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

#325

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…

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.

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

#327

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The risk of blue light from computer screens has been vastly, vastly overstated.

Might you have references ?

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/opo.12406

and

https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(19)...

and

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29404551/

aaaand

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29786830/

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

#329
post #235

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I would highly discourage including a keyboard or mouse. Counterpoint: I thought this was just another headset with the distinguishing feature that it could read text well, and I've been sitting in their Discord server for over a month. Look at Nintendo's ROB. They needed that thing to escape the stigma of their predecessors. Home video game consoles until that point sucked, so they had to market themselves as a to…

Yeah, I've been trying to find solutions with George as to how to highlight we're a VR computer better. Getting the messaging right is tricky.

Maybe a user story sequence? Show someone watching their email inbox, a chat of some kind, replying to an email, and maybe making some change to a document referenced in the email. Maybe have someone 'size up' a photo for hanging on a wall. Apple's keynotes are good references for this stuff.

I just want to point out that on second bluff, I'm much more optimistic about this than I was earlier in the thread. I'll be watching for weight characteristics. I almost wonder about an option to embed it in something more like a motorcycle helmet. The idea being that might feel more solid and not to actually have a motorcycle helmet. Plus Daft Punk made it cool.

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

#330
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

We have a headset-only version priced at $2k. This is roughly comparable to other higher end headsets on the market and includes AR cameras

I get it, making something like this isn’t cheap. I hope you can pull it off, VR computing is the dream. I would say this might necessitate an investor injecting liquidity and selling the headset below margins to generate a community initially, while also putting manufacturing pressure on you all to find creative ways to lower cost without compromising quality. Hate to say it, but at $2k min for a tethered device, I…

No one can compete with the Quest on price. VR is a somewhat expensive hobby and by being a part of it you understand that things will me expensive.
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