Canon introduced its subsequent enterprise XR headset, MREAL X1. The machine, which affords passthrough AR, seems to be a modestly upgraded model of the corporate’s 2021 mannequin, MREAL S1, because it boasts a area of view (FOV) that’s “2.5 occasions bigger.”

The headset, which is detailed in an English language video (seen beneath), is alleged to utilize Canon’s proprietary show panels and optical know-how, one thing the corporate says has allowed it to broaden the FOV from MREAL S1’s quoted 45° × 34° to MREAL X1’s 58° × 60°.

The show decision has additionally elevated from 1,600 × 1,200 per eye in MREAL S1 to 1,920 × 2,160 per eye within the new X1 mannequin.

It seems the corporate can be providing an optionally available grip-style handheld show configuration, successfully working just like the one for Canon MREAL Show MD-20, which was launched in 2020. The halo headset strap system, with front-facing adjustment knob, seems to be similar to final 12 months’s mannequin as properly.

“Specifically, by increasing the longitudinal viewing angle, which was typically requested by customers, it’s attainable to examine your complete view space with out shifting the top significantly,” Canon says in its Japanese language web site, underlining the headset’s largest improve.

Though the announcement video is dubbed in English, Canon has not made supporting data out there in something however the Japanese language, which suggests it’s once more primarily concentrating on its home market prefer it has with different MREAL headsets prior to now.

Moreover, the headset’s worth is marked as “open,” which implies you’ll possible have to accomplice with Canon Japan to get a pricing listing. That stated, if the steeply priced MD-20 mannequin is any indication, it’s in all probability within the vary of 10s of hundreds of U.S. {dollars}.

In contrast to standalone AR headsets akin to HoloLens 2 or Magic Leap 2, which function wave guide-based see-through optics, Canon’s tethered headset is a passthrough XR machine, which accurately passes real-world imagery by a pair of front-facing digicam sensors and blends it with digital pictures on a totally opaque typical show.

If you wish to be taught extra about totally different AR show strategies, take a look at our primer on the variations between smartglasses and AR glasses.

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