Valve posted a job itemizing to “prototype, ship, and help” a VR headset with superior monitoring options:
At Valve, we’re pushing the boundaries of digital actuality (VR) experiences. We’re on the lookout for versatile, self-directed software program engineers in laptop imaginative and prescient who will help us obtain the subsequent steps in VR with tens of millions of shoppers world-wide.
The primary scope of this place is to prototype, ship, and help client gaming merchandise leveraging visual-inertial monitoring (HMD and controllers), digital camera passthrough, atmosphere understanding, eye monitoring, and hand monitoring.
Valve Index, the corporate’s $999 tethered PC VR equipment, has now been in the marketplace for greater than three years. It nonetheless has best-in-class monitoring and audio high quality however its 1600×1440 per eye decision has been surpassed by even low-cost headsets like Quest 2 and Pico 4, and it doesn’t help wi-fi play (although a startup is engaged on an adapter).
In Might 2021 Valve CEO Gabe Newell referred to “making huge investments in new headsets” in a chat at a college. Three months later Valve product designer Greg Coomer was requested by The Verge whether or not Steam Deck’s chip might be utilized in a standalone VR headset. He replied it will “run effectively in that atmosphere” and mentioned “it’s very related to us and our future plans”.
In February of this yr, as Steam Deck delivery started, Newell talked about VR in a number of media interviews. He instructed Edge Journal Steam Deck represented “battery-capable, high-performance horsepower that finally you possibly can use in VR functions as effectively”, noting “We’re not likely there but, however this can be a stepping stone.” When discussing Steam Deck’s know-how with Eurogamer he mused “why can’t I’ve that in a tetherless built-in VR answer?”.
The primary direct proof of a particular new headset was found late final yr by YouTuber Brad Lynch (SadlyItsBradley) within the code of SteamVR driver information. The headset found is codenamed ‘Deckard’, the surname of Blade Runner’s protagonist. Ars Technica mentioned its sources confirmed Deckard’s existence.
A Valve patent submitting made public 4 months in the past might need revealed the design of Deckard’s strap, although it didn’t concretely reveal any technical particulars.
The brand new job itemizing signifies Deckard might have inside-out head and controller monitoring, eye monitoring, hand monitoring, passthrough, and scene understanding. Passthrough and scene understanding may imply it’s going to additionally help blended actuality, although it may additionally simply be an evolution of the SteamVR Chaperone security boundary system.
If Deckard is delivery any time quickly it may tackle Meta’s Quest Professional, anticipated to be introduced tomorrow.
