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Where did the eye tracking go ?

HiThere_
Superstar
The way I see it, the 2nd generation of VR headsets starts with eye tracking.

Because
eye tracking unlocks it all : High DPI, wide FOV, wireless
connection... without requiring a combination of excess hardware, excess
compression or sacrificing one thing for the sake of the others.

So my question is : Why is nobody putting eye tracking on their 2020 VR headsets, what's holding that back ?

because
isn't eye tracking a years old existing and affordable technology, that
would greatly reduce the problematic hardware rendering requirements of
any kind of headset ?

3 REPLIES 3

kojack
MVP
MVP

HiThere_ said:

So my question is : Why is nobody putting eye tracking on their 2020 VR headsets, what's holding that back ?


You could buy one right now if you want.
Varjo VR-2 ($4995)
Vive Pro Eye (€1439)
Or wait for the Pico Neo 2 Eye (a Quest style stand alone).


Edit: removed the bold, that wasn't intentional.
Author: Oculus Monitor,  Auto Oculus Touch,  Forum Dark Mode, Phantom Touch Remover,  X-Plane Fixer
Hardware: Threadripper 1950x, MSI Gaming Trio 2080TI, Asrock X399 Taich
Headsets: Wrap 1200VR, DK1, DK2, CV1, Rift-S, GearVR, Go, Quest, Quest 2, Reverb G2

Anonymous
Not applicable
I'm with you. Some of the marketing calling their 2nd generation device are not in that they are more of a 1.5 upgrade with the basic same features just higher numbers. 2nd generation devices should be mark with features they come with and eye tracking is sure on that list as scale feature. 2nd generation are coming its just there are a few schools of thought that has to come out as well such as low costing headsets, portal/easy to use, features, software, and bleeding edge hardware.

One of the big problems with eye tracking in generational is that they all require software to make it work and fast. This means a lot of them require software from the GPU to be able to handle the extra rendering methods. This is where AMD has fallen a bit behind in while NV has continue to push more features in.

The other side is that fact that there isn't a easy way to jump with DFOVA. While it sounds possible to add in headsets - it still requires games, apis, etc to support the feature as well. This means software will have to be added to current or future games thus will take time to end up doing so. Then there is the fact that if you do add it - you will also want to jump in your display resolution. If there isn't a good jump up to something like 4k or 5k then what is the point? So, display makers also have to have something that can provide the "use" of it. Then there is the cost of all this. While you could add eye tracking as a technology upgrade you also have to add in the cost of the display as well. Then there are questions you might want to ask your self - if you can hit 5k display res - do you want to increase the FOV as well? IF so, that means new lenses thus you are upgrading not just one part, but many parts of your headset.

While I am all for it - bring out that Pro headset that cost like 900-1000$ many people are not and will not spend that much on hardware like that. Thus - if they do release a headset like that - it be only for the top 1% and over all my not have enough value to the over all company in terms of software sells and support they have to give to that device.

Its all a balance act - you can see it already between Oculus current marketing path vs Steams marketing path of their Index headset vs the Rift headsets. Oculus will have more users in its platform while also being the lowest cost headset with its limited features - while you see Index with the smaller numbers, but higher cost that include the best features.

As for when they will take over - I say by the end of 2021 as more companies take up eye tracking that forces other companies to make the same decision. Esp if Samsung (hopeful) releases with a headset they said should come with eye tracking. If it does - I betting hard that Oculus will have to rethink their next upgrade pretty quickly. IF anything - Oculus should already be rethinking how they want to release their product stacks anyways with mobile headset features being their core design. If not, then I don't see Oculus releasing eye tracking till 2025 ish. Mostly because they will release a new 1.5 headset with mobile as its core and over all still improvement to current headset numbers (higher res, better tracking, better design/comfort, better link/encoding, maybe wireless with 6e support) while keeping at a low price of 400 or less in 2021-2022. Then by 2024-2025 they will release HD 3/4 instead.

Edit: IF anything - look out for the Index 2. If any customer headset will get it, that is worth a dam, then it be Steam's headset. HTC is having money trouble again so they will be out for a while and Pimax is already struggling with other problems with too many products. Oculus is, like I pointed out, just looking at releasing lower price products to scale with users. Pico Neo 2 Eye devices are in this weird position of being in the middle where its more for business and creative designers (that would like to start working with eye tracking) than it be for real customers (I like to think of it like what the future Quest-2-Home and Pro will be like). Any other headset would be too costly 1k+ and normally will be design for business or enterprise either way making them a no go for customer user.

kevinw729
Honored Visionary
We understand that at events like OC6 and CES there have been claims that certain new technology will be appearing on the next gen of consumer VR - but I think you may now notice that the focus of th consumer headsets may not be towards addition of innovation (i.e. you now have all the stuff, it will just egt smaller and cheaper). While the Enterprise sector now takes the lead in the deployment and applicatiomn of innovation - as seen with ther new HP G2, or the Varjo platforms.
https://vrawards.aixr.org/ "The Out-of-Home Immersive Entertainment Frontier: Expanding Interactive Boundaries in Leisure Facilities" https://www.amazon.co.uk/Out-Home-Immersive-Entertainment-Frontier/dp/1472426959