Overseas media touch Magic Leap 2 vs "VIVE Flow".

　This is a hands-on review of Magic Leap's AR glasses, "Magic Leap 2" by Scott Stein.

　Magic Leap 2, which is scheduled to be released by the end of last year, has been approached by Peggy Johnson, the new CEO of Magic Leap and former vice president of Microsoft's business development division, to take a closer to "HoloLens" approach and make it more practical. Developed as a typical AR glass.

　Round glasses are connected to a housing containing an AMD-based processor worn on the waist, and a belt that covers the head is turned. It seems that the driving noise is loud. According to Johnson, it is faster than the previous NVIDIA-based chipset. It also comes with a wireless handheld controller.

　It's not phone-connected like Qualcomm's work-in-progress model, but it's connected to a pack that you wear on your buttocks. The viewing angle is wider and there is an overall upgrade feeling.

　It has a dimming function that dims the field of view like sunglasses when looking through the lens, which is a feature not found in other AR glasses.

　As an impression of the 3D demo, because the viewing angle is wide, it is possible to always capture the wall of the room even while moving. You can see the content displayed on the wall while looking at the table. The wide viewing angle is superior to other AR devices, which is a big improvement from its predecessor, which had a large viewing angle and the AR effect appeared and disappeared.

　This dimming function can be adjusted with a slider, and can be adjusted from dim to pitch black. This does not darken the entire field of view, but selectively darkens areas that are not AR, and can be used to make AR content more visible.

　The second demo features a giant 3D clock floating in the air that suddenly darkens and has a halo around the clock that completely separates it from the real world view. Even if a person stood behind the watch, the person wearing the glasses could not see it. While there have been technologies that allow AR vision to be placed behind real objects, this is the first time that the opposite has been possible.

　This function is installed with the intention of making it easier to see virtual interfaces and objects regardless of the brightness of the usage environment, eliminating unnecessary vision and concentrating. Magic Leap 2 is non-entertainment because it is for enterprise or training, but according to Mr. Johnson, there is a possibility that it may be expanded to entertainment fields such as live performances in the future.

　The last demo is a demo of the 3D audio feature. A virtual mannequin doll will appear in the surroundings, and you can talk to it and check the 3D sound. Even if multiple people are talking in the surroundings, it is easy to identify the position because of 3D sound. During the demo, I heard an audible alert and turned around to see a virtual arrow pointing at a 3D engine-like object. This means that voice is also part of the AR experience, and other companies such as Meta were also considering it as an AR audio function.

　The Magic Leap 2 is significantly smaller than its predecessor and more compact than the HoloLens 2, but it does require a larger processor worn on your waist. Although it can not be said that the feeling of wearing is very natural, it seems that it can not be helped that it will be larger than other AR glasses because of the concept of "visual PC". Many VR/AR glasses use the Snapdragon XR2, a smartphone-based chipset, not a high-end processor like AMD.

　The controller is equipped with a touch pad, trigger, and vibration function assuming one-handed use. It is used as a simple mouse rather than a full-fledged VR controller, and it enables more accurate tracking by attaching a camera to the controller itself instead of the original magnetic positioning. According to Johnson, using a controller is more accurate than hand or eye tracking.

　It is impossible to use while wearing glasses, instead a slide for power adjustment is mounted on the glasses. It seems that users with poor eyesight have no choice but to use them or wear contact lenses. Having the lens close to the eyes is a prerequisite for obtaining a wide viewing angle, and it seems difficult to improve it fundamentally.

　The OS is based on Android Open Source, not Magic Leap's own. It seems that it is possible to cooperate with smartphones in the form of sharing 3D models.

　Pricing hasn't been announced, but it's likely to be more expensive than the first generation. Also, considering that it is a device for business use, it is likely to be more expensive than HoloLens 2, which will exceed $3000.

　Magic Leap 2 is intended for narrow targeting such as manufacturing and medicine, and this is to be used as a test field until AR technology advances and smaller products can be made without a processor box on the waist. It is possible.　

　Overall, Stein said, "VR devices have become ubiquitous, but AR has not yet. Magic Leap 2 will be a step towards that."

HTC VIVE FLOW

　HTC Nippon unveiled its new smartphone, the Desire 22 pro , in Tokyo, along with the device and VIVE Flow last year. I have actually experienced HTC's products and the world of Metaverse that HTC is aiming for.

　This is HTC VIVE Flow. It is a VR glass that is not a VR headset. It weighs 189g, which is incredibly lightweight . very.

　Use by connecting to a smartphone. The power supply is externally supplied from a smartphone or mobile battery, so there is no battery inside the main unit. That's why we can achieve this lightness.

　Since the eye power can be adjusted, it can be used by people with weak eyesight or those who wear glasses. The contact lens writer was able to enjoy it without any problems. You can also check the degree adjustment, proximity sensor, and heat exhaust mechanism. Although the processing system is included, it seems that it can be used for a long time as long as the power supply continues due to exhaust heat.

　Although there is no interpupillary distance adjustment function, there is no particular problem even for the author who tends to set the interpupillary distance slightly narrower with other companies' devices. The speaker is built into the temple part of the glasses.

　Open the temples slightly on the left and right sides and put them on your head smoothly. It is not tightened with a belt, and the body is very light, so there is really no feeling of pressure . Unlike Meta Quest 2.

　Put a cushion between the glass and the face and put it on. A feeling of wearing is very good. The panel has a resolution of 3.2K, a refresh rate of 75Hz, and a viewing angle of up to 110 degrees. I could hardly feel any big delays that I was worried about.

　Your smartphone will be your controller. I tried Desire 22 pro this time. Operate in a method similar to a laser pointer that aligns the cursor in the direction the smartphone is pointed. Some parts of the operation and UI are difficult to get used to, so it seems that a little getting used to it is necessary. We could not confirm any phenomena such as not following the direction in which the smartphone was pointed or a large delay.

　The first thing I experienced was the coloring app “ Vivebrant ”. It is developed by the HTC team and is also available in the store. Tap the paint to select your favorite color, and paint the walls and objects in the surrounding 3D space with a new sense of coloring. It is said that it is supposed to be used for healing.

　Next, I tried the game " PIRATE SHOOTER " that sinks the surrounding pirate ships on the island. You have to take into account distance, trajectory and delay to shoot the cannon like a rocket launcher and hit the pirate ship, you need to get the hang of it. It is a casual game that seems to be just right for killing time.

　Apart from these apps, I was able to experience HTC's Metaverse " VIVERSE ".

　This time, I was able to experience the mystery solving world with VIVE Flow. An actual VIVERSE user entered the world with a female avatar and provided explanations and hints for quizzes. The graphic expression is poor due to mobile compatibility, but it is a big point that it is a VR experience that can be easily done with ultra-light glasses even outside, but is not flat but has a firm and immersive feeling.

　With VIVERSE, you can easily create and upload an avatar that looks like your real face by taking a selfie with your smartphone.

　I felt that the process of AI generating the head and face of the avatar from the self-portrait took quite a long time, but since this is processed on the cloud, it does not depend on the processing performance of the Desire 22 pro. Although the accuracy is subtle because the camera shakes a little, an avatar that seems to match the waiting time was generated. After choosing a gender, you can choose hair and clothes that match that gender.

　The more realistic visuals may appeal to business users, but HTC's service, which would like to appeal to individual consumers, has a mixed feeling.

　Regarding this point, it seems that it supports VRM import from VRoid about a month ago. It is also possible to create an animated avatar and participate.

　The hardware of the VIVE Flow itself is light, comfortable to wear, and attractive, so it depends on whether we can continue to expand the content that will keep you from getting bored. There is an impression that VRSNS and Metaverse are either a rich experience or a poor experience on a flat screen of a smartphone, but it is just an option in between. After that, it seems that HTC's skill will be questioned whether it is possible to increase the important user population.

　HTC VIVE Flow is on sale for $435. Desire 22 pro set price is $833.