There’s no shortage of speculation surrounding Apple’s headset rumors, but the latter is the most scientific of all. According to Apple’s trusted analyst Ming-chi Kuo, headphones may avoid handheld controllers in favor of eye tracking and iris recognition.
Per AppleInsider, Kuo’s investment note on the subject says the headphones will use a “specialized transmitter” to track eye movement and blink. The way Kuo says the transmitter works is that it emits “wavelengths of invisible light,” which are then obtained reflected in the eyeball. A receiver then captures the reflected light and changes in light patterns are it is then analyzed to determine where to look.
This data could be used to better customize a user’s interaction within an RA environment. Another advantage is that it could allow people to control menus by blinking or perhaps even learning more about an object if you stare at it for a certain period of time. It could also allow for better processing power, as anything in your peripheral vision could have a reduced screen resolution.
Where another notch is set in motion is the recognition of the iris. While Kuo isn’t sure this is a good faith feature, he says the “hardware specifications suggest HMDs [head mounted display] the eye tracking system can support this feature. “Iris recognition is great, as we’ve all seen spy movies where it’s used as a form of biometric identification. This could potentially enable a security layer. additional, making sure that no one else can use your device as these devices will no be cheap. In a more everyday sense, it could also be used for services like Apple Pay.
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One of the biggest problems with mixed reality and virtual reality is that there is no way to interact with what you see. Business headphones like Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 and Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, as well as earlier consumer versions like Focals by North, relied on a certain iteration of manual controls or digital loops. They work, but calibration is a problem and the process can be annoying. Eye tracking, if done right, is a possible game changer, as there is no need to track another accessory or memorize a set of controls.
This interface problem is well known among companies trying to create RA gadgets for consumers. Apple is not the only company looking for a new solution. Facebook recently revealed that it is imagining it wrist-based garments this could allow you to control RA with your mind. It’s too early to know which of these two methods (or potentially one we haven’t even heard of) will win in the end. Earlier, Kuo noted that Apple’s mixed reality headphones are it is likely to arrive in 2022, with smart glasses in 2025. Facebook is expected to launch some kind of smart glasses this year, but it’s likely to be the futuristic methods.The ones described are for later. That said, I will definitely be eye tracking haptic socks any day.