The same technology that powers full-body scanners in airport security checkpoints could one day untether virtual reality (VR) headsets. The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has devised a way to wirelessly connect VR headsets to the PCs.
This is all achieved with the use of a newly developed millimeter wave transmissions. In addition to powering Nude-o-Scopes (the affectionate name frequent flyers have bestowed on the TSA's scanners) these high-frequency radio waves also show promise for detecting cancer and delivering fast Internet.
MIT says its VR prototype uses the millimeter waves to enable untethered communication at a rate of multiple Gbps, or billions of bits per second. They have been able to successfully run it on a HTC Vive, but the technique should work on any high-end VR headset, including the Oculus Rift.
"The ability to use a cordless headset really deepens the immersive experience of virtual reality and opens up a range of other applications," said MIT Professor, Dina Katabi. "While millimeter wave transmissions can replace the cord between the headset and computer, they still rely on a separate device that must be plugged into the headset.
That device, which MIT calls MoVR, contains an array of two directional antennas about half the size of a credit card. They focus the millimeter waves so that there's always a line of sight between the headset and a separate receiver connected to the PC. If it's ever put into production, the researchers say the MoVR equipment could be smaller, perhaps smartphone-sized.
As is, Intel, Qualcomm, Oculus, and many others are already working on standalone VR headsets that offer the same power as today's generation without requiring a PC at all. Thus, even if the MIT research is innovative, it might be obsolete before it is ever produced.
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