It’s been five years since PlayStation VR launched, and we’re expecting a second-generation PSVR headset very soon, but this week Sony is teasing what comes after that.
Sony R&D has developed an 8K VR headset, which it refers to as an “OLED Microdisplay and low latency head mount display.” What Sony engineers managed to do was miniaturize two 4K OLED panels to the point where they’d easily fit inside a headset. You can see just how small they are in the video below:
This required “multi-pixel and miniaturization using fine processing and advanced packaging technology,” which Sony explained was made possible through the company’s work on CMOS image sensors and display development. The end result is a low latency 3D experience using high-definition images and real-time output based on head movement and a range of sensors embedded in the headset.
Although still in active development, Sony believes it already has a next-gen headset that’s capable of being used “in the entertainment field,” suggesting it could eventually ship as a PlayStation-branded device and peripheral for a future console release. The company also sees industrial applications for the tech.
Sony introduced the prototype headset as part of its Technology Day, which aims to demonstrate new tech that connects various businesses across the Sony Group. A few of the other technologies featured this year include Crystal LED and cinema cameras for virtual production, stacked SPAD depth sensors for use in LiDAR systems, and the Earth ‘MIMAMORI’ platform for watching over the planet with sensors. You can watch videos for all the projects on the Sony Technology Day website.
