The MR headset space is growing rapidly and will only increase in the coming months. Companies like Apple and Meta are launching MR headsets for mass consumers, and each company aims to lead the way for mainstream MR adoption with a paradigm-shifting product.
However, many immersive technology companies today are deeply involved in promoting MR content for businesses and elsewhere.
One of these companies is PICO, a leading headset supplier that already distributes MR devices to various end users via its PICO 4 and Neo 3 Link products.
Recently, the company optimized each device’s MR and hand tracking capabilities – two critical aspects behind many upcoming MR headsets.
PICO seems to be ahead of the pack, and with its OS version 5.7 update, the company looks to strengthen its innovative, ahead-of-the-pack technology offerings.
PICO 4, Neo 3 Link MR and Hand-Tracking updates and improvements
The new OS version covers PICO 4 and PICO Neo 3 Link device updates.
In particular, the new OS includes core improvements to the devices’ hand tracking input capabilities. According to the company, OS 5.7 has “extensively upgraded” hand tracking-based interactions using “enhanced smart algorithms.”
The OS’s smart algorithms reduce errors stemming from detection and tracking, such as virtual hand jitter and flicker. In addition, PICO improves controller-less inputs with more accurate and stable motion tracking.
In addition to its hand tracking update, PICO OS 5.7 includes updates to its MRI capabilities. Similar to other major immersive hardware providers who are launching MR headsets left and right, PICO is updating its MR offerings by improving the usability of its Mixed Reality Capture app; including an icon indicating when a user starts a recording.
As MR becomes more common, and perhaps even the norm going forward—among XR headset vendors—immersive technology companies will have to refine MR offerings as the technology becomes mainstream in 2024.
PICO OS 5.7 Additional updates
PICO OS 5.7 introduces a host of updates that improve the user experience in a number of smaller ways that combine to form a critical leg up in usability.
Notably, OS 5.7 has new screen recording features, which could indicate that the company wants to push media sharing and social elements into its hardware usage.
Additional PICO OS 5.7 updates include:
- Improve video quality: PICO significantly improves its video recording and playback capabilities. Among its improvements, PICO touts the new video player system for a “clearer, cinematic picture quality.”
- Live Previews: OS 5.7 includes new methods for headset operators to capture and record their screens – without requiring launching a file manager.
- Image stabilization for shooting: Improves the recording of headset screens so that there is less judder for video playback.
- New image formats: PICO OS 5.7 also includes new image formats and image options for increased screen capture flexibility. PICO 4 and New 3 Link users can now record in a 9:16 vertical screen resolution. The update also allows users to play at 24 and 36 FPS.
- Silent Updates: PICO OS 5.7-ready devices will now come with silent update notifications, which automatically update downloaded installation packages and reboot the devices; when the device screen is off and has 50 percent battery. This can save end users and IT teams enormous amounts of time, reducing the time required to keep a fleet of devices up to date.
- Reorganization of the UI menu: PICO carefully reorganizes the layout of its system menu to optimize user input and navigation. To achieve complete optimization, PICO is lowering the Dock menu by 15 cm, and the company also moved the menu and notification bars to “more optimal” positions.
- Improved WebXR performance: PICO also optimizes the performance of web browsers, and within that, the company optimizes the performance of WebXR assets.
- Game limit accuracy: PICO OS 5.7 updates its Play Boundary—which keeps users safe by creating a guided space around the operator that prevents them from colliding with their surroundings—to improve accuracy and avoid “abnormal operation experienced by some users.”
- New 6DoF algorithms: PICO also optimizes the performance of its 6DoF frameworks, reducing the presence of problems related to head tracking jitter.
The firm is also introducing two updates exclusively for PICO 4 devices, including the ability for users to scan and link bank cards via the device’s Seethrough Mode and updates to text clarity on the device’s Room Capture screen.
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