3D Virtual Reality Support

Solves the immersion barrier for live-action VR content and enables dual-use mobile devices

VEFXi's soon-to-be released microchip Aspen™ incorporates a virtual reality (VR) mode for embedded use in VR headsets or in mobile phones that are used as displays in VR headsets. Most people believe that 3D is an important part of the immersion in VR experiences. Nearly all animated VR content is already 3D. However, today most live-action VR content is filmed in 2D and virtually all consumer VR 360 cameras will be 2D.

There are many challenges associated with the design of 360 3D VR cameras and the filming of 360 VR, 3D content that is pleasing. 3D VR content has half the vertical resolution of 2D content because the source frame is split between left-eye and right-eye views. This split particularly affects live-action content because of the extra visible details compared to animated video. Software conversion of 2D VR to 3D VR can solve many of the problems associated with camera-filmed 3D VR, however the 3D file formats still suffer from half vertical resolution, it can cost thousands and take months to complete.

When the VEFXi Aspen Microchip is embedded in a VR headset or in a mobile phone that is used in a VR headset, it has a VR mode where it can receive 2D VR headset-view video and can convert it in real-time into high quality 3D. When it converts 2D views it can create separate left eye and right eye 3D views each with the same original resolution as the 2D VR source content resulting in double the 3D resolution in each eye compared otherwise to software-converted 3D content. Aspen's conversion from 2D video also avoids the many artifacts inherent in camera-filmed 3D VR content. Because the conversion delay is less than 4ms, there is no perceivable delay when the viewer turns their head. This enables a user to experience all their VR content and gaming in live, high quality 3D. Unlike the limitations of off-line converted content, 2D streamed VR content from YouTube® or other sites can be viewed instantly in gorgeous 3D by the Aspen Microchip in the VR headset.

The benefit of the Aspen Microchip embedded in phones is that it enables a dual-use model where the user can experience all their VR content in standard two-view 3D when used inside a headset and it also enables the user to watch all the same VR content in holographic-like 3D when the phone, equipped with an associated autostereoscopic lens, is not in a VR headset. Craig Peterson, VEFXi CEO and Founder said, "Many users may watch a VR title in their home at night. But with the Aspen Microchip, the user can watch their VR content everywhere they go with their phone in 360, holographic-like 3D even when they don't have a VR headset."