Hisense Visual Technology, a subsidiary of Chinese multinational consumer electronics group Hisense, has launched a Virtual Reality (VR) headset and handheld controllers designed for use in gaming, entertainment, education, training, and simulation applications. The ‘XR-V3’ solution includes a headset and two handheld controllers that transmit their current position and orientation using the Bluetooth® LE wireless connectivity of Nordic Semiconductor’s nRF52832 SoC.
In addition to the Nordic SoC, the XR-V3 solution integrates image and motion sensors to obtain the user’s head and body position, rotation, and acceleration to establish their position and attitude positioning. The proprietary six-degrees-of-freedom [6DoF] interaction algorithm realizes ultra-high precision spatial positioning, with a dynamic positioning error of less than 3 mm, and a static positioning error of less than 1 mm. A high frame rate and low delay pose output enables an operation delay of less than 2 ms.
“The XR-V3 delivers millimeter-level accurate positioning and millisecond tracking speed,” says Da Yong Wang, Research and Development Manager at Hisense. “Combined with Nordic’s industry-leading low latency Bluetooth LE connectivity the end result is a smooth and immersive experience for the user.”
The XR-V3 solution employs three nRF52832 SoCs, one in the headset and one in each of the handheld controllers. The SoCs in the handheld controllers monitor the infrared LEDs and tactile sensors, and relay the position, orientation, and motion sensor data to the headset using low latency Bluetooth LE connectivity.
The headset employs a 6150 mAh battery, providing a battery life of up to two hours between charges. The nRF52832 SoC has been engineered to minimize power consumption with features such as the 2.4 GHz radio’s 5.5 mA peak RX/TX currents and a fully-automatic power management system.
“The excellent power consumption in both sleep and wake modes was a key part of the chip selection process,” says Wang. “The Nordic SoC combines low power consumption and great RF performance, helping to provide stable connectivity, ensure reliable data transmission, and maximize battery life.
“Additionally, Nordic has a leading edge in low power wireless technology. It offers stable connectivity, high-speed data transmission, and low latency wireless communication. Rich and easy-to-use development tools and documentation, as well as a wide range of technical support can support enterprises to quickly develop software and hardware.”
Short-range wireless connectivity is integral to these systems and both Bluetooth Low Energy and 2.4GHz proprietary offer compelling and complimentary use cases. The nRF52 Series multiprotocol SoCs can support both of these technologies simultaneously making them a very suitable family of devices for VR/AR applications.
