Vive XR Elite: The Latest Augmented Reality System from HTC

Compared to virtual reality systems, the price of the novelty is definitely not low. According to the shopping guide Zboží.cz the prices of the cheapest VR headsets start at hundreds, but these are models designed exclusively for smartphones. Interested parties will pay more than CZK 11,000 for a more advanced solution designed for PCs or consoles.

However, it is necessary to realize that these are completely different technologies. If we were to focus on augmented reality systems, the amount of CZK 35,000 would no longer seem so high. For example, Microsoft, which is considered a pioneer of augmented reality systems, charges $3,500 (CZK 74,390) for its HoloLens 2 system.

The terms virtual and augmented reality are very often confused, but both technologies work on different principles.

Virtual reality glasses tries to draw the user into a simulated world and completely cut off his senses from the real world. The eyes are usually completely covered by the display and headphones are placed on the ears, which are very often part of the entire system.

Augmented reality systems usually look like ordinary glasses through which the user can see everything that is happening around him. Special displays or cameras then only draw virtual objects into the real space. They actually connect the virtual world with the real one.

And that’s how the new one works Vive XR Elite helmet from HTC. “It gives the user the opportunity to see the real environment supplemented by a layer of virtual data and objects. In this way, users do not lose an overview of the situation in their surroundings and can also use real-world tools such as a mouse, keyboard or notepad without the slightest problem,” explained the creators at the largest mobile trade fair MWC in Barcelona, ​​Spain, where the helmet premiered.

The front part of these glasses is therefore transparent – when the user wears them, they see real objects in front of them. However, there is a special camera hidden in the corner of each eye that can project an image onto the visor in real time.

In practice, it then looks as if a virtual object was actually created in front of you. But everything takes place only in the headset. The manufacturer believes that the helmet will find application at work, for example during video conferences when working from home, but also for entertainment – various games are also considered.