Meta's latest Quest 3 virtual reality headset now enables the creation of lifelike digital environments in VR.
Meta's innovative new VR app, Hyperscape Capture, is poised to revolutionise virtual reality (VR) experiences. This groundbreaking technology allows users to digitise real-world spaces using VR headsets, with the beta currently being distributed in the US and expected to launch in other countries soon.
The process of digitising a space involves three steps. In the first step, the user moves through the space with the Quest headset, creating a rough 3D grid of the environment. An example of a space that can be digitised is a user's own living room. In the second step, the VR headset's cameras capture the details of the surroundings as the user moves around. The final step involves the headset uploading the data to Meta's servers for processing.
The display quality of Hyperscape has significantly improved compared to last year's demo, promising a more immersive VR experience. Meta uses cloud rendering and streaming to offload the VR headset's processing and reduce the required local data, ensuring smooth and efficient digitisation. Gaussian Splatting is used for rendering in Hyperscape on Meta Quest 3.
Once the digitisation is complete, users receive a notification that the completed Hyperscape environment is ready in their VR headset. After two to four hours, the user can explore their digitised space in virtual reality. Users can also invite friends with Quest 3 or 3S to join photorealistic VR environments.
Meta plans to introduce a multiplayer feature in Hyperscape, allowing users to invite friends to their digitised environments via a private link. This feature could potentially transform social interactions, enabling users to share and explore their personal spaces together in a virtual environment.
Moreover, Meta may integrate Hyperscape into its own metaverse platform, "Horizon Worlds". This integration could further expand the possibilities of Hyperscape, allowing users to share their digitised spaces with a wider community and explore the creations of others.
However, it's worth noting that the official release date of Hyperscape Capture outside the USA is not available in the provided search results. Additionally, Hyperscape Preview, an app that offers new examples to try, is currently unavailable.
In conclusion, Hyperscape Capture represents a significant leap forward in VR technology, offering users the ability to digitise their real-world spaces and explore them in virtual reality. With its improved display quality, efficient processing, and potential for social interaction and integration with Horizon Worlds, Hyperscape is set to redefine the way we engage with virtual reality.