Apple’s rumored AR headset has no shortage of speculation, but the latest is the most sci-fi of all. According to the trusted Apple analyst, Ming-chi Kuo, it is possible that the headset will avoid hand controllers in favor of eye detection and iris recognition.
Per AppleInsiderAccording to Kuo’s investment letter on the subject, the headset will use a ‘specialized transmitter’ to detect eye movement and blinking. The way Kuo says that the transmitter works is that it emits ‘wavelengths of invisible light’, which then bounces off your eyeball. A receiver then picks up the reflective light and the changes in light patterns is then analyzed to determine where you are looking.
That data can then be used to better tailor a user’s interaction within an AR environment. Another advantage is that people are able to control menus by clipping, or even learn more about an object if they stare at it for a certain amount of time. It can also enable better processing power, as anything in your peripheral vision may have reduced screen resolution.
Where it kicks in, it’s an iris recognition. While Kuo is not sure if this is a bonafide feature, he says the ‘hardware specifications point to the HMDs [head mounted display] eye tracking system can support this feature. Irish recognition is great because we have all seen espionage films where it is used as a form of biometric identification. This could allow an additional layer of security, and prevent anyone else from using your device – because these devices shall not be cheap. In a more mundane sense, it can also be used for services like Apple Pay.
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One of the biggest problems with mixed reality and virtual reality is that there is no great way to communicate with what you see. Enterprise headsets such as Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 and Google Glass Enterprise Edition 2, as well as previous consumer versions such as Focals by North, all rely on some iteration of hand controls or finger loops. They work, but calibration is a problem and the process can be awkward. Eye detection, if done well, is a potential game changer because you do not have to keep another accessory, or to remember a set of controls.
This interface problem is well known among businesses trying to create AR devices for consumers. Apple is not the only company looking for a new solution. Facebook recently revealed that it is envisioned portable wrist-wear it can control your AR with your mind. It is far too early to say which of these two methods (or possibly one we have not even heard of) will eventually win. Kuo noted earlier that Apple’s headset is for mixed reality will probably come in 2022, with smart glasses coming in 2025. Facebook is expected to launch some kind of smart glasses this year, but it’s probably the futuristic methods that it’s’s described for later in the line. That said, I will definitely keep an eye on haptic socks any day.