3 ms·

The problem with VR/AR is latency. It needs to be 10ms or less to feel real. We aren't anywhere near it. The same is true of touch screens: when latency gets b

The problem with VR/AR is latency. It needs to be 10ms or less to feel real. We aren't anywhere near it. The same is true of touch screens: when latency gets below 10ms, the experience changes to an actual physical object. Current touchscreen latencies are terrible, but we don't notice it because they are still useful for input and we don't know any better. If we can't even do it for touch screens, how can we do it for VR/AR? The glut of products is just a supply-side bubble.

doublerebel 10y ago
Hololens runs at 60Hz and the leading VR glasses run at 90Hz. We're quite near it. Having used these products myself, it definitely can be enough for suspension of disbelief. The reason touch screens have lag is because the render thread isn't as prioritized. An iOS device that isn't loaded with software has a basically instant response. I would love it though if we prioritized the UI thread across all devices, it feels a bit nutty to have this much processing power these days, and still have a UI lock up.
- hyperpallium 10y ago
  Unfortunately, refresh rate is different from latency, it's the pipeline that matters. I've tried iOS devices on display, with no extra software loaded (is that what you mean?). If you waggle your finger back ane forth, it's easy to see the lag.
smaddox 10y ago
Magic leap is way beyond designing low latency display drivers (hardware or software). They're designing and fabricating their own many-layer photonic crystals with complexity rivaling that of VLSI chips from a couple decades ago (except not on silicon, meaning they've had to reinvent a significant fraction of the process). Latency may be an issue for them in terms of making seamless AR, due the limitations of existing camera hardware in terms of latency (existing camera hardware is not designed for low latency), but I suspect they're partnering (or will be partnering soon) with major players in the CMOS imaging realm. As far as display latency, I doubt it will be an issue for them. They're already having to design the entire display from the ground up---I suspect they have the forethought to design it as a low latency system.

doublerebel 10y ago

Hololens runs at 60Hz and the leading VR glasses run at 90Hz. We're quite near it. Having used these products myself, it definitely can be enough for suspension of disbelief. The reason touch screens have lag is because the render thread isn't as prioritized. An iOS device that isn't loaded with software has a basically instant response. I would love it though if we prioritized the UI thread across all devices, it feels a bit nutty to have this much processing power these days, and still have a UI lock up.

hyperpallium 10y ago
Unfortunately, refresh rate is different from latency, it's the pipeline that matters. I've tried iOS devices on display, with no extra software loaded (is that what you mean?). If you waggle your finger back ane forth, it's easy to see the lag.

smaddox 10y ago

Magic leap is way beyond designing low latency display drivers (hardware or software). They're designing and fabricating their own many-layer photonic crystals with complexity rivaling that of VLSI chips from a couple decades ago (except not on silicon, meaning they've had to reinvent a significant fraction of the process). Latency may be an issue for them in terms of making seamless AR, due the limitations of existing camera hardware in terms of latency (existing camera hardware is not designed for low latency), but I suspect they're partnering (or will be partnering soon) with major players in the CMOS imaging realm. As far as display latency, I doubt it will be an issue for them. They're already having to design the entire display from the ground up---I suspect they have the forethought to design it as a low latency system.