Sony Announces Metaverse Technologies and Hardware to Empower 3D Content Creators

Sony Corporation Announces Development of Spatial Content Creation System, Equipped with High-Quality XR Head-Mounted Display and Controllers Dedicated to Interaction with 3D Objects

Sony Corporation announced development of an immersive spatial content creation system, which includes an XR head-mounted display equipped with high-quality 4K OLED Microdisplays*² and video see-through function, and a pair of controllers optimized for intuitive interaction with 3D objects and precise pointing. The system is aimed at supporting creators in sophisticated 3D content creation. Sony plans to collaborate with developers of a variety of 3D production software, including in the entertainment and industrial design fields. At launch, Sony is exclusively partnering with Siemens, a leader in industrial technology, to introduce a new solution for immersive design and collaborative product engineering using software from the Siemens Xcelerator open digital business platform.

The system will be available later in 2024. Sony and its partners will announce further details including specs, launch date and regions, pricing, sales channels, and software compatibility.

This spatial content creation system, equipped with an XR head-mounted display with 4K OLED Microdisplays and Sony's proprietary rendering technology, enables real-time, high-definition and realistic rendering of textures of 3D objects and facial expressions of human characters. In addition to video see-through functionality and spatial recognition with six cameras and sensors in total, the system features a ring controller that allows users to intuitively manipulate objects in virtual space, as well as a pointing controller that enables precise pointing, allowing creators to craft in virtual space with controllers and keyboards, all while wearing the head-mounted display. Creators will not only be able to see real-scale 3D models in an Extended Reality (XR) environment with the high-definition display, but also create and modify 3D models in it. Through integration with third-party 3D creation applications, it also supports remote, real-time review between locations, making this an intuitive and immersive tool for the entire process of spatial content creation.

The device features Snapdragon® XR2+ Gen 2 Platform, the latest XR processor by Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. The processor unlocks the power of the 4K OLED Microdisplays to deliver stunning image quality, as well as provides user and space tracking for seamless XR experiences, offering creators a high-performance platform for their creative Workflow.

Sony has released technologies that support workflow and quality of spatial content creation and facilitate use of 3D CG in various creative fields. Mobile motion capture system "mocopi™," with small and lightweight sensors and a dedicated smartphone app, enables full-body motion tracking, using Sony's proprietary technologies. Spatial Reality Displays provide highly realistic, three-dimensional content without the use of special glasses or Virtual Reality (VR) headsets, for spatial content creation and review process. By introducing this system and collaborating with 3D creation software developers, Sony aims to further empower spatial content creators to transcend boundaries between the physical and virtual realms for more immersive creative experiences.

System in use for 3D CG creation

System in use for film production with 3D technologies

Siemens partnering Sony 

"Siemens is partnering with Sony to enable immersive engineering, a critical building block for the industrial metaverse. Together, we are creating an environment where it will be possible to experience the realities of physics, without the bounds of time to profoundly improve how our customers work and collaborate," said Cedrik Neike, Member of the Managing Board of Siemens AG and CEO of Siemens Digital Industries.

"We designed our Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 to deliver 4K display resolution, cutting-edge graphics, and unparalleled performance to enable creators to build innovative spatial content that will transform all industries for the better," said Said Bakadir, Senior Director, Product Management of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. "It's exciting to see Sony enter the enterprise space with their spatial content creation system and utilize Snapdragon XR technologies
to unleash more realistic, detailed, and precise Mixed Reality (MR)/VR experiences that will help developers and creators push forward an even more immersive future."

Main Features

High-Quality XR Experience for Creative Uses

The head-mounted display is equipped with large-size, high-definition 1.3-type OLED Microdisplays with 4K resolution and a wide color gamut that covers up to 96% of DCI-P³*³*⁴. Detailed and realistic rendering of textures of 3D objects and facial expressions of human characters allows creators to go through the whole process of modeling to review, all while wearing the head-mounted display.

By supporting split rendering*5, which distributes the rendering load between computers and the head-mounted display, the system is capable of stable and high-definition rendering of large-size 3D models.

Through our collaboration with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., Sony is among the first to adopt their latest Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 platform. The processor unlocks the power of the 4K OLED Microdisplays to deliver stunning image quality, while on-chip AI enables enhanced user and space tracking for seamless XR experiences, merging physical and digital spaces for easy navigation and intuitive interaction within the XR creative spaces.

Controllers that Provide Intuitive Spatial Content Creation Experiences

The system includes a ring controller that allows users to intuitively manipulate objects in virtual space. It also comes with a pointing controller that enables stable and accurate pointing in virtual spaces, with optimized shape and button layouts for efficient and precise operation. By holding the pointing controller in the dominant hand and attaching the ring controller to the fingers of the other hand, creators can model 3D objects using both controllers and a keyboard, while wearing the head-mounted display.

The pointing controller enables accurate pointing in virtual spaces

Intuitive manipulation of an object with the ring controller

Designed with Comfort, for Seamless XR Creative Experiences

The head-mounted display provides comfort and stability required for extended creative use, by fine-tuning the balance of the device's center of gravity, and the design and material for pads that come into direct contact with the user's head. Additionally, the flip-up mechanism of the display part allows creators to easily and seamlessly move between physical and virtual spaces, without having to recalibrate the device when removing and wearing the entire device.

Optimal balance for extended creative uses

Flip-up mechanism of display part

Immersive Creative Experience Through Integration with 3D Creation Software

Sony seeks to collaborate with various 3D production software developers, in both entertainment and industrial design fields. At launch, Sony will exclusively partner with Siemens to bring innovative immersive engineering capabilities to the manufacturing industry, through integration with the new NX™ Immersive Designer software, a product engineering solution from the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software. The integration of powerful hardware and software will empower creators in industrial design and product engineering field, by providing a more immersive design, review, and collaboration tools. The video showing immersive spatial content creation experience, enabled through thise partnership, is are available on the following webpage. The link will be moved to official YouTube channel of Siemens Digital Industries Software.

*1: The images shown are for illustration purposes only and may not be an exact representation of the final product.
*2: As capability of the device. Actual resolution varies depending on application and type of usage.
*3: DCI-P3: An RGB color space standard established by Digital Cinema Initiatives, an American consortium that works on standardizing digital cinema systems.
*4: Actual color space usable depends on application and type of usage.
*5: Only works with compatible applications, when used in tethered mode. (wired and wireless) Resolution, refresh rate and color space may differ depending on application.

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