Powerful 3D Sensors, Innovative Motion and Gesture Detection Expected in the AR Headset by Apple

3D sensors in Apple’s AR headset, slated to launch in 2022,are expected to be more powerful and advanced than the ones currently used by Face ID in iPhones and iPads. In addition, the headsets are rumored to include an innovative system for gesture and motion detection. The 3D sensors will boast an extended FOV (field-of-view) for better object detection. First-generation AR headsets by Apple weigh approximately 350 g. and are priced at about $1,000. A lighter version is already being developed.

Apple analyst Kuo claimed that the AR/MR headset’s structured light will be able to detect the user’s position change, other people's hand and object between the camera and the user's eyes, as well as the hand’s dynamic detail changes (similarly to the iPhone's Face ID/structured light/Animoji, which is capable of detecting people’s dynamic expression changes). Hand movement detail capture will surely offer a more intuitive and clear human-machine UI.

The extended FOV that will be a part of the improved 3D sensors in the AR headset will allow it to detect objects that are twice as far away compared to the sensors used by the current Face ID. The headset won’t merely have hand gesture detection, it is expected to have such advanced features as iris recognition, eye tracking, skin detection, voice control, facial expression detection, and spatial recognition.

Apple’s AR headset will likely launch at an undisclosed time in 2022, but experts claim that the purchase availability may shift to a much later timeframe. Its processing power should be similar to a Mac, and the headset is capable of functioning without being paired to another device, such as a Mac or an iPhone. Dual processors will power the headset, which will also feature 2 4K micro-OLED displays by Sony. Experts believe that Apple could eventually replace the iPhone with the AR headset in a decade.