VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality), as one of the directions of future development, had a big explosion in 2016, with HTC Vive, Pokemon Go and other related products, games and so on emerging in endlessly. However, the current popularity is much lower than before, and there are few manufacturers still adhering to this path. However, the domestic manufacturer Liangfengtai brought their first mass production AR all-in-one machine for enterprise users at CES this year, HiAR G100. The author was lucky to be invited to experience it in advance.
HiAR G100 hardware configuration
SoC： Qualcomm Snapdragon 820
Storage configuration: 4GB LPDDR4+64GB EMMC
Screen: free-form surface optical waveguide projection, 1280 * 720 resolution, 30 degree angle of view+customized lenses
Camera: 13 million pixels, 1/3.06 '' Sony CMOS, f/2.2 aperture, supporting PDAF
Sensors: gravity sensor, gyroscope, digital compass, Hall sensor
Depth camera module (customized version configuration): binocular IR camera, dual efficiency light compensator, independent depth image processor
Endurance: 4 hours of continuous AR experience and more than 48 hours of standby time
System: HiAR UI (based on Android 6.0, customized for AR glasses)
Three generations of inheritance, red dot design
Although HiAR G100 is the first model for mass production and sale of Liangfengtai, it is actually the third generation of internal product. From the first generation of split design to the present integration, as well as the evolution of optical projection screen, it is clear at a glance.
Returning to the product itself, the bright wind stage has designed a unique outer package for the HiAR G100. The all black color matching seems to have a sense of technology. In the middle, there is only the bright wind stage HiAR logo, which is simple and fashionable.
Reasonable protection is designed for each part in the package. The accessories and replacement parts are placed in order, and many replacement parts such as nose rest are attached, which is very considerate.
The design elements of the HiAR G100 are very simple. The left side is only equipped with an indicator light and a power button.
On the right side, a touch pad and volume key are integrated for daily operation.
Of course, in order to make the HiAR G100 not appear too dull, the designer adopted a very bright red color on the knob, which is more lively.
In order to ensure high availability, the bright wind table adopts visual calibration technology, which can adjust the display effect according to the user's pupil distance, so that every user can experience a comfortable AR experience combining virtual reality. A vision adjustment lens is also configured for different users' vision conditions (such as myopia, hyperopia, etc.). According to the instructions of the staff of the Liangfengtai, the lenses of this endoscope will be measured and customized by professionals in person, so that both myopic users and ordinary users can obtain the best use effect.
Moreover, HiAR G100 is designed for enterprises, and each part can be customized for different needs. For example, the front protective lens can be customized with gradient or high light transmittance according to different working environments; The camera part used to collect the first view angle can also be equipped with depth cameras and other parts for different purposes according to the needs of enterprises to meet the needs of different environments.
As for wearing, the wind table has done a lot of work: the main body is made of aluminum magnesium alloy to reduce the weight as much as possible; The adjustable and detachable headband parts are set to adapt to the size of the headband of different users; The detachable design of the nose support can match different bridge heights; Move the position of components backward as far as possible to balance the center of gravity before and after; Cushioning materials are used for direct contact parts to improve comfort.
The author actually has a good experience wearing it. It doesn't feel like the VR/AR all-in-one machine is tottering in the past. Thanks to the projection screen of optical perspective, the front view is relatively wide. Moreover, due to the reduction of the optical module, the pressure of the front half is reduced a lot, and the overall balance is very high. However, due to the limitations of the current technology, the user will still feel a little uncomfortable after wearing it for a long time due to the pressure of the front half weight, so they need to take it off and have a rest. We hope that the Liangfeng Platform can continue to be improved in the next generation of products.
Since the main users who usually wear the HiAR G100 are operators working in the front line, the HiAR UI customized by the Liangfeng Platform uses a horizontal single column layout on the interface to reduce the visual interference to operators. At the same time, in order to free hands for operation, the HiAR G100 has built-in voice recognition, which allows full process voice control; Of course, considering that some operating environments are noisy and easy to affect voice control, you can also use the touch pad and volume keys for various operations.
In the whole experience of the author, the HiAR G100 system responded very quickly, and there was no jam or speech recognition error; The stability of the system is also good, and no application crash or system stop responding occurs. Due to the excellent heat dissipation design, even if the HiAR G100 is used for a long time, it is difficult for users to notice the increase in heat. However, as long as their hands are close to the heat sink, they can feel the considerable heat of the Snapdragon 820.
Behind the scenes hero HiLeia
In addition to bringing HiAR G100, Liangfeng Platform also launched a heavyweight service - HiLeia Augmented Reality Communication. It can be said that the birth of HiAR G100 of Liangfeng Platform serves it, and HiLeia is the real protagonist. HiLeia is upgraded on conventional video calls, and works with HiAR G100 to achieve accurate and efficient collaboration, mainly solving problems such as shortage of expert resources, troubleshooting in different places, and multi person collaboration for enterprises.
At present, Liangfengtai has provided cross platform work for AR glasses, Android and PC, and will also launch iOS and Mac programs in the future to achieve seamless work on multiple platforms. Not only the client program, the Liangfengtai also provides an intelligent cloud platform to help users complete a series of management and archiving operations.
After a call is made, the interface at the AR glasses end is as shown in the figure above. In fact, the screen of the AR glasses will only display the upper call object. The car engine in the renderings is the real object seen by the operators wearing glasses. At the same time, the call object using the Android/PC client can receive the real-time picture transmitted by the camera on the glasses, share the operator's first perspective, and assist the operator in troubleshooting.
In order to improve the efficiency of collaborative work, the Liangfengtai has created the unique functions of "one button freeze screen" and "instant annotation" on HiLeia. As shown in the figure, using the "one button freeze screen" on the PC/Android terminal can "pause" the operator's first view of the screen, and then mark the faulty part or the place to be operated. At this time, the operator wearing glasses can immediately see the mark and carry out corresponding processing.
"One click freeze screen" and "instant annotation" are essentially corresponding processing of images, so in the process of long-distance transmission, delay is a very important indicator. The technicians of the Liangfengtai said that the actual bandwidth required is not large, and the general 4G network can meet the requirements. In the field test, the author also sent hot spots through the mobile 4G network, which can basically achieve the effect of no delay, and has high practicability.
HiLeia can not only complete calls, but also transfer files, save videos, and collaborate with multiple people. For example, front-line operators need relevant circuit diagrams or circuit diagrams, and auxiliary personnel can directly transfer existing documents and solve them together; The enterprise can also archive every processing video through HiLeia, and sort and archive it through the background built by the Liangfeng Platform for training or case tracking. There is no problem of many people and many terminals.
P. S. The effect display pictures in the text are officially provided by the Liangfeng Platform, which is slightly different from the actual experience. Please refer to the real object
During the experience, the author discussed HiAR G100 and HiLeia with the staff of Liangfengtai. For example, we are concerned about why the SoC used by the HiAR G100 is the previous generation Snapdragon 820 rather than the new Snapdragon 835. The light wind table indicates that the performance of the Snapdragon 820 can meet the demand. The replacement of 835 will not greatly improve the application of AR, but will be updated in the next generation of products; HiLeia, which serves the enterprise, is still at a relatively early stage, so its functions will be limited. Later, it will be updated iteratively to add more features, and it will be improved according to the needs of target customers and customized for the needs of enterprise users.
Final
If the services of HiAR G100 and HiLeia displayed at CES by Liangfengtai are for ordinary consumers, the author can only say that they have passed the exam. Even if the quality of the product itself is good, the current demand and practicability of AR in the consumer end are not high, and most people can only buy it as a high-end "toy" now.
However, Liangfengtai made it clear that it was intended for enterprise users, so our perspective would be different. HiAR G100 itself can meet the needs of some enterprises, and the HiLeia service provided by Liangfengtai is more valuable for enterprises. Enterprises can establish their own relevant databases when using them to provide services for their own training or establish relevant cases. After the front end AR glasses equipment is upgraded and the HiAR G100 is eliminated, HiLeia can still shine and create value for enterprises.
Admittedly, HiAR G100 and HiLeia are still weak at this stage, which can basically meet the requirements of enterprises. However, evolution also needs time and corresponding stages. The staff of Liangfengtai also said that it is a "usable" stage for the time being, which will speed up the update iteration, improve the user experience, add more features to HiLeia, and achieve "ease of use" and "practicality". The effect in the promotional film is the goal of Liangfengtai and its vision of the future.
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