Introducing Project Irides: Microsoft's "better" VR HMD.

[Abhinav]

Apperantly, Microsoft is working on a Virtual Reality HMD called Project Irides. Irides uses the Kahawai technology which offloads some of the GPU rendering to the cloud and then streams it back to the headset with higher quality graphics.

They have tested this technological concept with Doom 3 as their testing workload due to its fast game play and according to Microsoft, the participants loved it and said that it was impressive and there was a noticeable difference in the quality, latency and overall experience.

Looking at how everyone is impressed with the Hololens, I am pretty sure Microsoft is going to integrate this Kahawai tech and make a super awesome Augmented/Virtual Reality HMD.

What do you guys think?

 

Project Irides is a software project btw. Thanks @AlexGoesHigh

Article Source: http://www.neowin.net/news/irides-microsofts-project-to-create-a-better-virtual-reality-headset
More info on Kahawai: http://www.neowin.net/news/microsofts-kahawai-is-a-step-forward-for-cloud-based-game-streaming

Edited May 16, 2015 by Abhinav

[Lord_Karango17]

How were they able to make latency better by offloading it to the cloud?

 

Latency is not by any means perfect with nvidia grid, and i cant seem to figure out how they didnt make people get sick by using the cloud...

[Bouzoo]

I read Kawai technology and was like what?  :blink:

[Abhinav]

How were they able to make latency better by offloading it to the cloud?

Latency is not by any means perfect with nvidia grid, and i cant seem to figure out how they didnt make people get sick by using the cloud...

According to Neowin, they seem to have devised a prediction algorithm for rendering the next possible frame before an actual event occurs. By the way they are not offloading the whole GPU rendering load. The cloud and the local GPU will be rendering frames together. The cloud will just slip in the missing frames which the local GPU does not render.

I think it is a good step for hand held devices as the GPU usage would reduce to some extent.

Source:http://www.neowin.net/news/microsofts-kahawai-is-a-step-forward-for-cloud-based-game-streaming

[Doobeedoo]

To cloud, streams back...

[Deli]

So, only works well with fast reliable internet connection. I'm out....

[Trik'Stari]

Sure microsoft, to cloud and back works great for everything! when you're sitting next to the damned server you morons

That's just a stupid idea.

[AlexGoesHigh]

Sure microsoft, to cloud and back works great for everything! when you're sitting next to the damned server you morons

That's just a stupid idea.

its not, if they manage to provide low latency to home networks, with this you could have a gear vr and get graphics only possible on a rift plugged to a pc, of course that's a huge undertaking and probably not feasible with today networks but this is a project from their research arm, generally the stuff they make is aimed at a couple of years in the futures because that's the way to stay relevant as a tech company, always looking at the future not the present

 

also OP, irides is not hardware, its pure software, here's a demo of it using a rift plugged to some device that streams to the server http://www.neowin.net/news/check-out-this-video-of-microsofts-irides-vr-tech-in-action

[Trik'Stari]

its not, if they manage to provide low latency to home networks, with this you could have a gear vr and get graphics only possible on a rift plugged to a pc, of course that's a huge undertaking and probably not feasible with today networks but this is a project from their research arm, generally the stuff they make is aimed at a couple of years in the futures because that's the way to stay relevant as a tech company, always looking at the future not the present

 

also OP, irides is not hardware, its pure software, here's a demo of it using a rift plugged to some device that streams to the server http://www.neowin.net/news/check-out-this-video-of-microsofts-irides-vr-tech-in-action

I guess, but with ISP services being as terrible as they are in the US.....it doesn't make much sense.

[HippY]

I guess, but with ISP services being as terrible as they are in the US.....it doesn't make much sense.

but then again  it helps other options, like in home streaming for Virtual (augmented?) Reality when you want to process large amount of information in short period of time.

You can use a 300 W or more TDP PC rather than the few W TDP headset

[Trik'Stari]

but then again  it helps other options, like in home streaming for Virtual (augmented?) Reality when you want to process large amount of information in short period of time.

You can use a 300 W or more TDP PC rather than the few W TDP headset

True. I hadn't thought about that.

[cesrai]

but then again  it helps other options, like in home streaming for Virtual (augmented?) Reality when you want to process large amount of information in short period of time.

You can use a 300 W or more TDP PC rather than the few W TDP headset

TDP isn't a measurement to power consumption as far as I know, or I misunderstood you.

[HippY]

TDP isn't a measurement to power consumption as far as I know, or I misunderstood you.

you did not misunderstood me, but whereas on a PC you can let yourself have 300 TDP easily as you have 3x 360mm (exaggeration) rads to cool it, a device that is on your head can get so warm passively so much, like a few TDP, otherwise it would be uncomfortable. and generally more computing ability=more TDP (it is a really general term I am aware, but in terms as a mobile=low tdp is slower than a laptop=higher TDP)

 

EDIT: small edit upfront, not easy to post from work lol

[Abhinav]

its not, if they manage to provide low latency to home networks, with this you could have a gear vr and get graphics only possible on a rift plugged to a pc, of course that's a huge undertaking and probably not feasible with today networks but this is a project from their research arm, generally the stuff they make is aimed at a couple of years in the futures because that's the way to stay relevant as a tech company, always looking at the future not the present

 

also OP, irides is not hardware, its pure software, here's a demo of it using a rift plugged to some device that streams to the server http://www.neowin.net/news/check-out-this-video-of-microsofts-irides-vr-tech-in-action

it's pure software. isn't that awesome. And the algorithms that they have implemented will not only help in such a domain like VR but in many domains like distributed computing and vector based processing. If this research bares a good fruit, it will not only help save time but also energy for the common consumer. 

 

I am waiting for the day when we have something like Processing Power as a service in the consumer market.