Oculus announces Passthrough API that will enable apps that blend the real and virtual worlds

Oculus today announced the experimental version of Passthrough API which will enable developers to build apps that seamlessly blend the real and virtual worlds. For example, Passthrough API apps will enable users to collaborate with a remote person through virtual monitors, while accessing their physical keyboard and desk. Another example is user can stay engaged in their virtual content and can also interact with people and pets in the same room, at the same time.

Passthrough API Capabilities:

• Composition: You can composite Passthrough layers with other VR layers via existing blending techniques like hole punching and alpha blending.
• Styling: You’ll be able to apply styles and tint to layers from a predefined list, including applying a color overlay to the feed, rendering edges, customizing opacity, and posterizing.
• Custom Geometry: You can render Passthrough images to a custom mesh instead of relying on the default style mesh—for example, to project Passthrough on a planar surface.

Oculus team also highlighted that apps that use Passthrough API cannot access, view, or store images or videos of your physical environment from the Oculus Quest 2 sensors.

Source: Oculus