Windows Mixed Reality gets another competitor as Valve starts licensing its VR hardware technology to other OEMs

Valve has expanded their hardware licensing program to OEMs to produce SteamVR-compatible headsets.

Valve is already licensing its “sub-millimetre room-scale tracking and input technology,” but has now expanded it to include:

• Advanced optical system
• Manufacturing and calibration tool
• Supporting software stack to unify the hardware into an optimal user experience

Valve has also backed LCD for high-end VR systems, saying “LCD manufacturers have demonstrated fast-switching liquid crystals, low persistence backlights, and high PPI displays that, when calibrated and paired with the right software, are well matched to the highest quality VR experiences.”

Valve was also offering designs for  “custom lenses that work with both LCD and OLED display technologies and is making these lenses available to purchase for use in SteamVR compatible HMDs.” These “optical solutions” support field of view (FoV) between 85-120 degrees and are “support the next generation of room-scale virtual reality.”

Microsoft has recently announced support for SteamVR via Windows Mixed Reality, and Valve’s announcement suggests that rather than Valve working with Microsoft, it may instead have been Microsoft which has joined Steam’s program of compatible headsets.

Valve has a library of 2000 SteamVR titles to bring to the party, which is an incentive for hardware developers to create headsets which are compatible with their ecosystem.

Hardware developers interested can request more information from Valve here.

Source: TomsHardware