At Augmented World Expo (AWE) this week, digital imaging giant Canon showed off its latest advancements in XR tech, including a concept handheld mixed reality device, augmented reality waveguide optics, and a new XR collaboration software suite.
Canon has been working in the XR enterprise space for some time now, having developed multiple generations of its MREAL mixed reality headsets.
Now, the company is showing off at AWE its so-called “Concept Model of a Pocket-Size, High-Image-Quality MR Device,” which basically does what it says on the tin: it’s a tethered, portable MR concept device that’s said to deliver high-definition visual performance and and offer “seamless compatibility with XR applications.”
While Canon isn’t taking specs just yet, by the sounds of it the company is hoping to actually release the device at some point, as Canon says the concept model is currently under development, albeit “not yet available for purchase.” Canon says it is however actively seeking partners to potentially bring it to market.
Notably, these sorts of handheld viewers are fairly popular in the enterprise space in Japan, although it’s actually being demoed by Canon’s US-based division at AWE this week, which might also mean we may see it outside of the parent company’s Japanese homeland at some point.
Canon also showed off its “High-Efficiency Waveguide for AR Glasses,” which again is another patently Canon-style naming scheme. The company says it’s developed a high-efficiency waveguide prototype for AR glasses, shown off in two specific configurations: one with a mircoLED display and another with microOLED.
The optical glass waveguides promise a 30-degree field-of-view (FOV), an optical coupling efficiency exceeding 15,000 nits/lm, and over 85% transmittance. Those specs may suggest Canon is optimizing its concept waveguides for smart glasses or lightweight, less immersive AR glasses, as the FOV is decidedly on the lower end of the range.
Additionally, Canon announced it’s getting ready to release MREAL Collaborator, the company’s latest XR software created to appeal to designers in the manufacturing industry.
Canon says it allows users without specialized 3D computer graphics expertise to easily operate the system and manipulate spatial data. Notably, MREAL Collaborator is compliant with OpenXR, so users can easily share across different supported XR devices and remote locations. The company says a free trial of MREAL Collaboration is slated to launch in early July. You can sign up here for more information.