Any time a new headset is announced, it is always interesting to see how it can improve not only on any previous models but how it will do so on what is currently available. Canon is looking to do that with the MREAL Display MD-20 HMD. When the Canon MD-10 HMD came out in 2016, it had a reported cost of over $82,000. No, you did not read that wrong…over $82,000 and only available in Japan.
The Canon MD-10 Mixed Reality headset.
So basically, imagine being able to experience the depth of a design (such as vehicles before hitting production) that could not normally be able to really get grasp of that design in a 2D sense and bringing it to a much bigger scale.
The Canon MD-20 headset comes with some improvements such as twin screens with a very high resolution of 2,560 x 1,600-pixel display for each eye as well as getting a very generous 70° horizontal x 40° verticle Field of View, 81° horizontal x 69° vertical Field of View, 60 frames per second along with a wider gamut with an sRGB coverage ratio of 99% or more to have a more accurate understanding of space, and even a built-in microphone and speaker to support communication and voice commands as standard. When you add the front-facing camera that has a global shutter using three CMOS sensors that can also be used for positional tracking that uses a mix of high-precision combining real and computer-generated imagery.
The Canon MD-20 HMD.
Now, of course, the Canon MD-20 HMD is not really geared towards the consumer but is more enterprises-focus AR headset. But when the technology allows you to see your design from just in a room to actually having a real vehicle (left) next to your model (right) and really see how it can compare, it just goes to show anything can be possible.
As of right now there is no price listed for the Canon MD-20 HMD, but compared to the 2016 MD-10 HMD, it is either going to be somewhat cheaper or more expensive. I just hope we will get at least close to these specs of a consumer version, but not at an enterprise cost. If you are interested in seeing the Canon MD-20 HMD and happen to be at the Japan’s Makuhari Messe at the 28th 3D & Virtual Reality Exhibition, you can so from February 26-February 28, 2020.
