Qualcomm introduces XR1 platform for low-cost AR and VR glasses

Qualcomm has unveiled the Snapdragon XR1 platform. According to the manufacturer, the soc of the platform has been specially optimized for VR and AR applications, which should make it cheaper for manufacturers to make AR and VR glasses.

Qualcomm reports that the Snapdragon XR1 platform, like some of the new Snapdragon 800 series socs, is optimized for heterogeneous computing, meaning different workloads are dynamically allocated to different parts of the platform. The XR1 includes an ARM CPU with multiple cores, a vector processor, a GPU and support for AI.

The manufacturer has not yet disclosed detailed specifications, but it is not a very powerful chip. Qualcomm reports that the Snapdragon 845 is still a better choice for AR and VR applications. The XR1 is therefore mainly intended for cheaper glasses where the emphasis is less on games and more on, for example, watching videos. The soc supports head-related transfer functions, which means sounds that are placed quite precisely in the space around the user.

Furthermore, the XR1 supports resolutions up to 4k and up to sixty frames per second. The image signal processor must thereby minimize unwanted noise, so that the ar experience is improved. Several graphics APIs are supported, such as OpenGL, OpenCL, and Vulkan. Controllers that detect movement in six degrees of freedom, moving in three dimensions on the x, y and z axes, are supported. The lower freedom of movement in the form of 3DoF is also supported. The delay in registering movements should be below 20ms.