During an online showcase event, Varjo officially announced its latest enterprise-grade MR headset portfolio. The XR-4 portfolio includes the XR-4, XR-4 Focal Edition, and XR-4 Secure Edition, a lineup of three MR headsets that Varjo designed to match a range of end-users from aviation to government to defence.
Patrick Wyatt, Chief Product Officer of Varjo, said:
As we enter a period of rapid expansion in mixed reality adoption, we’re proud to drive the industry forward by bridging the gap between human vision and computer vision with our new XR-4 series. For the past five years, Varjo customers have demonstrated that true innovation happens when the most advanced computing power meets the highest-immersion XR in the hands of industrial users, and we can’t wait to see the applications unlocked by the XR-4 series’ technological breakthroughs.
Moreover, the firm notes that it purpose-built the new XR-4 lineup with industrial clients in mind, not consumers. According to Varjo, the new XR-4 lineup goes “far beyond” the capabilities of consumer-grade headsets. The firm claims that consumer-grade XR devices only suit 2D productivity use cases; meanwhile, the XR-4 portfolio will bring clients a new range of spatial opportunities.
Varjo is starting the pricing for the XR-4 series at 3,990 euros or dollars for the base model. According to Varjo, the devices are available for enterprise clients today, and the first shipments will roll out in December. Moreover, the firm is exhibiting the Varjo XR-4 Focal Edition headset at I/ITSEC – a world-leading simulation and training expo.
XR-4: Under the Hood
Varjo’s XR-4 lineup is a range of MR headsets that provide unique gaze-directed autofocus passthrough features that replicate the behaviour of the human eye and acuity to assist with industrial mission-critical and demanding workplace operations – with the focal edition featuring more profound autofocus abilities for aviation clients.
Varjo is the first VR/XR company to market the mixed reality autofocus passthrough feature, according to the firm. The XR-4 autofocus cameras mimic the behaviour of the human eye and match the human understanding required for mission-critical work.
Other key features of the XR-4 series include a dual 4K x 4K display, a resolution of 51 pixels per degree, an over 50 per cent wider field of view, double display brightness, dual 20 mpx video passthrough mixed reality cameras, ambient light sensors, eight times improved LiDAR resolution, built-in DTS 3D spatial audio, noise-cancelling mics, integrated speakers, and integrated Varjo Reality Cloud features to streamline MR workflows.
Eric Carr, Program Director at CESI, noted that Varjo’s XR-4 series allows training and simulation to reach new levels of immersion, partially with thanks to Varjo’s ability to “blend real and virtual seamlessly.”
Carr also added:
Combined with the significantly larger field of view and their highest-resolution displays in the XR-4 series, [Varjo] will allow us to scale and expand the use of these technologies into multiple military and commercial simulation programs at Cole Engineering Services, Inc. (CESI). With the new variable focus pass-through ability in the XR-4 Focal Edition, pilots can train for the most demanding missions completely naturally and comfortably in mixed reality environments.
Carr said how his firm is “excited about two additional enhancements, Varjo’s inside-out tracking and integrated noise-cancelling audio,” because both features “add additional benefits by reducing the simulator setup time and eliminating the need for audio headsets.”
The director also remarked that “together with Varjo, we look forward to providing advanced, high-security mixed-reality simulators that have the potential to completely transform virtual training for our customers anywhere in the world,”
More on XR-4 Focal Edition & Secure Edition
Varjo is also debuting an XR-4 Focal Edition and Secure Edition to suit specific use cases to support a broader range of enterprise clients with increasing demands for suitable and high-quality immersive workplace devices.
Varjo’s XR-4 Focal Edition contains all the same features that the firm included in the base XR-4 product. However, the Focal Edition provides additional gaze-directed autofocus camera features that further optimize the camera resolution for pilot training and other cockpit-based use cases.
On the other hand, Varjo’s XR-4 Secure Edition supports clients representing governmental and defence sectors. Varjo purpose-built the XR-4 Secure Edition to adhere to all government and enterprise-level security requirements – an increasing consideration as XR devices find a place in enterprise settings where sensitive data is a deep concern.
Javier Castellar, the Co-founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Aechelon – a Varjo client – noted that the Varjo XR-4 series “doesn’t just elevate the simulator experience—it transforms it entirely.” Castellar explained that Varjo’s advancement in device design “represents a monumental shift in training systems away from traditional displays.”
Castellar went on to note how the Varjo XR-4 series represents the future of training, where immersive solutions are “not only more cost-efficient but also swifter to roll out, all while offering enhanced capabilities with a sevenfold increase in unit capacity.”
George Forbes, founder and CEO of Immersive Display Solutions, another Varjo partner, also added:
IDSI has deployed more than 700 visual systems for simulation and training over 17 years, and our customers are pleased that we offer Varjo mixed reality solutions to augment their traditional training simulators. Varjo’s new XR-4 series has the highest resolution displays which aligns perfectly with our I/ITSEC theme of ‘replicating reality in a digital world’. The high-resolution video pass-through of the XR-4 preserves the required ability for trainees to see and engage with physical devices that are tools of their trade, and the XR-4 Secure Edition is essential for ease of deployment in classified and secure environments that are common in our customer base. The Varjo XR-4 is ideal for a spectrum of mission rehearsals including fixed or rotary wing training, and our core market of JTAC training as it elevates and enhances trainee performance.
Working with NVIDIA Hardware and Software
Varjo is leveraging advanced visual fidelity and performance to support industrial spatial computing use cases. The firm is securing optimal performance by working with NVIDIA to leverage RTX Ada Generation GPUs, guaranteeing end-users realistic graphics and ray tracing features. Moreover, the firm is integrating NVIDIA’s Omniverse platform to assist developers and enterprise clients in creating and distributing XR services.
The NVIDIA technology partnership and Varjo’s use of its mobile chipsets aim to ensure successful XR deployment in use-cases training from training astronauts/pilots, shorten automotive production pipelines, empower medical professionals, and supply designers with high-fidelity XR/RT3D graphics to collaborate with others.
David Weinstein, Senior Director of Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality at NVIDIA, added:
Developers and industry users are looking for new ways to render photorealistic scenes and take advantage of ray tracing in mixed reality. With the integration of NVIDIA GPUs, NVIDIA Omniverse and OpenUSD, the Varjo XR-4 series delivers a combination of ultra-wide field of view and visual fidelity that feels completely natural and fully immersive.
Additionally, Varjo offers an ecosystem of over 100 third-party PC applications and 3D engines, including the popular RT3D engines such as Unreal Engine and Unity, ready for various workflow demands.
Varjo has already cemented itself across a dedicated client base, and with the debut of the XR-4 lineup, it appears the firm will continue to thrive in its markets. However, with many other firms debuting enterprise-grade MR headsets in 2024, Varjo will see increased competition.
