VR passthrough is a feature within virtual reality headsets, allowing users to see 'through' their virtual displays and connect with the real world around them while still accessing digital content and experiences.
VR passthrough works by using cameras and sensors mounted onto a headset to capture the physical surroundings, which is streamed on the display in real time.
Passthrough feature is becoming essential in the enterprise landscape; it allows interaction between users' surroundings so they can use office resources, collaborate on projects, and still maintain productivity.
VR passthrough makes VR safer since it helps avoid unwanted collisions. Even when this technology is capable of reducing the risk of facing everyday travelers, it does not eliminate all the dangers of using VR headsets outside.
VR passthrough allows users to combine their real-life surroundings with virtual 3D images, making it easier to prototype products and develop creative solutions at speed.
VR passthrough's image quality can be variable and, in some cases, lower than true-to-life. But companies like HTC VIVE and Apple are tackling the issue with AI, spatial computing, and other advanced technologies.
Hand, finger, and eye tracking technologies are becoming more advanced to make 'interacting' with digital objects more immersive in mixed reality.
Companies are experimenting with haptic systems, like gloves and body suits which can track minute user movements, transforming the future of mixed reality.
As we move forward into the future of extended reality, VR passthrough technologies and advanced spatial computing systems will become increasingly essential in headsets.
VR passthrough will play a more significant role as static virtual reality experiences should become a thing of the past, and mixed reality will become the new normal.