SEATTLE — HTC Vive (a subsidiary of HTC) announced an ultra-light set of virtual reality glasses on Oct. 14.
HTC Vive says the VR glasses, dubbed the Vive Flow, are designed to help with mental wellness and relaxation, with the ability to run various meditative programs, along with playing video and movies.
VR headsets and glasses use a set of displays and lenses to make the illusion of depth to the wearer, similar to how a 3D viewfinder works. Users can then look around and interact with the environment they see through various methods.
With a weight of less than half a pound, the headset is substantially lighter than other options however, this does come at a cost.
The headset is primarily powered by an external battery bank or wall plug, with power being delivered with a USB Type-C cable plugged into the right arm of the glasses.
There is however a small battery. HTC Vive says the built-in battery will last 5-minutes, long enough to swap external battery banks or move to a different outlet.
Unlike other more traditional VR headsets which use controllers to interact with the virtual environment, the Vive Flow uses a smartphone app.
With a smartphone users can navigate menus, play games from the built-in app store, and stream videos from their phone on a "cinema-sized screen" in VR.
HTC Vive Flow
The headset will also feature a 100-degree field of view, with 75hz (refreshing with a new image 75-times-per second) screens, and built-in speakers.
The headset is currently available for preorder for $499, and while on preorder comes with the normally $50 addition of a carrying case, along with several pieces of software.
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