Panasonic Shiftall announces new MeganeX PCVR headset with wireless body tracker support

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(XR Navigation Network January 09, 2024) Panasonic subsidiary Shiftall has announced the upcoming release of a new version of the MeganeX PCVR头显，以及下一代HaritoraX无线身体追踪器。团队将新一款SteamThe VR headset is called "MeganeX superlight" because it is about 50% lighter than the first version of the MeganeX headset.

Additionally, the MeganeX superlight is claimed to be a cheaper and easier-to-produce version than the initial version of the device, which included onboard optical tracking and a mountable SteamVR tracking module. That's because while the new version features the same display specs: dual 2560 × 2560 1.3-inch Micro OLEDdisplay (120Hz), but the weight has been reduced from 385 grams to about 200 grams.

The new version is simultaneously more streamlined, as it omits the inward-outward camera, speakers, and glasses-style mounts, and features all-plastic lenses. Additionally, the only method of six-degree-of-freedom tracking will be with Valve's SteamVR locator, which is similar to its main competitor, the $1,000 Bigscreen Beyond.

The MeganeX superlight is expected to be released in 2024; however, the team has yet to mention pricing. For reference, the first-generation device was piloted in September 2023, priced at a whopping $1,700 and sold only in Japan.

Shiftall also announced a wireless full-body tracking device called HaritoraX Wireless R. It fuses inertial measurement unit (IMU) tracking with an external camera for wireless full-body tracking, and has a battery life of about 20 hours. Like the original HaritoraX Wireless, it offers six points of tracking, including the chest, hips, knees and ankles.

Shiftall said in a press statement, "It maintains the advantages of the IMU approach, with its light weight, long endurance, and independence from obstacles, while achieving the drift-free accuracy characteristics of the optical system."

The HaritoraX Wireless R is also scheduled for release this year, but pricing has not yet been announced.

It's worth noting that Shiftall has introduced a wireless acoustic microphone that retails for $200"mutalk 2", for both VR and standard devices, with the goal of preventing voice leakage and ambient noise. The device is already available for pre-order and is expected to launch in May 2024.