Some of us may have used VR, played many games with VR, watched many movies, and immersed ourselves in the magical world of VR. But have you ever thought about how VR headsets are made? Why can VR headsets bring us this virtual reality effect? We will take Crystal Light as an example to show how to make a VR headset.
1. Design and Prototyping
Concept Development
First, the design team defines the functionality of the VR headset, determining the required display technology, sensor types, and overall design aesthetic. Designers will create detailed specification documents describing the requirements for each part of the headset.
Prototyping
After the concept is finalized, engineers create prototypes of the headset. These prototypes are often made using 3D printing or rapid prototyping techniques to quickly iterate on the design. The purpose of the prototype is to test factors such as comfort, field of view, and layout of the controllers. Multiple rounds of revisions may be made at this stage to optimize the design.
2. Component production
Display
VR displays provide wide-angle field of view and display high-quality images, text and video content, making users feel like they are in a completely virtual world rather than just watching it through a flat display screen. The display of a VR headset is usually made of high-resolution OLED or LCD panels.
Lenses
Lens can adjust the image the user sees to fit the headset's field of view. The design of the lens must ensure image clarity and a wide viewing angle while reducing distortion. The lens is usually made of optical glass or plastic and undergoes precise optical processing. PImax Crystal Light uses aspherical glass lenses.
- Optical Design
When designing an aspherical lens, you first need to determine the optical parameters of the lens, including focal length, curvature, material, and the required optical performance. Use optical design software to simulate the optical performance of the lens and optimize the design to reduce aberrations and distortion.
- Aspherical Curve Design
The curve of an aspherical lens is not that simple. Designers calculate the aspherical curve of the lens to ensure that it can achieve the required optical performance. You can learn the difference between aspheric lenses and pancake lenses in this blog: Aspheric vs. Pancake VR Lenses.
- Material selection
Choosing the right optical material (such as optical glass, plastic, silicone, etc.) is key. The choice of material depends on the application requirements of the lens, including optical performance, durability, and cost. High-quality optical glass and high-refractive-index plastics are often used to manufacture high-performance lenses.
- Manufacturing
Crafting glass lenses takes a lot of time. It's not just pouring hot glass into a mold and letting it cool down, and done. The steps, let's take you through it.
First, a piece of high-quality optical glass is put into the mold and heated to over 600 degrees Celcius. This is the basic shape of our lens. Secondly, under high pressure, it slowly cools down — to prevent any imperfections inside the material. After that, the lens is inspected with high precision using an interferometer. If it passes the test, they're fine-tuned with a grinding machine. The next step is polishing so that the surface is extremely smooth and clear. After that, the lenses are coated with anti-reflective layers. They're checked again to measure optical qualities.
And then finally — packed and shipped to the Pimax factory.
Sensors
Sensors are used to track head movement and the user's hand movements. Common sensors include gyroscopes, accelerometers, and magnetometers. High-end VR headsets may also use laser positioning systems or cameras for precise spatial positioning.
Crystal Light has four cameras and support inside-out tracking. Inside-out tracking does not require external base stations or sensors. This simplifies the installation process, and users only need to wear the headset and perform a simple setup.
But Crystal Light also has a lighthouse option. Lighthouse is an external tracking system. It achieves precise spatial positioning through the cooperation of laser base stations and sensors. It can cover a large area of the room and is suitable for most home or game room environments.
Read more here: Pose tracking methods outside in vs inside out tracking in VR
Processors and Electronics
The processor is responsible for processing data from the display and sensors to ensure real-time rendering and low-latency response. Other electronic components such as batteries, interfaces, and controllers are also produced at this stage.
Cover and Comfort Materials
The cover of the headset is usually made of plastic or composite materials and is designed to be ergonomic for comfort. Lining materials such as memory foam and breathable fabrics are used to improve wearing comfort and reduce fatigue after long-term use.
3. Component Assembly
In the assembly hall, the components are assembled together. Sensors and other electronic components are secured into place, ensuring that they interface correctly with the processor and connection ports. Cables and circuit boards are connected to the display, sensors and processor. Ensuring that all electrical connections are stable and reliable is a critical part of the assembly process.
After completing the initial assembly, the various functional modules of the head unit are integrated. At this point, some initial functional testing may be performed to ensure that each component is functioning properly.
4. Quality Control
- Each headset undergoes a series of quality control tests, including image clarity tests, comfort assessments, durability tests, and so on. These tests are designed to ensure that the product meets design specifications and quality standards.
- Check for manufacturing defects such as soldering problems, loose components or display problems. Products found to be defective are repaired or discarded.
- Ensure that all head units produced are consistent in performance and appearance. This includes detailed inspection of random samples from the production line.
5. Packaging and Delivery
Headsets that pass quality control are carefully packaged, usually including protective foam and instruction manuals.
After the packaging is completed, the headset will be delivered to you.
Manufacturing VR headsets is a complex process
Manufacturing VR headsets is a complex process. It involves display technology, optical design, sensor integration, and comfort optimization. Through sophisticated display panels and high refresh rate technology, combined with high-quality lenses and advanced tracking systems, VR headsets can provide us with an immersive virtual reality experience. With the advancement of technology, VR headsets continue to improve their performance and experience, driving the development of the virtual reality field.
Here is a look at how the VR headset Crystal Light is made:
