Ananda Arasu
The Evolution of Varjo and Its Impact on Industrial Design
Founded in 2016 by former senior executives from Nokia and Microsoft, Varjo has made significant strides in developing mixed-reality headsets. With its headquarters in Finland, Varjo stands out as the only major European maker of headsets, others being based either in the United States or Asia.
Varjo focuses entirely on enterprise applications, distinguishing it from most head-mounted display (HMD) makers who target the mass market. This focus allows Varjo to remain at the forefront of technology, offering advanced industrial features. For example, Varjo has pioneered video-pass-through mixed reality technology, enabling companies like Volvo to drive a car while wearing the Varjo headset and make real-time design decisions.
Autodesk VRED: Leading the Charge in Virtual Reality for Designers
Autodesk VRED has long been a leader in integrating new technologies and providing cutting-edge features to its users. Initially, VRED supported projector-based virtual reality systems and later transitioned to more mobile head-mounted displays. Since 2019, when Varjo launched its VR-1 headset, VRED and Varjo have collaborated to offer unique virtual reality solutions for designers.
The evolution of virtual reality (VR) and mixed reality (MR) technologies has transformed them from mere curiosities into essential tools across various industries. Advances in HMD technology by companies like Varjo, improved graphics processing power from Nvidia, and sophisticated software solutions from Autodesk VRED have established VR and MR as standards in fields such as automotive design. These technologies are crucial in reducing the time and cost associated with physical prototypes and international travel for design teams.
Varjo XR-4: A Leap Forward in Mixed Reality
The Varjo XR-4 is a significant advancement in Varjo’s mixed reality offerings, tailored for demanding industrial applications like automotive design. Key improvements in the XR-4 include:
- Expanded Field-of-View: The XR-4 achieves a 120-degree human binocular vision field-of-view, allowing designers to assess larger objects and see intricate details in car interiors and exteriors more effectively.
- Enhanced Resolution and Brightness: The high resolution of the XR-4 displays enables designers to view vehicles in accurate proportions from great distances and examine detailed textures in materials. The brighter displays ensure accurate color and shadow representation, aiding in precise design decisions.
- Integrated Audio: Unlike previous models that required separate audio solutions, the XR-4 includes built-in audio. This feature, combined with VRED’s collaboration tools, supports seamless local and remote multi-user design sessions. Companies like Kia Motors have drastically reduced design review times using Varjo headsets with the VRED collaboration tool.
- Inside-Out Tracking: The XR-4 employs four cameras for inside-out tracking, simplifying the setup process by eliminating the need for external tracking systems.
- Focal Edition with Autofocus XR Pass-Through Cameras: This edition replicates human vision by using integrated eye-tracking to provide optimal clarity where the user is looking, enhancing the realism of the mixed reality experience.
VRED 2025.1: Elevating Design Review with Varjo XR-4 Support
The latest version of Autodesk VRED, 2025.1, officially supports the Varjo XR-4, bringing a host of features and capabilities to designers:
- Depth Occlusion: This feature is particularly useful for interior and human-machine interface (HMI) designs, allowing real hands to interact with virtual designs. It also facilitates side-by-side comparisons of different car models and the integration of real objects into virtual designs.
- Hand-Tracking: Designers can intuitively use their hands to switch between virtual and mixed-reality environments, navigate to different locations, and switch between car configurations. This interaction is crucial for studying ergonomic and intuitive system designs, such as touchscreens and infotainment systems.
- Varjo Markers: Unique to Varjo users, this feature allows designers to anchor virtual objects such as cars and reposition them easily within the environment by moving virtual markers.
- Foveated Rendering: By tracking the user’s gaze and rendering high resolution only where the user is looking, Varjo XR-4 achieves high detail without overwhelming the GPU. This allows designers to work with models that are multiple million polygons in greater detail.
- Eye-Tracking: This technology enables designers to see which objects attract the most attention, providing valuable insights into user interactions and preferences.
Conclusion
The integration between VRED 2025.1 and Varjo XR-4 marks a significant milestone in the evolution of virtual and mixed reality in industrial design. By combining advanced HMD technology with sophisticated design software, VRED and Varjo are empowering designers to create more efficiently and collaboratively. This synergy not only accelerates the design process but also enhances the quality and innovation of new products, particularly in the fast-paced automotive industry.
Find out more about the VRED 2025.1 release in this blog post.
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