Meta Quest 3 firmware leak reveals big depth mapping upgrade
It can spot couches
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All the signs are that Meta is going to fully unveil theMeta Quest 3(update: the reveal has happened and our fullMeta Quest 3 reviewis out), and give us an on sale date, at its special event on September 27. Until then, we’re learning more about the device through leaks – such as the latest one that reveals its depth mapping capabilities.
In a clip dug out of the Meta Quest 3 firmware and posted toReddit(via userSamuliaandUploadVR), we see a short animation visualizing how the depth mapping is going to work. In short, it looks pretty advanced, and way ahead of theOculusQuest 2.
We see a detailed mesh covering all of the objects in the room, and there seems to be some kind of object identification going on here as well – the couch is labeled with a couch icon, for example, so the Meta Quest 3 clearly knows what it is.
The player avatar is then shown chasing a digital character around the room, as it jumps on and behind furniture. This is an example of mixed reality occlusion, where digital elements appear to be in the same world as physical elements, and it hints at some of the experiences that will be possible on the new headset.
A room with a view
On the currentOculus Quest 2, you’re required to manually map out a free space inside a room. You can also mark out rectangular cuboids for pieces of furniture and walls, but it takes a while – and these maps aren’t fully used by developers anyway.
This looks like a much more slick and comprehensive solution, and it matches up with another cliprevealed in June. Meta has made noises about the Meta Quest 3 “intelligently understanding” what’s inside a room, but that’s all that’s been made official so far.
The depth mapping and the way that mapping is used would appear to even go beyond the latestMeta Quest Proheadset. That device does have some automatic room mapping capabilities, but it doesn’t have a dedicated depth sensor inside it.
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Meta has another of its Connect showcases scheduledfor September 27, and all should be revealed by then. While you’re waiting, you can check outthe latest teaser trailerfor the device, andeverything we know about it so far.
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Dave is a freelance tech journalist who has been writing about gadgets, apps and the web for more than two decades. Based out of Stockport, England, on TechRadar you’ll find him covering news, features and reviews, particularly for phones, tablets and wearables. Working to ensure our breaking news coverage is the best in the business over weekends, David also has bylines at Gizmodo, T3, PopSci and a few other places besides, as well as being many years editing the likes of PC Explorer and The Hardware Handbook.
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