A startup EM3 announced what they have been working on. The thinnest and lightest, 6.8mm and 35 grams VR headset, codenamed Ether. A form factor to be achieved through the novel pancake lens. An optics technology expected to introduce a wave of thin and light VR headsets.
The main selling proposition of the EM3 Ether is the thin and light form factor. It’s only 6.8mm thick and weighs less than 35 grams.
The announced prototype will also be able to connect with your smartphone, game console, or computer. It will be capable of broadcasting 2D content onto the 800-inch virtual screen. A micro-OLED display with a resolution of 2,500×2,500 pixels per eye and a field of view of 90-degrees.
Interestingly, what enables the Ether’s thin form factor and subsequent millimeter distance between the screen and lens is the “pancake optics design”. An alternative lens technology to the standard Fresnel lens and one that the announced premium HMD “Cambria” from Meta also utilizes. This novel lens technology bounces light from the display within the lens itself, enabling a much closer distance between the display – lens – and your eyes, which translates to a much slimmer design overall. Further specifications are yet to be released.
Check out the EM3 Ether Glasses here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/427680735/em3-ether-9mm-thin-vr-glasses-for-gaming-and-movies?ref=discovery&term=EM3
