The market still hasn't managed to eliminate that sense that virtual/augmented reality is a solution looking for a problem. While there are very advanced products with staggering prices (the Bigscreen Beyond comes to mind immediately), entry-level models still drag along certain limitations that become exposed almost immediately. The Swedish Maker on YouTube decided to explore the possibility of using a virtual headset in his latest woodworking project, and as a spoiler, we can say he didn't have a great time…
15 years ago, when augmented reality had hype levels very similar to those of artificial intelligence today, the folks at BMW presented a concept of glasses that would provide precise information to a mechanic during a maintenance session. Definitely "it was the future"… but it never happened. Virtual/augmented reality took another path, tried to sell us the metaverse (pfff, does anyone remember that?), and believe it or not, its best expression is Half-Life: Alyx... a game from 2020.
Now, that doesn't mean its story is over. Its potential never disappeared, and it just needs to keep evolving. So we get to the channel of The Swedish Maker on YouTube, who decided to start a woodworking project using a Meta Quest 3 from start to finish. This immediately reminded me of the BMW demo, but in a real environment with direct risks, how useful is augmented reality?
Augmented Reality Woodworking, ft. Meta Quest 3
The Swedish Maker ended up choosing the Meta Quest 3 for availability and price reasons. Apparently, the Apple Vision Pro has no official distribution in Sweden, and buying it through alternative channels is a real madness. After a short training session with roller coasters and zombies, he started working. His goal was to create a bedside table, a relatively accessible piece of furniture for someone with woodworking experience, but if the headset acts as a "middleman", the situation changes completely.
Any positive aspect? The ability to load the plans into the virtual environment and access them at any time. The negatives? Well... everything else. The passthrough of the Meta Quest 3 has not been designed for this kind of application, and the "noodle effect" is noticeable on every straight line, forcing The Swedish Maker to take extra measures. At the same time, it causes nausea, and let's not forget the Quest 3 weighs 515 grams. Having more than half a kilogram of equipment on your head while using a saw is not very comfortable, to say the least.
In summary, the problem remains the same as always: a combination of framerate, latency, and weight. The Swedish Maker's kids love the Meta Quest 3, but if the idea is to work with the headset... maybe it's better to wait for version 6 or 7, assuming Meta doesn't throw in the towel. Source: Hackaday
