Snapdragon 835 VR Development Kit
The Snapdragon 835 VR Development Kit (also known as Snapdragon 835 VRDK) is a standalone virtual reality head-mounted display reference design developed by Qualcomm. Released in 2017, the VRDK serves as a development platform for hardware manufacturers creating VR headsets based on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. The design is part of Qualcomm's Head Mounted Display (HMD) Accelerator Program.[1]
| Snapdragon 835 VR Development Kit | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Virtual Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | Standalone VR (Reference Design) |
| Platform | Android |
| Creator | Qualcomm |
| Price | Developer kit pricing |
| Website | https://developer.qualcomm.com |
| System | |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 |
| GPU | Adreno 540 |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 64 GB |
| Display | |
| Display | WQHD AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1440 (1280 x 1440 per eye) |
| Image | |
| Optics | |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF (dual cameras, sensor fusion) |
| Eye Tracking | Foveated rendering support |
| Audio | |
| Connectivity | |
| Device | |
| Sensors | Gyroscope, accelerometer, dual cameras |
History and Development
HMD Accelerator Program
The Snapdragon 835 VRDK was developed as part of Qualcomm's Head Mounted Display Accelerator Program, which provides hardware manufacturers with reference designs and development tools to accelerate the creation of VR headsets using Qualcomm processors.
Reference Design Purpose
While not intended for direct consumer sales, the VRDK serves as a complete reference implementation that manufacturers can use as a starting point for their own VR headset products.[2]
Design and Hardware
Processor
The VRDK is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835, a flagship mobile processor optimized for VR applications:
- CPU: Octa-core Kryo 280
- GPU: Adreno 540
- DSP: Hexagon 682
Display System
- Panel: Single WQHD AMOLED
- Resolution: 2560 x 1440 (four megapixels total, two megapixels per eye)
- Per Eye: 1280 x 1440
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Field of View
The reference design offers a 90-degree diagonal field of view.
Memory and Storage
- RAM: 4 GB
- Storage: 64 GB internal
Tracking System
6DoF Tracking
The VRDK includes full six degrees of freedom (6DoF) tracking through:
- Cameras: Dual front-facing monochromatic stereo cameras (1 megapixel each)
- IMU: Gyroscopes and accelerometers
- Processing: DSP sensor fusion
DSP Sensor Fusion
The Qualcomm Hexagon DSP enables advanced sensor fusion, combining:
- Camera positional data
- High-frequency inertial data from gyroscopes and accelerometers
- Predictive head position processing
Snapdragon VR SDK
The VRDK utilizes the Snapdragon VR SDK, which provides developers access to features and optimizations including:
Core Technologies
- DSP Sensor Fusion: Low-latency 6DoF tracking
- Foveated Rendering: Eye-tracking-based rendering optimization
- Low Latency Rendering: Optimized VR rendering pipeline
Engine Support
The SDK includes Snapdragon plugin support for:
- Unity
- Unreal Engine (Epic Games)
Foveated Rendering
Foveated rendering senses the user's gaze direction and focuses maximum visual detail only in the region of interest, reducing GPU workload while maintaining perceived visual quality.
Form Factor
All-in-One Design
The VRDK is a fully standalone VR headset requiring no:
- External PC connection
- Smartphone insertion
- External sensors
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 |
| GPU | Adreno 540 |
| RAM | 4 GB |
| Storage | 64 GB |
| Display | WQHD AMOLED |
| Resolution | 2560 x 1440 (1280 x 1440 per eye) |
| Field of View | 90° |
| Tracking | 6DoF (dual cameras + IMU) |
| OS | Android 7.1 |
| SDK | Snapdragon VR SDK |
| Type | Reference Design |
Derivative Products
The Snapdragon 835 VRDK influenced the development of commercial VR headsets from various manufacturers participating in Qualcomm's HMD Accelerator Program.
See Also
References
- ↑ "Qualcomm Introduces Snapdragon 835 Virtual Reality Development Kit". PR Newswire. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/qualcomm-introduces-snapdragon-835-virtual-reality-development-kit-300412283.html.
- ↑ "First look: Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 VR Developer Kit headset". TechRadar. https://www.techradar.com/news/first-look-qualcomm-snapdragon-835-vr-developer-kit-headset.