Impression Pi

Impression Pi
Basic Info
VR/AR	Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality
Type	Head-mounted display
Subtype	Slide-on HMD, Standalone VR
Developer	uSens
Release Date	Starter: April 2016; first Core/Empower batch: January 2017 (creator shipment reports)
Price	2015 campaign: US$59 Starter early bird, US$199 Core, US$249 Empower early bird, US$359 Master
Website	http://impressionpi.com/ (historical product URL)
Versions	Starter Package, Core Package, Empower Package, Master Package
Requires	Smartphone for Starter/Empower; Master proposed with built-in computing and display
System
Operating System	Android; iOS support proposed and subject to app approval
CPU	Core vision board with CPU/GPU/ASIC in campaign diagram; exact chips unspecified
Display
Display	Phone display for Starter/Empower; built-in display proposed for Master
Resolution	Depends on phone for Starter/Empower
Pixel Density	More than 400 PPI recommended for phone versions, not a fixed headset specification
Image
Field of View	More than 90 degrees advertised in the 2015 campaign
Tracking
Tracking	6DoF head tracking and hand tracking advertised for Core-equipped versions
Rotational Tracking	Core board IMU and AHRS algorithm; campaign claims IMU sampling above 1,000 Hz
Positional Tracking	Inside-out camera-based tracking proposed; accuracy remained under development
Audio
Camera	Stereo RGB and IR imagers shown on Core campaign diagram
Connectivity
Connectivity	Core-to-phone USB or Lightning proposed; Master 2.4/5 GHz Wi-Fi proposed
Device
Sensors	Core IMU and IR projector shown on campaign diagram
Input	Camera-based hand/finger tracking and gestures advertised for Core-equipped packages
Size	95 x 175 x 90 mm (reported 2015 design; final unit dimensions unverified)

Impression Pi, also styled Impression π, was a virtual reality and augmented reality headset project developed by uSens. Its 2015 crowdfunding campaign offered both smartphone viewers and a proposed self-contained version. Core-equipped packages were designed to add camera-based head tracking, hand input and real-world video overlays to mobile VR.

The project raised US$301,719 from 508 Kickstarter backers against a US$78,000 goal. uSens subsequently reported shipping the basic Starter viewer in April 2016 and a first batch of Core and Empower rewards in January 2017. In February 2017, the company announced that it was ending the Impression Pi product line and offered refunds or returns to backers.

Reviewed 14 October 2026. Historical campaign packages, original creator shipment and termination announcements, phone compatibility, advertised tracking and contemporary prototype accounts. Campaign targets are distinguished from measured or delivered capabilities. About review dates.

Hardware

The phone-based configuration followed the general arrangement of Samsung Gear VR and Google Cardboard: a smartphone provided the display and application processor, while the headset held it behind viewing lenses. The Starter package supplied this viewer without the Core vision electronics. Empower added the Core board. Master was proposed with its own display and Android computer, so it would not require a phone. The creator described the configurations as mobile systems that could operate without an external PC.

The campaign's Core hardware diagram labels an onboard IMU, a CPU/GPU/ASIC for computer vision, stereo RGB and IR imagers and an infrared projector. Its advertised inside-out tracking used sensors on the headset to observe the surroundings, while hand tracking supplied finger and gesture input. The creator described the dual-camera view as a way to show the real world with virtual objects overlaid on it. These were campaign descriptions of the intended system.

The campaign claimed IMU sampling above 1,000 Hz for rotational tracking with an AHRS algorithm. A separate specification graphic advertised hand interaction above 60 frames per second with sub-millimetre accuracy, movement over a range greater than five metres and a viewing angle greater than 90 degrees. Those figures describe different parts of the proposed system; the IMU sampling rate is not a display refresh rate.

The FAQ made the development status explicit. It set targets of less than 1 mm position error for a near mode and 10 mm for a far mode, with tabletop AR and movement around a room as examples. It also said position tracking was still being improved and warned that initial tracking accuracy and iOS support could fall short of the intended result. The target figures therefore describe the company's goals rather than an independently established accuracy of delivered headsets.

Tom's Hardware reported the 2015 design's dimensions as 95 x 175 x 90 mm. That contemporary figure does not establish the dimensions of every later package or production revision.

Starter Package

The Starter package was a phone viewer and faceplate for basic mobile VR applications. It omitted the Core board and was advertised as upgradable by adding that board. The campaign offered a US$59 early-bird tier and a US$79 regular tier, originally with a September 2015 estimated delivery. In May 2016, uSens reported that Starter packs had shipped in April and had been delivered to confirmed addresses; upgrades with the tracking module remained a later plan.

Core Package

The US$199 Core package was the sensor and vision board, without a headset. It was aimed at builders who wanted to add gesture recognition, hand tracking, position tracking or AR to their own projects. The campaign suggested adapting a Gear VR or Cardboard viewer, building a headset, or experimenting with robots and drones. Its original reward estimate was November 2015. These were proposed uses of the module.

Empower Package

Empower combined the Starter headset with an installed Core board and still used a smartphone for its screen and main system. The campaign offered US$249 early-bird and US$279 regular tiers, with December 2015 estimated delivery. A US$314 Developer's Edition combined Empower, the SDK and entry into the Pi Developers Program. On its January 2017 update, uSens said it had shipped the first Core and Empower batch to backers who had confirmed their addresses in time.

Master Package

Master was the proposed all-in-one headset: the viewing hardware and vision system would be joined by an integrated display and an Android board with CPU, GPU, memory and Wi-Fi. The FAQ specified 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi and no cellular radio or SIM support. The campaign pledge was US$359, while the May 2015 website pre-order announcement priced it at US$379.

In August 2016, uSens showed a Master production sample and still forecast later shipments. In November, the team said it was awaiting a final manufacturer estimate for Master shipping.

Phone compatibility and connection

The creator advised a screen larger than five inches and a pixel density of more than 400 pixels per inch for a good viewing experience, while saying smaller or lower-density phones could still be inserted. For phones outside the recommended list, a suitable fixture could be needed to hold the device correctly behind the lenses.

Using the Core vision system introduced additional requirements. The FAQ specified USB OTG and USB Bulk transfer for Android phones, and noted that some OTG-capable devices still failed to communicate with the board. It described USB connections to Android devices and Lightning connections to iPhones, with flexible cables included. Although iOS support was part of the design, the campaign separately warned that app compatibility depended on approval and might not be ready at initial release.

Apps

In May 2016, uSens published a list of twenty-one applications for the Starter viewer. Examples included Google Street View, Zombie Shooter VR, Lamper VR: Firefly Rescue, Aquarium VR and InMind VR.

The proposed software environment included a gesture-operated interface and a Pi Store for applications developed for the platform. In November 2016, uSens described Pi Home as still being finalized, with hand controls for launching applications and playing video. It also forecast a major SDK update and public developer network for December.

Developer

uSens was co-founded by Yue Fei, Anli He and Chris Shi. The campaign identified Fei as CTO, He as CEO and Shi as COO. The company promoted Impression Pi as a platform for its computer-vision and interaction technology rather than as a single game.

The campaign specification graphic advertised support for mobile VR applications made with Unity or the Google Cardboard SDK, with other SDK compatibility described as work in progress. The developer reward included an SDK and support program. By August 2016, the team was discussing development with Unity, Java and C++, alongside a planned public developer network.

History

Impression Pi's Kickstarter campaign ran from March to May 2015. The final campaign page records US$301,719 pledged by 508 backers. The campaign offered four basic packages, with separate early-bird tiers for Starter and Empower.

Period	Documented development
May 2015	uSens announced website pre-orders at US$79 for Starter, US$199 for Core, US$279 for Empower and US$379 for Master, with availability forecast for the Christmas season.
SIGGRAPH 2015	Denise Quensel, coordinator of the conference's VR Village, later identified the Impression Pi "Super Reality" demonstration as a combination of VR and AR exhibited there.
January 2016	A CES report described a rough, handmade prototype. The writer also found its front-heavy balance noticeable; this was an exhibition prototype, rather than an assessment of delivered rewards.
April-May 2016	The creator reported Starter shipments in April and confirmed-address deliveries by its May update, while delaying the other packages for more testing and design work.
June 1, 2016	uSens announced a US$20 million Series A funding round led by Fosun Kinzon Capital. The stated purpose included launching hand and head tracking tools, rather than confirming an Impression Pi retail launch.
August-November 2016	A Master production sample was shown, followed by continued software work and an outstanding Master shipment estimate.
January 2017	uSens reported sending a first Core and Empower batch to backers whose shipping details had been confirmed in time.
February 2017	uSens publicly announced product-line termination and a shift toward supplying tracking technology to other systems. It said the internal decision had been made in early 2016.

The termination announcement offered refunds to backers still waiting for rewards and a full refund to recipients who preferred to return them, with a March 31, 2017 contact deadline.