Lenovo ThinkReality A6
More actions
| Lenovo ThinkReality A6 | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Augmented Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | Enterprise AR |
| Platform | ThinkReality platform |
| Developer | Lenovo |
| Manufacturer | Lenovo |
| Announcement Date | 13 May 2019 |
| Release Date | Limited release announced for the third quarter of 2019 |
| System | |
| Operating System | Android 8.1 (Oreo), on the compute box |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 (in the compute box); Intel Movidius vision processing unit |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 64 GB, plus microSD up to 256 GB |
| Memory | 4 GB |
| Display | |
| Display | Binocular see-through waveguide display, up to 600 nits (manufacturer figure) |
| Resolution | 1080p per eye, 16:9 |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 40 degrees diagonal |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Lumus waveguides |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | Inside-out (6DoF visual-inertial odometry with two fisheye cameras, per Lenovo's 2020 datasheet) |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Stereo speakers; 3.5 mm audio jack |
| Microphone | Two noise-cancelling microphones |
| Camera | 13 MP RGB camera; two fisheye tracking cameras; time-of-flight depth sensor |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | USB Type-C cable between headset and compute box |
| Ports | On the compute box: USB 3.1 Type-C (headset), USB 3.0 Type-C (charging and data), 3.5 mm audio |
| WiFi | 802.11ac 2x2 (2.4 and 5 GHz) |
| Bluetooth | 5.0 BLE |
| Battery Capacity | 6800 mAh (26 Wh), removable |
| Battery Life | Up to 4 hours (manufacturer figure) |
| Device | |
| Weight | Less than 380 g (headset); 240 g (compute box with battery) |
| Sensors | IMUs in headset, controller and compute box; ambient light sensor; depth sensor |
| Input | Voice, gesture, head and gaze control; Bluetooth 3DoF hand controller |
The Lenovo ThinkReality A6 is an augmented reality head-mounted display for business users, made by Lenovo. It was the first device in ThinkReality, a Lenovo sub-brand that combined enterprise AR and VR hardware with a software platform for building, deploying and managing applications.[1] The headset has see-through Lumus waveguide optics with a 40-degree diagonal field of view and 1080p resolution per eye. Its processor, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, sits in a separate Android compute box that can be worn on a belt and is connected to the headset by a USB Type-C cable.[1][2][3]
Lenovo announced the A6 at its Accelerate event in Orlando, Florida, on 13 May 2019 and aimed it at uses such as remote expert assistance, repair, assembly guidance and training.[1][4] Press coverage at launch compared it with Microsoft's HoloLens 2 and the Magic Leap One.[5][6] Lenovo later added the Lenovo ThinkReality A3 smart glasses (2021) and, in 2023, the Lenovo ThinkReality VRX headset to the ThinkReality line.[7][8]
Announcement and release
Lenovo presented ThinkReality and the A6 during its annual Accelerate event for commercial customers and partners. The company described the A6 as "a lightweight, heads-up, hands free mobile head-worn device" for deploying both simple and complex AR solutions, and called it "one of the lightest fully featured AR headsets in its class".[1] Christian Teismann, then senior vice president for Lenovo's commercial business, said in his keynote that the headset had been engineered with industrial and healthcare customers, who had named weight distribution as "the number one issue of the products on the market".[6]
Lenovo did not announce a price. Its press release said that ThinkReality was "launching as a Developer Program with global enterprise accounts" and that the A6 would have "a limited release in 3rd quarter of 2019".[1] PC Perspective reported that Lenovo told interested customers to contact their sales representatives for pricing and availability.[9] UploadVR noted that, as a business-first device, it was not expected to be available to order online.[5]
The headset was shown to the press again at the Augmented World Expo (AWE) in 2019, where Next Reality tried a largely scripted demonstration in which the wearer interacted with a virtual overlay of a real circuit board.[10]
Design and hardware
Headset and optics
The A6 has a visor form factor with top-down optics, held on by a rear head strap.[10][11] Lenovo's datasheets list binocular Lumus waveguide optics described as "High see through", 1080p resolution per eye at a 16:9 aspect ratio, a diagonal field of view given as ">40°", and support for users who wear eyeglasses.[4][11] The 2020 datasheet adds a maximum display brightness of 600 nits.[11] Lenovo's launch release puts the field of view at 40 degrees diagonal.[1] For comparison, Tom's Hardware gave the HoloLens 2 a field of view of roughly 52 degrees,[2] and UploadVR described the A6's field of view as about 10 degrees smaller than those of the Magic Leap One and HoloLens 2.[5]
Lenovo gives the headset's weight as 380 g (0.83 lb) in its launch release and as "less than 380g" in its datasheets.[1][4] The design statement in the A6's Red Dot Award entry gives a different figure, 250 grams, for the head-mounted display alone.[12] The 2020 datasheet rates the device IP51.[11]
Compute box
To keep weight off the head, Lenovo housed the computing components in a separate, tethered compute box that can be worn on a belt; Computerworld noted that fatigue can be an issue for workers who use a headset for hours at a time.[6][2] The box contains a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845, described in the launch release as the "Snapdragon 845 Mobile XR Platform", and runs Android Oreo (Android 8.1 in the 2020 datasheet).[1][11] It has 4 GB of memory, 64 GB of storage and a microSD slot for cards up to 256 GB.[11]
The removable battery has a capacity of 6800 mAh (26 Wh), and Lenovo rates it at up to four hours of use.[4][11] Lenovo also listed an NFC or RFID reader for smart cards in the compute box, Wi-Fi (802.11ac 2x2), Bluetooth 5.0 and no cellular 4G or 5G connection.[4][11] The 2020 datasheet gives the compute box's weight as 240 g with its battery.[11]
Sensors, tracking and input
The headset carries a 13-megapixel RGB camera, two fisheye cameras, a depth sensor and an inertial measurement unit (IMU). Lenovo's launch release pairs the optics with an Intel Movidius vision processing unit.[1][3] The 2020 datasheet describes the RGB camera as autofocus with 30 frames per second at 1080p and the depth sensor as time-of-flight with a 62 by 45 degree field of view; it also lists an ambient light sensor and IMUs in the glasses, the controller and the compute box.[11]
Lenovo's two datasheets describe tracking differently. The May 2019 datasheet lists "3DoF Inside-out Tracking" alongside "Full SLAM", while the 2020 datasheet lists device tracking as "VIO (6DoF Inside Out), Dual Fisheye", meaning visual-inertial odometry using the two fisheye cameras.[4][11]
Users can control the A6 by voice, gesture and gaze, or with a Bluetooth 3DoF hand controller that comes in the box.[4][13] Audio comes from stereo speakers, with two noise-cancelling microphones and a 3.5 mm headphone jack.[4][11] The listed box contents included a USB Type-C display cable, an adjustable arm band, changeable nose pads, the controller with a clip, a charger, a neck lanyard and a belt clip.[4]
Specifications
| Component | Specification (Lenovo figures) |
|---|---|
| Optics | Binocular Lumus waveguide, visor with top-down optics[11] |
| Resolution | 1080p per eye, 16:9[11] |
| Field of view | 40 degrees diagonal (">40°" in the datasheets)[1][11] |
| Brightness | 600 nits maximum[11] |
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 in the compute box; Intel Movidius VPU[1] |
| Operating system | Android 8.1 (Oreo)[11] |
| Memory and storage | 4 GB; 64 GB plus microSD up to 256 GB[11] |
| Cameras and sensors | 13 MP RGB camera, two fisheye cameras, time-of-flight depth sensor, IMUs, ambient light sensor[11] |
| Tracking | 6DoF inside-out visual-inertial odometry (2020 datasheet); "3DoF Inside-out Tracking" (2019 datasheet)[4][11] |
| Input | Voice, gesture, head and gaze control, Bluetooth 3DoF controller[11] |
| Audio | Stereo speakers, two noise-cancelling microphones, 3.5 mm jack[11] |
| Wireless | Wi-Fi 802.11ac 2x2 (2.4 and 5 GHz), Bluetooth 5.0 BLE, no 4G or 5G[11] |
| Battery | 6800 mAh (26 Wh), removable, up to 4 hours[4][11] |
| Weight | Less than 380 g (headset); 240 g (compute box with battery)[11] |
| Ingress protection | IP51[11] |
Software and features
The A6 is built to run with Lenovo's ThinkReality platform, which Lenovo described as device-agnostic and cloud-agnostic software for building, deploying and managing AR and VR applications across operating systems, cloud services and devices.[1][11] The 2020 datasheet lists a ThinkReality SDK for Unity, user, device and application management, workflow builders, mobile device management, cloud and on-premises options, and support for LDAP and Azure Active Directory.[11]
Lenovo's 2019 datasheet listed voice recognition, gesture support, object recognition and barcode reading through the camera's computer vision system.[4] The 2020 version marked object recognition as "coming soon".[11] Lenovo's 2020 ThinkReality web page presented the A6 together with certified turnkey applications for remote assistance, guided workflows and training, remote data visualization and design collaboration.[14]
Use
Lenovo's marketing named industrial operations and architecture, engineering and construction as target sectors, and also mentioned healthcare, retail, logistics and design.[4] In a 2023 case study, Lenovo described using A6 headsets itself in 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted plans for engineers to travel with an assembly line that the company was moving from its Motorola plant in Wuhan, China, to its manufacturing hub in Monterrey, Mexico. Engineers in Mexico wore the headsets and used holo|one's remote assistance software on the ThinkReality platform, sharing the A6's camera view with experts in China. Lenovo states that the setup took five days to implement and that the project finished on schedule.[15]
The A6 remained part of Lenovo's offering after the A3 arrived. Lenovo's January 2021 A3 announcement listed "the ThinkReality A3 smart glasses and A6 headset" as its AR devices,[7] and an August 2021 release on Lenovo's partnership with RealWear described the ThinkReality platform as spanning the RealWear HMT-1, the A3, the "world-focused" A6 "with transparent lenses" and the Lenovo Mirage VR S3.[16]
Reception
At the announcement, analyst Anshel Sag of Moor Insights & Strategy told Computerworld that the A6 did not appear to offer significant differentiation from rivals, though the focus on low weight could be a selling point for frontline workers who wear a headset all day. Gartner research director Annette Jump said the main question for the ThinkReality platform was how many developers Lenovo could attract.[6]
Next Reality's Adario Strange, who tried the A6 at AWE 2019, was strongly critical. He found the headset uncomfortable and heavier-feeling than its stated weight, described the images as "soft and ghostly", and said the field of view felt about as limited as that of the original HoloLens. His demo used only the hand controller, so he did not assess the voice and gesture controls.[10]
The A6 won a Red Dot Award: Product Design in 2019, and its entry on the Red Dot site carries the "Best of the Best" distinction. The Red Dot jury praised the headset as ergonomic and lightweight and singled out its strap-tightening mechanism.[12]
Current status
In July 2026, Road to VR relayed a report by the XR blog Skarred Ghost, based on people familiar with the matter, that Lenovo had closed its US-based business XR unit. In a statement obtained by Skarred Ghost, Lenovo said it was "transitioning from a business-first XR strategy under our ThinkReality brand to a more consumer-focused approach within Motorola".[8]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 "Lenovo Unveils New Intelligent Devices and Solutions for Enterprise". Lenovo StoryHub. Lenovo. 2019-05-13. https://news.lenovo.com/pressroom/press-releases/lenovo-unveils-new-intelligent-devices-solutions-enterprise/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Andrew E. Freedman (2019-05-13). "ThinkReality Puts Lenovo Into Business AR". Tom's Hardware. https://www.tomshardware.com/news/lenovo-thinkreality-a6-ar-headset-specs,39329.html. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Lenovo announces new ThinkReality Augmented Reality platform, along with new HoloLens-style AR headset". Auganix. 2019-05-13. https://www.auganix.org/lenovo-announces-new-thinkreality-augmented-reality-platform-along-with-new-hololens-style-ar-headset/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 "ThinkReality A6 datasheet". Lenovo. Lenovo. 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20240629150321/https://lenovonews.fiestic.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Lenovo_ThinkReality_A6_Datasheet.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Jamie Feltham (2019-05-14). "ThinkReality A6 Is Lenovo's New HoloLens And Magic Leap Competitor". UploadVR. https://www.uploadvr.com/lenovo-thinkreality-a6/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Matthew Finnegan (2019-05-15). "Lenovo launches enterprise AR/VR headset, the 'ThinkReality A6'". Computerworld. https://www.computerworld.com/article/1723769/lenovo-launches-enterprise-arvr-headset-the-thinkreality-a6.html. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Lenovo Introduces the ThinkReality A3 - The Most Versatile Smart Glasses Ever Designed for the Enterprise". Lenovo StoryHub. Lenovo. 2021-01-10. https://news.lenovo.com/pressroom/press-releases/thinkreality-a3-most-versatile-smart-glasses-ever-designed-for-the-enterprise/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Scott Hayden (2026-07-13). "Lenovo Reportedly Shutters US-based XR Business Unit Amid Shift to AI Wearables". Road to VR. https://roadtovr.com/lenovo-shutters-xr-business-unit-report/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ Jim Tanous (2019-05-13). "The Lenovo ThinkReality A6 Is a Lightweight AR Headset for Businesses". PC Perspective. https://pcper.com/2019/05/lenovo-thinkreality-a6/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Adario Strange (2019-06-13). "Hands-On with Lenovo's ThinkReality A6, a Disappointing Step Back from Augmented Reality's Cutting Edge". Next Reality. https://next.reality.news/news/hands-with-lenovos-thinkreality-a6-disappointing-step-back-from-augmented-realitys-cutting-edge-0198728/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 11.00 11.01 11.02 11.03 11.04 11.05 11.06 11.07 11.08 11.09 11.10 11.11 11.12 11.13 11.14 11.15 11.16 11.17 11.18 11.19 11.20 11.21 11.22 11.23 11.24 11.25 11.26 11.27 11.28 "ThinkReality A6 datasheet". Lenovo Tech Today. Lenovo. 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201230030602/https://techtoday.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/media/4716/download. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Red Dot Design Award: ThinkReality A6". Red Dot. 2019. https://www.red-dot.org/project/thinkreality-a6-37069. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ Tanner Harding (2019-05-14). "Lenovo launches AR for the workplace with ThinkReality". TechTarget. https://www.techtarget.com/searchmobilecomputing/news/252463357/Lenovo-launches-AR-for-the-workplace-with-ThinkReality. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Augmented Reality & Virtual Reality With ThinkReality". Lenovo Tech Today. Lenovo. 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200804085848/https://techtoday.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/thinkreality. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Lenovo: Enabling teams to work together from anywhere". Lenovo case studies. Lenovo. 2023. https://www.lenovo.com/content/dam/lenovo/iso/customer-references-coe/global/en/case-studies/lenovo-thinkreality/Lenovo_LenovoThinkReality_230424.pdf. Retrieved 2026-10-15.
- ↑ "Lenovo and RealWear Join Forces to Bring Assisted Reality Solutions to Enterprise Customers". Lenovo StoryHub. Lenovo. 2021-08-30. https://news.lenovo.com/pressroom/press-releases/lenovo-realwear-bring-assisted-reality-solutions-to-enterprise-customers/. Retrieved 2026-10-15.