Qualcomm Wireless AR Smart Viewer
| Qualcomm Wireless AR Smart Viewer Reference Design | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Augmented Reality |
| Type | Reference Design |
| Subtype | AR Glasses, Wireless AR |
| Platform | Android (compatible smartphones) |
| Creator | Qualcomm |
| Developer | Qualcomm Technologies, Goertek |
| Manufacturer | Goertek (reference hardware) |
| Announcement Date | May 20, 2022 |
| Release Date | 2022 (reference design) |
| Price | OEM reference (not retail) |
| Website | https://www.qualcomm.com/ |
| Versions | Wireless AR Smart Viewer Reference Design |
| Requires | Snapdragon 8-series smartphone, PC, or processing puck |
| Predecessor | Qualcomm AR Smart Viewer Reference Design (wired) |
| Successor | None announced |
| System | |
| Operating System | Android (host device) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 |
| CPU | Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 |
| GPU | Adreno (XR2) |
| Storage | |
| Storage | Host device dependent |
| Memory | Host device dependent |
| SD Card Slot | No |
| Display | |
| Display | Dual SeeYA micro-OLED |
| Subpixel Layout | RGB |
| Peak Brightness | High (micro-OLED) |
| Resolution | 1920 × 1080 per eye (Full HD) |
| Pixel Density | High |
| Refresh Rate | 90Hz |
| Persistence | Low persistence (no motion blur) |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 40° diagonal |
| Horizontal FoV | ~40° |
| Vertical FoV | ~23° |
| Average Pixel Density | High PPD |
| Peak Pixel Density | High PPD |
| Foveated Rendering | No |
| Optics | |
| Optics | See-through AR optics |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| IPD Range | Standard |
| Adjustable Diopter | Reference dependent |
| Passthrough | Yes (optical see-through) |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF (inside-out, 3 cameras) |
| Tracking Frequency | High-speed |
| Base Stations | None required |
| Eye Tracking | No |
| Face Tracking | No |
| Hand Tracking | Yes (gesture recognition) |
| Body Tracking | No |
| Rotational Tracking | Yes |
| Positional Tracking | Yes |
| Update Rate | 90Hz |
| Tracking Volume | Room-scale |
| Play Space | Standing/Walking |
| Latency | <3ms (glasses to phone) |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Reference dependent |
| Microphone | Reference dependent |
| 3.5mm Audio Jack | Reference dependent |
| Camera | Dual monochrome + 1 RGB (tracking/hand tracking) |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6 (FastConnect 6900), Bluetooth 5.3, USB-C |
| Ports | USB-C (charging/power) |
| Wired Video | No (wireless design) |
| Wireless Video | Yes (Wi-Fi 6) |
| WiFi | Wi-Fi 6 (FastConnect 6900) |
| Bluetooth | Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Power | Internal battery + USB-C |
| Battery Capacity | 650mAh |
| Battery Life | ~30 minutes (standalone wireless) |
| Charge Time | Not specified |
| Device | |
| Dimensions | 40% thinner than previous reference |
| Weight | Reference design (lightweight, balanced) |
| Material | Premium materials |
| Headstrap | None (temples) |
| Haptics | No |
| Color | Reference design |
| Sensors | IMU, 3 cameras (2 mono + 1 RGB) |
| Input | Hand tracking, gestures |
| Compliance | Reference certification |
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The Qualcomm Wireless AR Smart Viewer Reference Design is an augmented reality reference platform developed by Qualcomm Technologies in partnership with Goertek, announced on May 20, 2022, as a blueprint for next-generation wireless AR smart glasses. Building upon the previous wired AR Smart Viewer reference design, this wireless version eliminates the physical cable between AR glasses and a compatible host device (Snapdragon 8-series smartphone, Windows PC, or processing puck) while achieving virtually lag-free AR experiences. Powered by the Snapdragon XR2 Platform with Qualcomm FastConnect 6900 (Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3), the reference design features a split processing architecture that distributes computing workloads between the smartphone and AR glasses with less than 3ms latency. The glasses feature dual SeeYA micro-OLED displays delivering 1920 × 1080 resolution per eye at 90Hz with no motion blur, a 40° diagonal field of view, 6DoF head tracking, and hand tracking with gesture recognition via dual monochrome and one RGB camera. With a 40% thinner profile than the previous wired design and a 650mAh battery providing approximately 30 minutes of wireless operation, the reference design provides OEMs with a foundation for developing consumer and enterprise wireless AR products.
History and Development
Qualcomm XR Leadership
Platform evolution:
- Snapdragon XR1 (first XR chip)
- Snapdragon XR2 (premium XR)
- Wired AR Smart Viewer (2020)
- Wireless AR Smart Viewer (2022)
Goertek Partnership
Hardware development:
- Manufacturing expertise
- Reference hardware production
- OEM enabling
- Industry collaboration
May 2022 Announcement
Product reveal:
- AWE 2022 unveiling
- Wireless breakthrough
- Split processing architecture
- OEM availability
Industry Significance
Platform importance:
- Blueprint for OEMs
- Technology demonstration
- Wireless AR milestone
- Future product foundation
Design Philosophy
Wireless Freedom
Cord elimination:
- No physical tether
- Wi-Fi 6 connectivity
- Split processing
- User mobility
Split Processing Architecture
Compute distribution:
- Glasses processing (XR2)
- Phone processing (Snapdragon 8)
- Workload balancing
- Power efficiency
Ultra-Low Latency
Performance priority:
- <3ms glasses-to-phone latency
- Lag-free AR experience
- FastConnect 6900
- Real-time responsiveness
Slim Form Factor
Design optimization:
- 40% thinner than wired design
- Ergonomic weight distribution
- Premium aesthetics
- Comfortable wear
Display Technology
SeeYA Micro-OLED
Panel specifications:
- Provider: SeeYA Technology
- Type: Dual micro-OLED
- Resolution: 1920 × 1080 per eye
- Refresh Rate: 90Hz
No Motion Blur
Visual quality:
- Zero motion blur feature
- Low persistence
- Smooth visuals
- High-quality AR
Field of View
Coverage:
- FOV: 40° diagonal
- (Narrower than 45° wired design)
- AR content overlay
- Balanced for form factor
Processing
Snapdragon XR2
Glasses processor:
- Chipset: Snapdragon XR2
- On-board processing
- Tracking computation
- Display driving
Host Device Processing
Split architecture:
- Snapdragon 8-series phones
- Windows PCs
- Processing pucks
- Heavy compute offload
Workload Distribution
Balanced processing:
- Glasses: tracking, display
- Host: application rendering
- Efficient power use
- Performance optimization
Connectivity
FastConnect 6900
Wireless specifications:
- Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax)
- Bluetooth: 5.3
- Ultra-low latency
- High bandwidth
Wireless Latency
Performance:
- Latency: <3ms (glasses to phone)
- Virtually lag-free
- Real-time AR
- Imperceptible delay
Host Compatibility
Supported devices:
- Snapdragon 8-series smartphones
- Snapdragon Compute PCs
- Processing pucks
- Wide ecosystem
Tracking
6DoF Inside-Out
Spatial tracking:
- Full position tracking
- No external sensors
- Room-scale capable
- AR precision
Camera Array
Tracking cameras:
- Dual monochrome: Tracking
- RGB camera: Hand tracking
- 3 cameras total
- Multi-purpose sensing
Hand Tracking
Gesture recognition:
- Camera-based detection
- Gesture control
- Natural interaction
- Controller-free input
Physical Design
Slim Profile
Form factor:
- 40% thinner than wired design
- Glasses aesthetics
- Premium materials
- Improved comfort
Weight Distribution
Balance:
- Ergonomic balancing
- Reduced fatigue
- Comfortable wear
- Extended use
Battery
Internal Power
Battery specifications:
- Capacity: 650mAh
- Life: ~30 minutes wireless
- Internal battery
- USB-C charging/power
Power Options
Flexibility:
- Wireless operation (battery)
- USB-C powered (extended)
- Hot-pluggable power
- Continuous use option
Reference Design Purpose
OEM Blueprint
Industry role:
- Design foundation
- Technology showcase
- Development accelerator
- Market enabler
Partner Availability
Distribution:
- Select partners
- Development kits
- OEM licensing
- Product development
Derived Products
Industry impact:
- OEM product foundation
- Technology validation
- Feature demonstration
- Ecosystem development
Comparison with AR Reference Designs
| Feature | Wireless AR Smart Viewer | Wired AR Smart Viewer | XR2 HMD Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Wireless AR glasses | Wired AR glasses | VR/MR headset |
| Connection | Wi-Fi 6 wireless | USB-C wired | DisplayPort/USB |
| Processor | XR2 (split) | XR1 | XR2 |
| Resolution | 1080p/eye | 1080p/eye | Various |
| FOV | 40° | 45° | VR-wide |
| Latency | <3ms | Wired | Wired |
| Battery | 650mAh, ~30min | N/A (powered) | N/A |
| Form Factor | 40% thinner | Glasses | HMD |
Strengths and Limitations
Strengths
- Wireless AR glasses reference design
- <3ms latency (virtually lag-free)
- Snapdragon XR2 + FastConnect 6900
- 1080p 90Hz SeeYA micro-OLED
- 6DoF head + hand tracking
- 40% thinner than wired design
- Split processing architecture
- Wi-Fi 6 + Bluetooth 5.3
Limitations
- Reference design (not consumer product)
- ~30 minute battery life
- 40° narrow field of view
- Requires compatible host device
- OEM-only availability
- Development platform cost
- Limited standalone capability
- Narrow consumer market
Technical Specifications Summary
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | Dual SeeYA micro-OLED |
| Resolution | 1920 × 1080 per eye |
| Refresh Rate | 90Hz |
| FOV | 40° diagonal |
| Processor | Snapdragon XR2 (glasses) |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.3 |
| Latency | <3ms (glasses to phone) |
| Tracking | 6DoF (3 cameras) |
| Hand Tracking | Yes (gesture recognition) |
| Battery | 650mAh, ~30 minutes |
| Form Factor | 40% thinner than wired |