Shadow Creator Action One
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| Shadow Creator Action One | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Augmented Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | Standalone AR |
| Platform | Android |
| Creator | Shadow Creator |
| Developer | Shadow Creator |
| Manufacturer | Shadow Creator |
| Announcement Date | Early 2018 (first public display); 13 June 2018 (launch event at CES Asia 2018) |
| Release Date | 2018 (China) |
| Price | 6,999 yuan (China, 2018); 6,000 yuan promotional price for 200 units during CES Asia 2018 |
| Versions | Developer edition and consumer edition |
| System | |
| Operating System | Blue Cat (Shadow Creator's 3D holographic OS; reported as based on Android 8.0) |
| Chipset | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 |
| CPU | 8 cores, 2.3 GHz |
| GPU | Adreno 540 |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 64 GB |
| Memory | 4 GB |
| Display | |
| Display | Two 720p OLED microdisplays |
| Resolution | 1280 x 720 per eye |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 45° |
| Optics | |
| Optics | Reflective freeform optical module (optical prism with light-path correction) |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF inside-out (SLAM) |
| Hand Tracking | Gesture recognition |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Two speakers; headphone jack |
| Microphone | Built-in |
| Camera | 13 MP camera, two 6DoF tracking cameras |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS |
| Ports | USB 3.1 Type-C, headphone jack |
| Battery Capacity | 4000 mAh |
| Battery Life | About 4 hours of continuous use; about one week standby (manufacturer figures) |
| Device | |
| Weight | 330 g |
| Color | White |
| Sensors | Bosch nine-axis IMU, gyroscope, gravity sensor |
| Input | Handheld controller, hand gestures, voice commands, buttons on the headset |
The Shadow Creator Action One is a standalone augmented reality (AR) and mixed reality head-mounted display developed by Shadow Creator, a Shanghai-based maker of AR and VR headsets. It has two 720p OLED microdisplays with a 45-degree field of view, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor, a 4000 mAh battery and camera-based six degrees of freedom (6DoF) inside-out tracking, and it weighs 330 g.[1] The headset is self-contained and does not need to be connected to a computer, and it accepts input from a handheld controller, hand gestures and voice commands.[1]
Shadow Creator showed the Action One in public in early 2018 and launched it at a press event during CES Asia 2018 on 13 June 2018, priced at 6,999 yuan in China.[2][3] The company later marketed it to schools, and it received an iF Design Award in 2019.[4][5]
History and development
Shadow Creator background
Shadow Creator is a Chinese high-tech company, based in Shanghai, that develops both hardware and software for smart glasses. In its exhibitor profile for Augmented World Expo USA 2018, the company said it was founded in August 2014, listed the Action One among its AR and VR smart glasses alongside the Halo Mini, New Air and Halo, and named maintenance, repair and operations, education, logistics and exhibitions as target industries.[6] The Chinese VR publication VR Tuoluo described the Action One as an upgraded version of the "Hello Mini", which appears to refer to the company's earlier Halo Mini headset.[3]
2018 launch
According to VR Tuoluo, the Action One was first shown to the public at two branches of the Yaolai International Cinema chain, in Beijing and Shanghai, around the release of the film adaptation of Ready Player One in early 2018.[2] At the Unite Beijing 2018 developer conference in May 2018, Shadow Creator's CEO Sun Li gave a talk on developing mixed reality applications for the Action One and showed a developer edition priced at 6,999 yuan.[3] The company said it intended the headset to open up the consumer market at a time when most of the AR industry was focused on enterprise use. VR Tuoluo reported that the company would soon hold a formal launch event and that developers could buy the headset at 20 percent off the list price.[2]
Shadow Creator held its launch event on 13 June 2018 during CES Asia 2018, where Sun Li announced three products: the Action One, the Shadow VR standalone VR headset and the New Air 2 AR glasses, which put the battery and processor in a separate neckband unit.[3][7] VR Tuoluo reported a price of 6,999 yuan, with a promotional price of 6,000 yuan limited to 200 units during the show.[3] A launch report on the Huitong news site described two versions: a developer edition with an SDK and root access at 5,500 yuan, and a consumer edition with a warranty and bundled applications at 6,999 yuan.[7] At the same event Shadow Creator presented an injection-molded "IFG" optical waveguide technology, which Sun Li said might need about two more years before it was ready for mass production.[3]
Display Daily reported that the Action One was on sale through Shadow Creator's website at 6,999 yuan (about US$1,055), with shipping usually one to two months after payment.[1] An archived copy of the company's online store from September 2018 lists the Action One at RMB 6999 and says orders usually shipped 7 to 15 days after payment.[8] The headset was also on display at Augmented World Expo USA in 2018, where Next Reality called it "one of the wildest augmented reality headsets we've seen".[9]
The Action One won a 2019 iF Design Award in the Product Design discipline, category Gaming/VR/AR. The iF entry names Shadow Creator as both client and designer, gives 2018 as the date of launch and six months as the development time, and lists Asia, Europe and North America as target regions. Its target groups are consumers, trade and industry, the public sector and education.[5]
Design and hardware
Display and optics
The Action One uses two 720p OLED microdisplays with a 45-degree field of view.[1] The launch specifications give the resolution as 1280 x 720, a pixel density of 3400 PPI and 35 pixels per degree; Shadow Creator argued that above 30 pixels per degree the wearer cannot see individual pixels, so no screen door effect appears.[7] According to VR Tuoluo, the headset uses a new high-precision reflective freeform optical module.[3] Shadow Creator's product page lists an "optical prism" (光学棱镜) with a light-path correction algorithm to keep the image free of distortion, and says the headset projects a virtual high-definition screen of about 100 inches.[10] The launch specification places that 100-inch screen at a distance of 2 to 3 meters.[7]
None of these sources describe the Action One as a waveguide display; Shadow Creator's waveguide work shown at the June 2018 launch was presented as a future technology.[3]
Processor and memory
The headset uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 system-on-chip.[1][10] The launch specification lists an eight-core processor at 2.3 GHz, 64 GB of storage and 4 GB of RAM.[7] Display Daily also lists 64 GB.[1]
Tracking and sensors
The Action One uses SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping) for 6DoF inside-out positional tracking without external trackers.[2][1] VR Tuoluo reported two cameras for SLAM positioning, and the launch specification lists a 13-megapixel camera plus two 6DoF positioning cameras, three cameras in total.[2][7][11] Shadow Creator's spec list and the launch specification include a Bosch nine-axis inertial measurement unit with a refresh rate of up to 1000 Hz,[10][7] while Display Daily's list gives "a 100 Hz inertial measurement unit".[1] The launch specification also lists a gyroscope and a gravity sensor.[7]
Physical design
The headband has an adjustment knob at the rear. VR Tuoluo's reporter found the headset easy to fit and did not feel weighed down by it.[2] Display Daily listed foam inserts, an adjustable ring and two speakers positioned at the wearer's ears, and said the headset was available only in white.[1] The iF Design entry describes a smooth, arcing design in pearl white with an upturned-tail rear brace.[5] Shadow Creator said wearers do not need to remove prescription glasses, and the store FAQ says only the transparent cover over the lenses needs cleaning.[1][8]
Power and connectivity
The Action One has a 4000 mAh battery.[1] Shadow Creator rated it for about four hours of continuous use and about a week of standby.[7] Connections include Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a USB 3.1 Type-C port, and the launch specification also lists GPS.[10][7] According to the store FAQ, the headset connects to a computer or phone over Type-C or Bluetooth, but it is a self-contained device that does not need a computer, and it has a headphone jack.[8]
Specifications
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | Qualcomm Snapdragon 835; 8 cores, 2.3 GHz[1][7] |
| Memory and storage | 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage[7] |
| Display | Two 720p OLED microdisplays; 1280 x 720[1][7] |
| Field of view | 45°[1][10] |
| Optics | Reflective freeform optical module (VR Tuoluo); "optical prism" with light-path correction (Shadow Creator)[3][10] |
| Cameras | 13 MP camera, two 6DoF positioning cameras[7] |
| Tracking | 6DoF inside-out (SLAM)[2] |
| IMU | Bosch nine-axis, up to 1000 Hz (Shadow Creator); 100 Hz (Display Daily)[10][1] |
| Input | Handheld controller, hand gestures, voice commands[10] |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, USB 3.1 Type-C[7] |
| Battery | 4000 mAh; about 4 hours of use (manufacturer)[7] |
| Weight | 330 g[1] |
| Operating system | Blue Cat[10] |
| Color | White[1] |
| Price | 6,999 yuan (China, 2018)[3][8] |
Software and features
Operating system
Shadow Creator describes the operating system as Blue Cat, a self-developed 3D holographic operating system.[10][7] According to VR Tuoluo, it is based on Android 8.0 and supports several windows at once, windows that follow the wearer's gaze, pulling windows nearer or farther, and closing all windows with one action.[3] The company's store FAQ said that because the headset runs Android, in theory any Android application can run on it.[8] Display Daily reported that Shadow Creator describes the software as "Holographic 3D" on Blue Cat Linux.[1] VR Tuoluo's reporter found that the interface looked much like an ordinary Android interface presented in 3D.[2]
Input methods
Shadow Creator lists three input methods: a handheld controller for opening applications, selecting and resizing items and dragging holographic content into the room; hand gestures in place of the controller; and voice commands for navigating and switching applications.[10] VR Tuoluo described the controller used with the developer edition as a 3DoF handheld controller with a touchpad and a back button, in addition to two physical buttons on the headset.[2] The store FAQ adds that a Bluetooth gamepad can be connected for games.[8]
Development and content
Shadow Creator released an SDK for the Unity engine. At Unite Beijing 2018, Sun Li demonstrated SDK version V2.0.0beta1, which required Unity 2017.0.3 or later.[2] The company ran its own MR content platform, which VR Tuoluo reported held more than a hundred applications for industry, education, games, exhibitions, real estate, tourism and medicine, mostly from third-party developers. Shadow Creator said developers would receive 90 percent of revenue on the platform.[2] Sun Li named teaching and training, exhibitions and industrial maintenance as the three main use cases for the headset.[2] Display Daily reported proposed uses including navigation with content mapped over buildings using SLAM, and interaction with data visualizations and 3D objects.[1]
Use in education
Shadow Creator's education website presented the Action One as classroom hardware. It cited the Snapdragon 835, the 45-degree field of view, "dual 6DoF" tracking, SLAM positioning and the 3D holographic operating system as support for teaching and collaborative learning.[4] In January 2020 the company announced that its MR products and technology were in use at more than 400 schools and universities in China, and that its MR glasses had received orders for 40,000 units from the education market. The announcement did not name a model, and it also described 5G and MR classroom projects with partners.[12] Writing for Moor Insights & Strategy in March 2020, analyst Patrick Moorhead said Shadow Creator had announced at CES that it shipped 40,000 Action One AR headsets for 400 schools in China the previous year, and that about 100 of those schools appeared to be K-12 schools.[13]
Reception
VR Tuoluo tried the developer edition at Unite Beijing 2018. Its reporter found the headset comfortable and the 45-degree field of view not small compared with many other AR and MR glasses, and rated color, clarity and saturation as good. Seven demonstrations were available, including a city sand table, a tank game, a galaxy model and heart-anatomy teaching content. The image drifted slightly while the reporter walked up to or crouched beside content. VR Tuoluo attributed this to the crowded show floor affecting SLAM and reported that tracking was said to be much more stable in an open space.[2] Display Daily's Arthur Berman agreed with a show attendee who wrote that "Among the lesser known AR headsets, this is one of best designs we have seen."[1] Next Reality compared its look to a futuristic take on Microsoft HoloLens.[9]
Availability
Archived copies of the Action One product page from July 2019 and March 2020 list it as temporarily out of stock.[10][14] By October 2021 the out-of-stock notice had been replaced by an instruction to contact customer service about purchases.[15]
Related products
The Shadow VR standalone VR headset and the New Air 2 AR glasses were launched at the same June 2018 event as the Action One (see above).[3] In March 2019 the company showed the Action Air, which Next Reality described as the next iteration of its Action line: about 150 grams, a Snapdragon 845 processor, a field of view of up to 60 degrees and three cameras for 6DoF tracking.[9] In 2019 the company announced the JIMO standalone MR glasses with a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 and the JIMO Air, a split design used with a connected smartphone.[12][13] In October 2020 Shadow Creator and the British startup PhotonLens unveiled the Honghu, sold internationally as Photons, which uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon XR2 in a tethered compute unit.[16]
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 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 Arthur Berman (2018-07-06). "Shadow Creator Shows the Action One Headset". Display Daily. https://www.displaydaily.com/paid-news/mdm/mdm-product-news/shadow-creator-shows-the-action-one-headset. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 案山子 (2018-05-14). "影创推6999元MR眼镜Action One开发者版，要打入C端消费市场". VR陀螺 (VR Tuoluo). https://www.vrtuoluo.cn/510131.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 "影创发布3款新品：AR眼镜Action One，2999元835方案VR一体机Shadow VR，845方案分体式AR眼镜New Air 2". VR陀螺 (VR Tuoluo). 2018-06-13. https://www.vrtuoluo.cn/510487.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "影创设备-影创科技 (archived 4 December 2018)". Shadow Creator Education. Shadow Creator Information Technology. https://web.archive.org/web/20181204221631/http://edu.shadowcreator.com/hardware.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Action One". iF Design. iF International Forum Design. 2019. https://ifdesign.com/en/winner-ranking/project/action-one/249851. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ "Shadow Creator". AWE USA 2018. Augmented World Expo. 2018. https://usa2018.augmentedworldexpo.com/exhibitor/shadow-creator/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 7.00 7.01 7.02 7.03 7.04 7.05 7.06 7.07 7.08 7.09 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 王博 (2018-06-14). "影创科技新品强势登场，观众惊呼智能科技改变生活". 汇通网 (Huitong). https://web.archive.org/web/20211019064447/http://www.hvtong.com/news/456.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 "影创科技-actionone (archived 23 September 2018)". Shadow Creator official website. Shadow Creator Information Technology. https://web.archive.org/web/20180923173417/http://www.shadowcreator.com/mall/mall-actionone.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Tommy Palladino (2019-03-28). "New Consumer AR Smartglasses Contender Emerges with Action Air from China's Shadow Technologies". Next Reality. https://next.reality.news/news/new-consumer-ar-smartglasses-contender-emerges-with-action-air-from-chinas-shadow-technologies-0195364/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 "影创科技-Action One (archived 18 July 2019)". Shadow Creator official website. Shadow Creator Information Technology. https://web.archive.org/web/20190718110155/http://www.shadowcreator.com/actionone/actionone.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ Viking (2018-06-14). "CES Asia 2018丨黑科技颠覆你的认知 影创发布三款重磅新品". 热点科技 (ITheat). https://www.itheat.com/view/5627.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Kew (2020-01-08). "影创科技在MR教育领域发展态势迅猛". 快科技 (Mydrivers). https://news.mydrivers.com/1/666/666371.htm. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 Patrick Moorhead (2020-03-20). "Shadow Creator Announces 40K AR Headsets Shipped For Education". Moor Insights & Strategy. https://moorinsightsstrategy.com/shadow-creator-announces-40k-ar-headsets-shipped-for-education/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ "影创科技-Action One (archived 5 March 2020)". Shadow Creator official website. Shadow Creator Information Technology. https://web.archive.org/web/20200305142048/http://www.shadowcreator.com/actionone/actionone.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ "影创科技-Action One (archived 21 October 2021)". Shadow Creator official website. Shadow Creator Information Technology. https://web.archive.org/web/20211021142203/https://www.shadowcreator.com/actionone/actionone.html. Retrieved 2026-10-13.
- ↑ Scott Hayden (2020-10-30). "Shadow Creator Unveils AR Headset with Snapdragon XR2 & Nintendo Switch-style Compute Unit". Road to VR. https://www.roadtovr.com/shadow-creator-ar-photons-xr2-nintendo-switch/. Retrieved 2026-10-13.