XYZ Atom
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| XYZ Atom | |
|---|---|
| |
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Augmented Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | AR Glasses |
| Developer | XYZ Reality |
| Manufacturer | XYZ Reality |
| Release Date | 22 November 2021 (commercial launch) |
| Website | https://www.xyzreality.com/atom |
| System | |
| CPU | Intel i7 quad-core |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 1 TB |
| Memory | 16 GB RAM |
| Display | |
| Display | Waveguide display |
| Resolution | 720p per eye |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 40 degrees |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | Laser-based tracking tied to the site coordinate system |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
| Power | Two hot-swappable internal battery modules |
| Device | |
| Input | Controller |
XYZ Atom is an augmented reality head-mounted display released in 2021. It was developed by the London company XYZ Reality for use on construction sites, and it combines a safety-certified hard hat, augmented reality displays and a built-in computer in one unit.[1] XYZ Reality markets the device as an "Engineering Grade AR" headset: construction teams wear it to view holograms of 3D design models, such as building information models (BIM), positioned on the real site, and the company states that the models are placed to millimeter accuracy.[2]
The Engineer described the Atom as XYZ Reality's next-generation headset for HoloSite, the company's AR hard hat system, which had been deployed for the previous two years on projects valued at more than £1.5 billion.[3] Its commercial launch was announced on 22 November 2021, following a £20 million Series A funding round in June 2021.[1][4] The headset won two Red Dot Design Awards in 2023.[5][6]
History
XYZ Reality was founded in 2017 and is based in London.[7] Its founders are Umar Ahmed and David Mitchell.[8] In an April 2021 profile, WIPO Magazine described the company's HoloSite product as a hard hat with position-tracking sensors and mixed reality goggles that let the wearer view building information models downloaded from the cloud. The same profile reported that XYZ Reality had filed a patent application in the United Kingdom and trademark applications there for "XYZ" and "HoloSite".[8]
On 14 June 2021 XYZ Reality announced a £20 million Series A round led by Octopus Ventures. Existing investors Adara Ventures, Amadeus Capital Partners, Hoxton Ventures and J Coffey Construction took part, along with new investors Activum SG, Optimas Capital and Tishman Speyer. The company said the money would pay for a commercial launch in the United States, research and development, and new hires in London.[7]
In November 2021 XYZ Reality said it would release the Atom at Digital Construction Week, held in London on 24-25 November 2021, and that prices would be announced at the event.[9] The company announced the commercial launch on 22 November 2021, moving from an early access phase to global commercial availability.[1][4] At launch it said it expected 300 percent growth in 2022 and would open a base in the United States.[3][4] Coral Butler of PM Group, an early user of HoloSite, said in the launch announcement that "The Atom has been developed by construction, for construction".[4][10]
In May 2022 XYZ Reality announced an integration between the Atom and Autodesk BIM 360, part of Autodesk Construction Cloud. The integration lets users view models hosted in BIM 360 on site and create issues and tasks that are assigned to project stakeholders in BIM 360; PM Group, Cundall and Mace were named as early adopters.[11]
Design and hardware
The Atom is a single unit that combines a construction safety helmet, augmented reality displays and an onboard computer.[1] The Red Dot award listing describes the displays as waveguide displays that project 3D holograms of building designs into the wearer's field of view, mounted in a helmet with personal protective equipment (PPE) safety certification.[5] According to Geo Week News, the headset is certified to BSI and ANSI standards for hard hat impact, penetration and visor optical protection.[12] A 2023 XYZ Reality product article also lists safety goggles and hearing protection among the headset's features.[13] The Red Dot listings credit the design to XYZ Reality's in-house team.[5]
The optics have a resolution of 720p per eye and a 40 degree field of view, and Geo Week News reported that they are highly visible in sunlight.[12] Power comes from two hot-swappable internal battery modules, which the wearer can exchange during the day for all-day use.[12] XYZ Reality lists an Intel i7 quad-core processor, 16 GB of RAM and 1 TB of storage, with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and support for peripheral devices.[2] David Mitchell told The Engineer that the storage and memory allow users "to visualise hyper-complex geometry out on site to millimetre accuracy".[3]
Specifications
| Component | Specification |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel i7 quad-core[2] |
| Memory | 16 GB RAM[2] |
| Storage | 1 TB[2] |
| Display | Waveguide displays[5] |
| Resolution | 720p per eye[12] |
| Field of view | 40 degrees[12] |
| Power | Two hot-swappable internal battery modules[12] |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, peripheral device support[2] |
| Safety certification | BSI and ANSI (hard hat impact, penetration, visor optical protection)[12] |
Positioning and accuracy
The Atom places 3D design models on site with what The Engineer described as laser-based tracking technology, and models are positioned by tying them to the site coordinate system.[3] The wearer uses a controller to register the model against existing retro targets, gridlines and datums on the site; after positioning, the same controller is used to interact with the model and place issues in space.[12] XYZ Reality's product page says the headset uses a fixed-based coordinate system whose points are marked with reflective targets, so that models can be anchored in the position in which they were designed.[2]
XYZ Reality describes the positioning as millimeter-accurate.[2] Geo Week News reported typical accuracies of 5 mm, which it described as comparable to engineering instruments and within construction tolerances,[12] and a 2023 XYZ Reality article gives a figure of 3-5 millimeters.[13]
Software and features
The Atom works with HoloSite, XYZ Reality's cloud platform. Project data from Autodesk Revit, Navisworks and other tools is uploaded to HoloSite and converted into an XYZ format that is loaded onto the headset, and data then flows between the headset and the platform so that site teams and office teams see the same information.[12] According to the product page, models are exported from Revit with a custom XYZ plug-in, and the latest models are downloaded to the headset when it syncs, after which they can be used online or offline.[2] The headset can stream the wearer's point of view to remote participants, so that clients, engineers and contractors can follow an inspection or troubleshoot a problem without being on site.[3][12] An issue management tool lets users create issues at precise locations on site and link them to the trades responsible, with custom issue fields.[12] XYZ Reality's product page also lists offline use with later cloud synchronization, isolation of individual model layers and elements, and real-time streaming into the headset from local devices.[2]
XYZ Reality and the trade press describe use at several stages of a project: before installation, to check the model on site and find clashes; during installation, to verify work during setting out; and after installation, to validate and sign off on completed work.[1][11] By the time of the launch, XYZ Reality's technology had been used on construction projects such as data centres, pharmaceutical facilities and airports.[4]
Reception
The Atom received two Red Dot Design Awards in the product design competition in 2023, announced by XYZ Reality in May 2023 as wins in the innovative products and tools categories.[5][6][14] One jury statement said that "The ATOM AR headset is a convincing demonstration of how the clever implementation of new technologies can make work on the construction site easier."[5] The other said that "the ATOM delivers a glimpse into the construction industry of the future."[6] XYZ Reality's awards page also credits the Atom with the DCD Global Awards 2022 prize for Mission Critical Tech Innovation.[15]
Current status
As of September 2026, the Atom is still listed on XYZ Reality's website.[2] The company now presents itself more broadly as a construction delivery platform, listing Engineering Grade AR alongside project controls and 360 validation products.[16] The Atom product page does not list a price.[2]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "XYZ Reality launches 'engineering grade' AR headset". AEC Magazine. 2021-11-22. https://aecmag.com/vr-mr/xyz-reality-launches-engineering-grade-ar-headset/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 "XYZ Atom - Construction Safety Augmented Reality Headset". XYZ Reality. XYZ Reality Ltd.. https://www.xyzreality.com/atom. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 Jason Ford (2021-12-06). "Atom augmented reality brings construction sites to life". The Engineer. https://www.theengineer.co.uk/content/news/atom-augmented-reality-brings-construction-sites-to-life. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 "XYZ Reality launches worldwide with new US base". BusinessCloud. 2021-11-23. https://businesscloud.co.uk/news/xyz-reality-unveils-atom-ar-headset-for-construction-industry/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 "ATOM". Red Dot Design Award. Red Dot GmbH. 2023. https://www.red-dot.org/project/atom-65732. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 "ATOM". Red Dot Design Award. Red Dot GmbH. 2023. https://www.red-dot.org/project/atom-63544. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "XYZ reality secures £20m Series A funding as it prepares for commercial launch". Amadeus Capital Partners. 2021-06-14. https://www.amadeuscapital.com/xyz-reality-secures-20m-series-a-funding-as-it-prepares-for-commercial-launch/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "XYZ Reality brings precision and technology to construction sites". WIPO Magazine. World Intellectual Property Organization. 2021-04-06. https://www.wipo.int/en/web/wipo-magazine/articles/xyz-reality-brings-precision-and-technology-to-construction-sites-63271. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ Dominic Ellis (2021-11-01). "XYZ Reality to launch The Atom AR product". Construction Digital. https://constructiondigital.com/technology-and-ai/xyz-reality-launch-atom-ar-product. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ Demond Cureton (2021-11-23). "XYZ Reality Launches 'Atom' AR Headset". XR Today. https://www.xrtoday.com/augmented-reality/xyz-reality-launches-atom-ar-headset/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "'The Atom' AR headset integrates with BIM 360". AEC Magazine. 2022-05-11. https://aecmag.com/vr-mr/the-atom-ar-headset-integrates-with-bim-360. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 12.10 12.11 Eric van Rees (2022-02-15). "XYZ Reality's AR Hardhat positions BIM Onsite to Millimeter Accuracy". Geo Week News. https://www.geoweeknews.com/articles/xyz-reality-s-ar-hardhat-positions-bim-onsite-to-millimeter-accuracy/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "The Best Augmented Reality (AR) Hardhat For Construction". XYZ Reality. XYZ Reality Ltd.. 2023-03-23. https://www.xyzreality.com/resources/the-best-augmented-reality-ar-hardhat-for-construction. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "XYZ Reality Wins Two Red Dot Design Awards". XYZ Reality. XYZ Reality Ltd.. 2023-05-22. https://www.xyzreality.com/resources/xyz-reality-wins-two-red-dot-design-awards. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "Awards". XYZ Reality. XYZ Reality Ltd.. https://www.xyzreality.com/awards. Retrieved 2026-09-27.
- ↑ "XYZ Reality - Construction delivery platform". XYZ Reality. XYZ Reality Ltd.. https://www.xyzreality.com/. Retrieved 2026-09-27.