Let's expand the horizons of XR.
Wisor, is an open-source XR headset project that aims to offer an affordable, end-to-end, and versatile alternative for general-purpose use.
Our mission is to make XR technology accessible and affordable to everyone, eliminating the requirement for expensive hardware while delivering a seamless experience. Furthermore, we wish to lay a foundational framework for the development of wireless and open-source XR headsets, contributing to the growth of immersive technologies.
No sign-ups, no vendor lock-ins. Complete freedom and accessibility for all.
We designed Wisor to be cost-effective, ensuring that more people can enjoy XR experiences. The overall estimated cost of materials is less than $250. Moreover, due to the modular design of the hardware and software, it is straightforward to add or remove features as needed, tailoring the headset to suit your specific requirements.
The headset presently functions as an AR headset, although the design and the underlying software architecture can be readily adapted for VR experiences.
We prioritize interoperability in Wisor. The headset offers both standalone functionality as well as remote rendering and processing capabilities. This flexibility allows users to choose the mode that suits their needs, making Wisor a highly versatile and adaptable XR solution.
The standalone mode[S] provides fundamental features including 3DOF tracking, stereo rendering, spatial UI, and input capabilities. The default standalone application serves as a fallback in case the remote mode is disconnected.
.py .c |
The remote mode[R] works over the network and enables users to leverage existing hardware (e.g. PC, smartphone) to offload computational tasks of the headset. In addition to improved performance and visual quality, it grants access to features like 6DOF tracking (SLAM), hand-tracking, and more.
.cs .cpp |
We welcome all enthusiasts and developers to join us on our journey of building open-source XR together!
We aimed to cater to DIY enthusiasts who may not have expert knowledge, making it easy for them to assemble and get started. No soldering or PCB printing required.
There are seven main components of the hardware design:
- Housing
- Display
- Optical Combiner
- Processor
- Camera
- Inertial Measurement Unit
- Power supply
The housing of Wisor is constructed using 3D printing, enabling us to create a lightweight and cost-effective enclosure for the headset. This approach also ensures accessibility and facilitates easy iterations.
Please see the documentation for Hardware for the suggested list of components, 3D models, printing and assembly.
We adopted a modular, multi-language and multi-platform software architecture that allows both novice and expert developers to contribute, whether it's through small changes or significant contributions.
The Raspberry Pi OS, which is based on Debian Linux, forms the fundamental operating system that underpins the software of the headset. We support the latest OS version, Bullseye.* The headset operates in two primary modes: Standalone and Remote. It remains in Standalone mode until an incoming connection from a remote client is established. The remote client currently operates within the Unity environment, ensuring a smooth development and adoption process. It leverages Unity's user-friendly interface, rich features, and cross-platform build support.*
- Standalone Mode
- Remote Mode
Standalone mode is essentially comprised of two modules working in tandem: Core[S,R] and Renderer[S]. The interoperation between the two is done through bidirectional pipe communication. The Core module operates continuously throughout the entire usage of the headset, while the Renderer module runs only during standalone mode.
Headset:
Core module is written in Python, providing flexibility, maintainability, and access to a vast number of available external libraries.
During Standalone mode, it is responsible for:
- Spawning and handling subprocesses:
- Renderer,
- WebSocket Server,
- QR scanner for establishing new WiFi connections
- Gathering and disseminating sensor data (orientation) to Renderer,
- Executing commands received from the Renderer,
- Awaiting connection from the remote client.
- Transition to Remote Mode if connection is established.
Renderer module runs on top of Raylib (OpenGL) and is written in C, ensuring high-performance and efficiency.
It is responsible for:
- Building and rendering 3D scenes, models, and all other features of Raylib,
- Basic stereo rendering with the appropriate distortion shader to counter the lens distortion,
- Executing the 3DOF rotation of the camera using the orientation data received from the Core module,
- Spatial UI for displaying the status of the headset, as well as supporting simple interactions like gaze input,
- Sending commands to the Core module.
For detailed information, visit Software section.
*Please see Limitations and Future Plans .
We are a team comprising two PhD students with backgrounds in software development, industrial design, and research.
Egemen Ertuğrul is a creative engineer with a wide spectrum of projects under his belt. He is an advocate of open-source and accessible XR, and one of the founding members of XR Türkiye.
If you use this content or software, please cite it as below.
- BibTeX
- APA
@software{Ertugrul_Wisor_2023,
author = {Ertugrul, Egemen and Yilmazer, Hakan and Yantac, Asim Evren and Coskun, Aykut},
month = nov,
title = {{Wisor: Open Source Wireless XR Headset}},
url = {https://github.com/egemenertugrul/Wisor},
year = {2023}
}Born in:
