Presentation: When it comes to packaging for the Impression Pi all I can really say was that it was adequate. It was unbranded, but at least well protected with bubble paper.
Impression Pi Box Contents
- Impression Pi Headset
- Microfiber Cloth
- Instruction Manual
Description: Impression Pi or Impression π is a mobile Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality Head-mounted Display founded by Yue Fei (CTO), AnLi He (CEO) and Chris Shi (COO) of uSens. Similar to Samsung Gear VR, Impression Pi is wireless and requires the insertion of a smartphone for its display and processor. The HMD has built-in positional tracking in addition to rotational tracking. The device also has two front facing cameras that enables it to not only create AR projections but also track the motion of your hands and fingers.
A Kickstarter campaign for Impression Pi began in March 2015. Impression Pi requires a smartphone with 5 inch or larger screen with pixel density of 400 pixels per inch or more but unlike Samsung Gear VR, Impression Pi has a internal positional tracking system. It uses its internal infrared cameras to read the environment and record your position. For better results, you can turn on its internal IR projector to beam light off walls and allow for better tracking.
Impression Pi Specs…
Headset: Impression Pi
Manufacturer: uSens
Launch Price: $499 (£363)
Release Date: June 2016
Headset Type: Other
Size Compatibility: 4.7″ to 6.2″
Field of View(FOV): 90°
Interpupillary Distance Adjustment: Yes
Screen Focus Adjustment: No
Weight: 210 g (7.40 oz)
Review: There are no better words to sum up the Impression Pi other than “it was a stylish Google Cardboard.” Sure, it pretended to have 6 DoF Inside-out tracking, but it never really worked as intended. Sure, it was more technologically advanced than a Gear VR, but the slow latency of the 6 DoF tracking meant it was never going to compare in terms of user experience. It was this and the general lack of software support that ended its life, but I could see this becoming a collector’s item in the future.
