Oculus Rift VR Headset 'Crystal Cove' Prototype Gets 1080p Upgrade and Motion Tracking Camera For Added Functionality

Oculus Rift's virtual reality headset has captured the imagination of the gaming industry ever since its debut at E3 2013 back in June. However, even back then it's virtual reality technology was little more than a promising gimmick, like many other virtual reality headsets that came before it. However, the company had the money and the talent to bring the system closer to the mainstream.

Now at CES 2014 Oculus unveiled its newest 1080p CR prototype, codenamed Crystal Cove. As mentioned, the new prototype offers an update from the 720p video of the last model to 1080p in each eye. The higher resolution means the picture looks significantly sharper and more natural. It has even managed to reduce the jarring blurring affect when turning your head too quickly that the previous prototype suffered from.

According to PC Magazine, the new Oculus Rift features enhanced motion tracking. The previous model used accelerometers and internal motion sensors to track movement. Crystal Cove adds infrared LEDs and camera to help track head movement. The series of LEDs on the Rift tell the camera and the computer where the headset is in three-dimensional space. What makes this the most significant upgrade to the system is simply that the camera can now gage depth on the Z axis. This means that you can physically lean your body and the camera will be able to adjust your in-game view accordingly. Imagine a game where peaking around corners forces you to literally contort your body to look around a wall that isn't there.

Oculus VR has not yet announced any availability details regarding the 1080p version of the Rift. This includes a retail consumer product or development kit. The company is still working on ways to tweak and improve the system so developers can make compelling content before it gets a retail release. The headset is still one of the most promising virtual reality devices that the gaming world has seen to date. However, expect it to be some time before an Oculus Rift VR headset is a staple in the modern living room.