Google could be making a real VR headset
What would a brand new virtual reality division be without plans to build some hardware? OK, so technically Google Cardboard is hardware, but it’s nowhere near a real virtual reality headset like the HTC Vive or the Oculus Rift.
That’s why this job posting over at Google’s site is very interesting. Among a sea of software engineering and design positions is a call for a hardware engineer who can work wit some serious circuitry. Here’s what the listing says:
As a Hardware Engineer for VR Camera Systems, you develop camera systems that capture experiences for our virtual reality platforms. Specifically, you develop opto-electro-mechanical system concepts in conjunction with various Architecture leads before reducing them to schematics. Then, you see those schematics turned into finished boards and are responsible for the initial bring up of the hardware with the help of embedded Software Engineers. You are a contributing member of a cross-functional team.
Long story short, a new version of Cardboard doesn’t require that much expertise, so it’s safe to say Google is looking to develop a true virtual reality headset that can compete with the best of them.
If that’s not enough to convince you that Google is going all-in on virtual reality, perhaps this will: it was only yesterday that we learned top talent was heading to Google in pursuit of these exciting new goals, with the head of Vine leaving Twitter to be part of the Mountain View company’s exciting future. “Head of Vine” on a resume is nothing to sneeze at, and if Google is attracting that sort of talent with whatever it is they’re doing then we imagine they have some crazy things ahead.
Unfortunately, it’s tough to know what, exactly, those plans are. In the meantime, Google is likely going to continue pushing ahead in their quest to create and deliver virtual reality content in a way that’s accessible to everyone.
[via Android Forums News]