Owning HTC’s original Vive virtual reality headset was a bit like having a pet hawk: you really needed a lot of space to get the most out of it. Aware that not many people have room to accommodate multiple motion-tracking sensors or birds of prey, HTC has unveiled the Vive Cosmos, a VR headset with more modest living arrangements in mind. You’ll still need space to move around, but you’ll no longer have to install the base stations that used to keep track of your movements. With two cameras on the front and one on each side, it appears that all the tracking tech is built into the headset itself. It also won’t require such eye-wateringly expensive PC hardware to power it, although that will still be an option if you’re after the very best experience. In fact, it’ll even work connected to a USB-C source such as a smartphone. Combined with that onboard tracking and the new, more compact controllers, that should make it a far more versatile bit of kit – ripe for developers to create a Falconry VR experience that can be enjoyed both at home or in the great outdoors.
As hot as… a date at an owl sanctuary £tba/vive.com