Apple Vision Pro gains 'Spatial Personas' feature for enhanced collaboration
What's the story
Apple has introduced a new feature called "Spatial Personas" to its Vision Pro headsets. Initially exclusive to chat platforms such as FaceTime and Zoom, this feature is now available on headsets operating on visionOS 1.1 or later. The integration of FaceTime into this feature paves the way for its application in other areas when paired with SharePlay.
Feature functionality
Spatial Personas enhances user experience in virtual environment
The Spatial Personas feature utilizes Vision Pro's built-in sensors to position the Persona within the user's environment. This is further augmented by spatial audio, which assigns a specific location to each Persona in relation to the user. Apple has illustrated this with an example where two Personas are positioned on either side of a window displaying the Freeform app, simulating a real-life office collaboration scenario.
Versatility
Spatial Personas feature extends beyond work to recreation
The Spatial Personas feature is not limited to work-related activities. It can also be used for recreational purposes like watching movies or playing games, accommodating up to five users simultaneously. Spatial Personas are designed to mimic a user's facial expressions and hand movements to make interactions in spatial computing more natural. By pressing the Digital Crown button atop the Vision Pro, users can exit the immersive space to perform other tasks on their headset.
Ongoing development
Apple continues to refine Vision Pro avatars
Apple has upgraded Vision Pro avatars to capture diverse facial expressions and hairstyles. However, real-time human replication while wearing a headset presents challenges due to the need for capturing human emotions, reactions, and gestures with limited data. Despite these hurdles, Apple remains committed to refining this technology, demonstrating its dedication toward enhancing user experience in spatial computing.