#Mixed reality headband concept offers a simple solution to a common usability problem

If you believe in the spiels of companies like Apple, Meta, and Google, you’d probably think that extended or mixed reality is the future of computing. After all, it’s quite exciting to think of the way the physical world and the digital world will blend seamlessly in that future, but today’s technologies still leave plenty to be desired. As powerful as the likes of the Vision Pro and Quest 3 are, they haven’t solved many of the problems that literally isolate us from our own world.

These headsets can let us see the real world beyond the screens, but only through tinted glasses that also affect the quality of the digital objects overlaid on top. People outside can also barely see your own eyes, removing one important aspect of personal human communication. There are many technologies being developed to address these, but sometimes, the simplest solution can be the best. And no, you don’t have to take off the headset completely.

Designer: Junseo Oh

As fantastic as extended reality and spatial computing might sound, the reality is that we won’t spend all day in them. There will be moments when we want or even need to see the real world beyond those lenses, even for a brief moment, but removing headsets and putting them back on again is just too much of a hassle. You’re more likely not to wear them again for a while, which in itself could be a loss in productivity.

The frame concept design offers a simple solution that’s already in use in some eyewear. Instead of a fixed headset shape, it’s more like a visor where the front part that holds the lenses and optics can easily be lifted up, giving you an obstructed view of the world around you. And when you’re ready to dive back into augmented reality, simply flip the visor back down and carry on.

The flip design also has the benefit of giving you back your peripheral vision, a necessity when you’re moving around in the real world. It offers the best of all worlds, though it admittedly will make you look odd like a mad scientist with the visor up. That said, it’s a small price to pay for the ability to see the world clearly without having to take the headgear off.

Despite that unusual design, the frame concept still promises the usual staples of XR headsets, such as hand gesture detection and camera passthrough. It might even offer more, such as physical controls that gently remind you with tactile that you’re still in the physical world. Removable pads also let you fit the band around your head better, though the open-back design might not inspire much confidence in terms of stability, especially considering it has a front-heavy construction.