oculus rift cv1 consumer version mockup

A product designer has taken a stab at conceptualizing the look of the Oculus Rift consumer version, colloquially called the ‘CV1’.

Syed Rahman is a Maryland-based product designer who studied mechanical engineering at the University of Maryland—the same place where Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe recently donated some $31 million.

Whether or not that donation inspired Rahman’s latest design concept is unclear, but Rahman, who works as the lead designer at M3D, recently tried his hand at mocking up the aesthetics of a consumer version of the Oculus Rift (CV1).

Rahman notes in his design blog that the Rift ought to look like something familiar for people to accept rather than reject the look.

We don’t like change, that’s just human nature. We’re quick to adopt what we’re accustomed to, quick to deflect anything too far from the norm. As great as the Rift might be, how are we going to start sitting around with big black boxes strapped to our faces? Picture walking into a room, only to see your friends and family sitting around with boxes on their faces. I don’t see that being a common scene anytime soon.

oculus rift cv1 consumer version mockup 2

So he opted to make the design look like something familiar, taking cues from ski goggles and fighter jet helmets.

Ultimately I settled for a clean, sleek look. The headset resembles ski goggles, a familiar object, finished with a reflective front. To a passerby, you’d appear to be wearing the world’s fanciest goggles on your face. The goal was to balance the streamlined look of a gamer accessory, without over embellishment. This way the product appeals to the gaming audience all the while keeping a universal look for any other VR application.

oculus rift cv1 consumer version mockup 3

The lenses, and the distance they must maintain from the display, may be the most space-hungry component of the headset. Rahman reckons that there’s enough room in the curved front of the device to fit the screen and electronics, including the array of IR LEDs that power the Oculus Rift’s positional tracking capabilities. A curved display could make things fit even better, though it isn’t clear what this would mean for adjusting the pre-lens distortion on the Oculus Rift.

See Also: Reverse Engineering the Oculus Rift DK2 Provides Brilliant Insight into Inner Workings

Be sure to check out Rahman’s blog for more photos and details about his approach to this concept.

Love it? Hate it? Let us know in the comments!

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Ben Lang
Ben is the world's most senior professional analyst solely dedicated to the XR industry, having founded Road to VR in 2011—a year before the Oculus Kickstarter sparked a resurgence that led to the modern XR landscape. He has authored more than 3,000 articles chronicling the evolution of the XR industry over more than a decade. With that unique perspective, Ben has been consistently recognized as one of the most influential voices in XR, giving keynotes and joining panel and podcast discussions at key industry events. He is a self-described "journalist and analyst, not evangelist."
  • brandon9271

    I honestly don’t care if it looks like a black box.. I just want it to provide a compeling experience. I can’t see it once I put it on anyways. Beside, no matter how stylish a VR device is, you are pretty much guaranteed to look like a tool while using it… and I’m totally ok with that ;)

  • Simon

    Well as an exercise in product design it looks pretty, but…. until we get close to CV1 we simply won’t know.

    OK that’s a little unfair. The CV1 will have to be visually stylistic, but it will also have to have function and be manufacturable. Despite Brandon’s (above) desperate need to part with his cash, I believe that the CV1 is going to be a harder sell to the rest/bulk of the population.

    This design seems to skip over some aspects that Oculus has (re-)introduced in the DK2 (such as the top head strap and cable routing). Presumably the CV1 will also need some form of docking location for accessories (camera, lidar, etc). The design is also based around a flat screen, but has the lenses as mounted at an angle.

    Apologies if this sounds too negative, just no point speculating too much on what it might be…
    Simon.

    • brandon9271

      I’m not desperate to part with cash. I just genuinely don’t care if it looks like a box. Dk2 is as ‘sleek’ as a LCD strapped to your face needs to be. Look at all the ‘futuristic’ looking HMDs of the past that made you look like 90s throwback ala Johnny Mnemonic. You end up looking like more of a douche than you otherwise would have. Is that what people want? I supposed I also want to avoid comparisons to crappy 90s VR and the boxier, utilitarian design is better for that IMO.

      • Curtrock

        I think the only people who will care about what you look like while using the rift, will be those who have never strapped one on. Once you experience the rift, the outward aesthetic becomes irrelevant. Comfort while using it, is paramount. Btw, these mockup pics look badass. Me = Like.

        • brandon9271

          oh I like the mock ups as well.. I just valve function over form with stuff like this. look at how big already Crescent Bay is.. now imagine the extra empty space required to create a curved profile in front of its flat screen.. I don’t think the added bulk is justified and I’d rather it just be a sleeker box shape.

  • Mettanine

    Looking nice. It’s missing the back leds though and I can’t see where the cables would attach.
    Strangely, in my mind, the CV1 has always been white. Not sure why that is. Have there ever been concepts in white?

  • pedrw nascimentw

    Especially have to be very small and lightweight…

  • ZarShevak

    very exciting, and I don’t see the cable, do not do me false joyce like that :).

    • ZarShevak

      PS: “We don’t like change, that’s just human nature” therefore i’m a bad human ^^