At CES last year, Sony presented a prototype of an AR/VR headset focused on “spatial content creation.” And at the same time, Siemens announced that I work with Sony use the same hardware, including two new controllers she developed, for what she called an “industrial metaverse.” That's a lot of buzzwords, but at CES 2025 both Siemens and Sony showed off headsets and accompanying software in action, which helped clarify a lot of what the companies are trying to do here.
During Sony's CES press conference, there was announced its XYN brand software and hardware solutions, with the headset being a key part of the equation. XYN's “spatial capture solution” uses mirrorless cameras to scan and create photorealistic 3D objects. Using the XYN headset, you can see these objects in 3D production software for animation, video games, and other potential uses.
I had the opportunity to try on the XYN headset and also see samples of the 3D objects that were scanned and processed. The demo itself was a bit challenging, like many VR demos, but essentially I found myself in a pre-built animated world. From there I was able to import a geode or crystal-like object that was scanned using the spatial capture tools. I could move it around virtual space, increasing it to huge sizes or reducing it to a tiny pebble.
The headset itself felt well built and durable for a prototype – the display flips out to get you back into the real world quickly, and the headband was quite comfortable and secure. However, as always, it's hard to gauge how you'll feel after an hour or two spent in your head. I found the controller wand a little fiddly – its somewhat unusual shape makes it well suited for pointing, but it took me a little while to figure out how to “grab” things. I can't say how steep the learning curve is, but at least everything feels responsive and well made.
While the demo itself wasn't groundbreaking, it was a good example of demonstrating the entire XYN pipeline, from capturing a 3D object to manipulating it and using it to create a virtual environment. Sony says the XYN headset and its controllers are still in the prototype stage, but I wouldn't be surprised if we hear more about public availability sooner rather than later.
That's because Siemens announced this week that it appears to be the same headset and controllers. on sale nowalbeit with a completely different focus. Last year Siemens coined the phrase “industrial metaverse” and I had the opportunity to learn more about what that means. It turns out that Sony originally created the headset for internal use so designers and engineers could create things in 3D space. They were already using Siemens software, so the companies began working together to optimize both sides of the experience – and now Siemens believes they have reached the point where they can sell headsets and software packages to enterprise customers.
Siemens further highlighted its AR capabilities by demonstrating how NX Immersive Designer can be attached and the headset can be used as a virtual workspace, while still allowing the 3D objects being designed to be magnified and manipulated. You can also go into VR mode, see objects in full size, and move around them using the headset controller. In this demo I got to fly over huge 3D reproductions of several aircraft, and while they weren't the most detailed objects, the usefulness was obvious.
I also used a second controller designed by Sony in the Siemens demo. In addition to the device in the form of a pointer, I had a ring on the index finger of my left hand. I used this to move around virtual space; holding and turning my hand in a certain direction, I moved forward and backward or up and down. As always, it took me a minute to get my bearings, but soon I was up close to the virtual planes and “flying up” to check out their details.
Siemens is definitely further along in its quest to bring this product to end users: the XR HMD is available for pre-order now for $4,750, and the company says it will begin shipping next month. So the hardware is definitely moving beyond the prototype stage – in Sony's case, it's probably more a matter of getting XYN's entire software and hardware pipeline working together before making it widely available.
Sony and Siemens definitely have a challenge to show people how useful these tools can be – a four minute demo won't really help, and I'm not an engineer or a “content creator” who could use XYN tools. But what intrigues me most about this strategy is that Sony recognizes that its headset is not a mainstream consumer product; instead, they find different places and industries where it can be useful. For now, this is probably a smart strategy, given that consumer-grade AR and VR remain very niche outside of the gaming space. But assuming the hardware in Sony's headsets is up to par, I wouldn't be surprised if other companies adopt it for their specific needs.