--- title: "Researchers Develop a VR Headset That’s Barely Thicker Than a Pair of Glasses" description: "A group of researchers may have developed a VR headset that actually resembles normal eyeglasses — and not, you know, heavy, oversized scuba goggles." date: "2022-08-11" modified: "2022-08-11" authors: - name: "Maggie Harrison Dupré" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/mharrison" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/vr-headset-thicker-glasses" categories: - "Future Society" - "Virtual Reality" tags: - "the digest" - "virtual reality" - "VR glasses" --- # Researchers Develop a VR Headset That’s Barely Thicker Than a Pair of Glasses ![A group of researchers may have developed a VR headset that actually resembles normal eyeglasses — and not, you know, heavy, oversized scuba goggles.]() *\Image: NVIDIA Research\* ## Clunk-Free In the virtual reality industry's quest to provide users with a truly immersive experience, one very clunky obstacle has stood in their way: the headsets themselves. The current VR goggles on the market are notoriously large, [awkward](), and really just cumbersome. But [according to *PC Gamer*](), it looks like a group of researchers may have come up with a brilliant solution. They developed a VR headset that actually resembles normal eyeglasses — and not, you know, oversized scuba goggles. The "Holographic Glasses" are a collaborative effort between Stanford University researchers and AI developer NVIDIA. They don't exactly look like a pair of glasses just yet — the lenses are quite thick, and the headset also features two bizarre-looking holographic ribbons, one stuck to each lens, that extend upwards like a pair of antennae. But if they work even remotely as well as the team claims they do in a [new paper]() — which hasn't been peer reviewed yet — these glasses could be a major stride towards the wholly immersive VR technology that the likes of [Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg]() have been dreaming of. ## Pancake Lenses According to the paper, these "Holographic Glasses" were created using "[pancake]()" lenses, a complex optics system that allows for a shorter distance between the VR-compatible screen and headset lenses. While pancake lenses aren't a new concept, they've only been able to deliver two-dimensional images — which isn't exactly immersive. In a major departure from previous pancakes prototypes, the researchers claim their reworked "flapjack" optics can deliver "full-color 3D holographic images," as well as an impressive 200-degree field view — and, of course, a smaller profile overall. While these goggles have yet to hit the market — or be tested outside of a lab, for that matter — this looks like some pretty promising research. And we know that there's probably at least one major player out there who's got his [watchful eye]() on grabbing a pair — we're looking at you, Zuckerberg. Hell, he [might just buy the whole company](). **READ MORE:** *[Researchers find way to shrink a VR headset down to normal glasses size]()* \[PC Gamer\] **More on virtual reality:** *[This Therapeutic Vr Experience Is Just like Tripping on Acid]()* ## Author At Futurism, I've reported extensively on the rise of AI as a cultural and business force shaping the media industry, and more broadly how those dynamics are changing how we all consume and share information and relate to one another. I'm also fascinated by public health policy and ethics, the role of emerging tech in politics and governance — and the powerful people and forces at those intersections — climate change, and the environment. My investigation on Sports Illustrated's use of AI-generated authors with fictional biographies won a 2024 Mirror Award for "Best Story on Media Coverage of Artificial Intelligence in Journalism and the Media" from Syracuse University's SI Newhouse School, I contributed to Niemen Lab's 2025 Predictions for Journalism series, and I've discussed my work for Futurism during appearances on NPR, CNN, the BBC, the CBC, and more. I grew up in rural Pennsylvania and attended the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where I played Division I field hockey for the Minutewomen as a midfielder. Since then, I've lived in New Orleans, Louisiana and Manhattan, New York. I spend my free time running, reading, perusing archival fashion, and searching for the world’s best negroni. I also have a debonair tuxedo cat, Westley, who's named after "The Princess Bride." ### Author social links [Bluesky]()