title: "VR Headsets & WebVR Browsers" type: introduction layout: docs parent_section: introduction
Virtual reality (VR) is a technology that uses head-mounted headsets with displays to generate the realistic images, sounds, and other sensations to put users into an immersive virtual environment. VR allows us to create unbounded worlds that people can walk around and interact with using their hands, to feel as if they were transported to another place.
There are several consumer VR headsets with different features on the market. Important distinguishing features include whether they:
Rotational tracking allows people to look around or rotate objects. All headsets provide rotational tracking.
Positional tracking allows people to move around, get closer to objects, reach forward. As the VR industry evolves, the minimum viable experience will trend towards having positionally-tracked headsets with positionally-tracked controllers. Positional tracking is important to give people presence, to make them feel they are in a real environment. With rotational-only tracking, people are constrained to looking around and wiggling the controller.
Headset | Platform | Positional Tracking | Controllers | Controller Positional Tracking |
---|---|---|---|---|
[HTC Vive] | PC | |||
[Oculus Rift] | PC | |||
[Google Daydream] | Android | |||
[Samsung GearVR] | Android | |||
[Windows Mixed Reality] | PC | |||
[Oculus Go] | Standalone | |||
[Vive Focus] | Standalone | |||
[Oculus Quest] | Standalone | |||
[Oculus Quest 2] | Standalone |
WebVR is a JavaScript API for creating immersive 3D, virtual reality experiences in your browser. Or simply put, allows VR in the browser over the Web.
A-Frame uses the WebVR API to gain access to VR headset sensor data (position, orientation) to transform the camera and to render content directly to VR headsets. Note that WebVR, which provides data, should not be confused nor conflated with WebGL, which provides graphics and rendering.
Including Supermedium and Exokit:
A-Frame aims for highly immersive and interactive VR content with native-like performance. For this, A-Frame believes the minimum viable bar will trend towards positionally-tracking headsets with positionally-tracked controllers. This is the paradigm in which A-Frame wants to innovate as well as discover new grounds that are specific to the VR Web (e.g., link traversal, decentralization, identity). Contrast this type of content against flat and static 360° content and menus.
At the same time, A-Frame wants everyone to be able to get involved with VR content creation. A-Frame supports all major headsets with their controllers. Fortunately with the large community and contributors, A-Frame is able to both look far towards the future as well as satisfy the needs of today's VR landscape.
A-Frame supports almost all platforms through browsers. General platforms that A-Frame supports include:
Some other platforms that have been shown to work with A-Frame include:
A-Frame supports most headsets through browsers. Some VR headsets that A-Frame supports include:
For general hardware recommendations (not requirements):
A-Frame supports VR for any browser that implements the WebVR specification, and flat 3D for most browsers. Large browser vendors are slowly moving to the WebXR specification, though it does not have much front-facing changes to A-Frame developers, involving mostly renaming of APIs.
A-Frame supports most modern mobile browsers that don't have WebVR support through the WebVR polyfill. Note that these browsers do not have official WebVR support, and we are using a polyfill; it is important to lower the expectations that these browsers will provide a quality experience and not have quirks:
For flat or plain 3D support, A-Frame supports all modern browsers, specifically those that support WebGL including: