This Indian Startup Made Vision Pro-like AR/VR Headsets Way Before Apple
For the past couple of days, we’ve been witnessing the hype around Apple’s Vision Pro with the tech giant launching its $3499 worth of product in a rather flashy manner. However, the user interface of Apple’s AR/VR headset bears an uncanny resemblance to that of an Indian startup working on smart glasses since 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWyGpp715Cs Rohildev Nattukallingal, founder of Nimo Planet, wrote on LinkedIn, that the newly launched Apple Vision Pro and Nimo, which was launched in 2020, look similar. “We designed Nimo OS with unique user experiences and interactions. No compromise. At Nimo Planet , a small team is making history. More great things are coming soon,” he said. Nattukallingal is of the opinion that each OS has its own reason to put the UI, which is represents the uniqueness of the OS. “In Nimo OS we came up with the UI best suited for Spatial Computer. You cannot find that in any OS other than Nimo and new Apple visionOS,” he said, hinting at the possibility of the latter copying the former. Nimo Planet has been working on the glasses for more than four years, with a core team of 10 people based out of Kerala, India. The startup was expected to ship the glasses in 2023 at the price range of $1300. However, what makes Nimo different is that the company is offering almost the same stuff as Apple Vision Pro at half the price. Nimo however, can be termed as the humble version of Apple Vision Pro as it doesn’t comes with built-in speakers or chips like M2 line up, but it does come up with Qualcomm’s Snapdragon XR1 processor– a processor which can’t be compared with Apple’s M-chip lineup, but is ideal for spatial computing hardware. When asked why he didn’t file patents given Nimo was the first one in the market, Nattukallingal said, “We filed patents. But not 5,000 [like Apple did].” While it is definitely underpowered compared to Apple Vision Pro, it does, however, provide a user interface similar to what Apple Vision Pro is promising. By utilising the functionality of a wireless mouse, users can conveniently drag and relocate any desired application to their preferred location. This means that Microsoft Word can be positioned adjacent to PowerPoint, with Slack conveniently positioned on the far left. With the introduction of Nimo, an innovative feature, users can effortlessly glance at any of the six virtual screens simply by turning their head. Moreover, users have the option to place helpful widgets, such as a calendar, at the top, while essential settings like Wi-Fi can be easily accessed and adjusted below. That is exactly what Apple is promising as of now. However, Nimo is far less bulkier than Apple Vision Pro. In fact, it looks better than most of the smart glasses in the market, if we remove the arms– which as experts have commented, are still chunky. The arms too support touch inputs and hence can provide ease of access if one has Bluetooth keyboard and mouse paired. The company has secured funds from notable angel investors, including Dr Ritesh Malik, the founder of Innov8, Ravi Linganuri, and a group of angel investors based in the United States. The board of advisors comprises distinguished individuals such as Aneet Chopra, Stephane Kasriel, and the aforementioned Dr Malik and Mr Linganuri. The company has displayed its commitment to innovation by filing patents for various aspects, including the operating system, design, and input interface. Currently, the company is actively engaged in raising $4 million for its seed funding round.
The user interface of Apple’s AR/VR headset bears an uncanny resemblance to that of an Indian startup working on smart glasses since 2020
The user interface of Apple's AR/VR headset bears an uncanny resemblance to that of an Indian startup working on smart glasses since 2020
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