Huawei Wireless X Labs Completes 5G Cloud VR POC Verification

Huawei has completed the Cloud virtual reality (VR) POC verification on 5G trial networks and the formation of a Computer Graphics (CG) Cloud VR/AR Special Interest Group (SIG) at a VR roundtable during the 2018 Mobile World Congress (MWC).

This is the fourth in a series of SIGs by X Labs, with the previous groups focusing on Digital Sky, Wireless eHealth, and Connected Factory. SIG members will work closely together to research and promote the commercial application of VR and AR services intended for 5G eMBB scenarios.

Establishment of CG Cloud VR/AR SIG

Large-scale 5G tests will soon be implemented worldwide. eMBB scenarios urgently require 100+ Mbps valuable services, with 5G networks as the most likely candidate capable of meeting such requirements. Future Cloud VR head-mounted display (HMD) equipment will soon be completely cable-free as 5G wireless connections replace traditional wired units.

Meanwhile, the most complex feature of the VR system (computer graphics rendering), will no longer be locally hosted, as it is moved to the cloud server. 5G networks will send user interaction to the cloud and send the processed images back to users in real time. As the future HMD will no longer be required to process complex data, it will become lighter, more compact, and more comfortable to wear.

CG Cloud VR is a key element in bringing VR applications to people's daily lives. Wireless X Labs and its partners aim to boost user experience and ensure VR services are available for more continuous innovation. In November 2017, Wireless X Labs released the CG Cloud VR Technical Specifications (Draft) to promote the interconnection among CG VR systems, WAN IP transmission networks, and the public cloud.

During MWC 2018, Wireless X Labs announced that it had finished the verification of CG Cloud VR services using 5G trial networks, and the next step involves encouraging commercial application of this technology.

"We have identified the first 100+ Mbps eMBB services for 5G," remarked Zhang Wenlin, President of Huawei Strategy Department, at the MWC 2018 VR roundtable. "5G era networks can provide several hundred Mbps data rate anytime anywhere and a few milliseconds of latency. Such remarkably high performance will provide an optimal Cloud VR experience for all users."

The roundtable gathered expert representatives from AMD, HTC, IBM, Microsoft, HUAWEI CLOUD, Unity Technologies, TPCast, Noitom, Immersive Robotics, NGCodec, Sennheiser, Texel, Tsunami VR, and other initial SIG members to engage in extensive discussions. The members decided upon the focuses of SIG's future cooperation.

These include low-latency video encoding and decoding technologies, low-latency GPU rendering cloud, 5G Cloud VR HMD, and Cloud VR innovative applications and platforms. The members also agreed to extend future research into the field of AR. SIG adheres to the ideal of open cooperation, and welcomes the participation of all parties and cooperative organizations throughout the industry chain.

2018 will witness the deployment of 5G pre-commercial networks around the globe. SIG will work with partners to carry out field tests and promote the development of the new ecosystem for 5G applications.