This $99 AR Headset Just Got $1.5M In Funding, Cheapest In The Market

These days, headsets for viewing augment reality simulations can be pricey, even for the cheapest examples. A pair of college senior college students aims to change that scenario by introducing a unit that would only cost about $99. The concept was so intriguing that the pair bagged some serious funds worth $1.5 million.

As Business Insider notes, two University of Southern California seniors chose to work on a prototype of what is likely to be the next revolution in the AR industry instead of doing normal college stuff. With their startup, Mira, Ben Taft and Matt Stern went to meet with potential investors from Sequoia Capital who liked their idea and granted them funding.

The headset, called Prism, is set to be available on the market at a $99 starting price. It is capable of delivering high-end AR experiences while coming nowhere near the costs of more expensive headsets like the HoloLens. It is worth noting, however, that the headset requires an iPhone to work. So, there’s that to consider.

"Right now this is the only accessible hardware solution for AR," Taft said.

"This is really a vehicle to deliver our software platform and the content we're [co-creating]," Stern added.

Prism has similar design aspects to other AR headsets in the market. Engadget even notes that it looks like a slimmer version of the Meta 2.

The device also employs some clever tricks that make use of mirrors reflecting images onto the screen, which likely contributes to the product’s lower price. The result is a decent stream of holographic images, which are especially impressive coming from such an affordable unit.

Using the Mira Prism headset is reportedly easier than most others of its kind as well. Thanks to it relatively light heft and ease of attaching the iPhone, even users who have never tried on AR headsets won’t have too much trouble getting the hang of it.