Reverb G2 Omnicept, with Eye, Mouth, & Heart Rate Sensors, Priced at $1,250 for May Launch

HP has announced a May launch window for the Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition. Priced at $1,250, the headset builds on the existing Reverb G2 with eye, mouth, and heart rate sensors, along with an improved tightening mechanism for the headstrap.

Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition is HP’s enterprise-focused version of the Reverb G2 headset. The company says that the added sensors—for eye, mouth, and heart rate tracking—will allow the headset to offer a better VR experience for both the user and for observers wanting to collect analytical data about the user’s experience. HP claims the sensors are built with privacy in mind.

“HMD firmware safeguards sensor data at every moment of capture and no data is stored on the headset. HP Omnicept powered applications help ensure the capture and transfer of data comply with GDPR and keep user data confidential,” the company says.

Aside from these features, we’re looking largely at the same foundation of the original Reverb G2 [our review], which offers impressively sharp displays and great integrated off-ear audio:

One other quiet but welcomed change to the Reverb G2 Omnicept is a new way of adjusting the headset’s side straps; while the original has finnickey velcro straps on the sides, the G2 Omnicept has a single dial on the back of the headset for tightening the side straps.

The Reverb G2 Omnicept Edition has a release date scheduled for May and a price starting at $1,250.

Omnicept SDK

Alongside the headset, HP also detailed the Omnicept software, which is a layer on top of the sensors which allow for interpretation and integration of sensor data into VR applications. While the ‘Core’ Omnicept SDK can be used for free by developers, deployed applications making use of the Omnicept SDK require additional payment and licenses based on the use-case:

HP says the Omnicept features are supported across both Unity and Unreal Engine.