OpenXR

OpenXR
Developer(s)Khronos Group
Stable release
1.1.38 / April 15, 2024; 8 months ago (2024-04-15)[1]
Repositoryregistry.khronos.org/OpenXR/#apispecs
Operating systemCross-platform
PlatformCross-platform
TypeVirtual reality and augmented reality API
LicenseApache License 2.0[2]
Websitewww.khronos.org/openxr/

OpenXR is an open-source, royalty-free standard for access to virtual reality and augmented reality platforms and devices.[3] It is developed by a working group managed by the Khronos Group consortium. OpenXR was announced by the Khronos Group on February 27, 2017, during GDC 2017.[4][5][6] A provisional version of the standard was released on March 18, 2019, to enable developers and implementers to provide feedback on it.[3] On July 29, 2019, OpenXR 1.0 was released to the public by Khronos Group at SIGGRAPH 2019[7] and on April 15, 2024, OpenXR 1.1 was released by Khronos.[8]

Reviewers of the 0.90 provisional release considered that the aim of OpenXR was to "Solve AR/VR Fragmentation".[9]

Architecture

The standard provides an API aimed for application developers targeting virtual reality or augmented reality hardware. This enables developers to build applications that will work across a wide variety of devices.[10]

The fundamental elements of this API are:

  • XrSpace: a representation of the 3D space
  • XrInstance: a representation of the OpenXR runtime
  • System and XrSystemId: a representation of the devices, including the Virtual reality or Augmented reality devices and controllers
  • XrActions: used to handle user inputs
  • XrSession: represents the interaction session between the application and the user

The full specification can be found via the OpenXR Registry on GitHub.

Implementations

The Khronos Group maintains the list of OpenXR-conformant platforms and products.[11]

Currently conformant OpenXR platforms are:

Game and rendering engine support

Support for OpenXR application development can be found in the following engines:

Browser support

Roadmap

After the release of OpenXR 1.0, progress will likely be driven through the development of extensions to the core API.[33] This can be seen in the subsequent release of extensions for support of hand tracking and eye gaze tracking.[34] As implementers and developers get more experience with the extensions, they could get integrated into the core OpenXR API in future releases.

Contributors

The following companies are listed by Khronos as public supporters of OpenXR:[35]

See also

  • OpenVR – Software development kit and application programming interface by Valve
  • WebXR – Experimental JavaScript API for augmented/virtual reality devices

Proprietary counterparts

  • ARCore – Software development kit for building augmented reality applications
  • ARKit – Augmented reality API for Apple platforms

References

  1. ^ "Version". GitHub.
  2. ^ "LICENSE". GitHub.
  3. ^ a b "Khronos Releases OpenXR 0.90 Provisional Specification for High-performance Access to AR and VR Platforms and Devices". Khronos.org. Khronos Group. March 19, 2020. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Khronos Reveals API Updates & New Working Groups at GDC". Khronos Group. 2017-02-27. Retrieved 2017-03-08. The Khronos Virtual Reality Initiative announced in December is making rapid progress in designing an open standard for portable Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality apps and devices. Today, Khronos releases the official name of the standard: OpenXR
  5. ^ "Khronos Bolsters VR, AR, MR Markets With OpenXR Working Group, API Updates, More". Tom's Hardware. 2017-02-27. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  6. ^ "GDC 2017: Khronos Group Unveils VR/AR Standard OpenXR". UploadVR. 2017-02-27. Retrieved 2017-03-09.
  7. ^ "Khronos Releases OpenXR 1.0 Specification Establishing a Foundation for the AR and VR Ecosystem". The Khronos Group. 2019-07-29. Retrieved 2019-07-31.
  8. ^ "OpenXR 1.1 Brings Foveated Rendering & More Into The Spec". UploadVR. 2024-04-16. Retrieved 2024-06-13.
  9. ^ "OpenXR 0.90 Aims to Solve AR/VR Fragmentation". InfoQ. 2019-03-23. Retrieved 2019-06-20. With Monday's release of the OpenXR provisional specification, Khronos' open source working group wants to create a world where developers can code their VR/AR experience for a single API, with the confidence that the resulting application will work on any OpenXR-compliant headset.
  10. ^ "The OpenXR Working Group is Here!". Khronos Group. 2017-02-27. Retrieved 2017-03-08. The OpenXR standard comes in two parts. First, the Application Interface, which application developers and middleware providers write to, and which serves to define and combine common, cross-platform functionality(...)Next, the Device Layer allows VR/AR runtimes to interface with various devices
  11. ^ "Conformant Products". Khronos Group. 2020-10-26. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
  12. ^ "Computex 2023 | Acer SpatialLabs Pro developer devices are now compatible with OpenXR and SteamVR".
  13. ^ Bezmalinovic, Tomislav (2023-04-14). "Pico 4: Bytedance pays top dollar for VR ports". MIXED Reality News. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  14. ^ "Canon MREAL S1 vs VRgineers XTAL 3 Mixed Reality (Comparison)". VRcompare. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  15. ^ "Monado 21.0.0, an officially conformant OpenXR implementation!". Collabora. 2021-02-15. Retrieved 2021-02-15.
  16. ^ "Conformant Products". Khronos Group. Retrieved 14 March 2022.
  17. ^ "OpenXR Overview | MagicLeap Developer Documentation". developer-docs.magicleap.cloud. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  18. ^ "Oculus Rift Has Hidden Preliminary Support For OpenXR". uploadvr.com. 2019-09-13. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  19. ^ VR, Oculus. "OpenXR for Oculus". developer.oculus.com. Retrieved 2021-08-25.
  20. ^ "OpenXR now available on the Microsoft Store for Windows Mixed Reality". windowscentral.com. 2019-07-23. Retrieved 2020-01-05.
  21. ^ "Snapdragon Spaces XR Developer Platform Launches to Create Headworn AR Experiences that Adapt to the Spaces Around Us | Qualcomm". www.qualcomm.com. Retrieved 2022-08-11.
  22. ^ "PROVANTAGE: Sony ELFSR2 27-inch 4K Spatial Reality Display". www.provantage.com. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  23. ^ "Introducing SteamVR 1.16.8 - Now with full OpenXR support". Valve. 2021-02-25. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  24. ^ "Unreal Engine 4.24 Preview now available". Epic Games. 2019-09-04. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
  25. ^ "2.83 LTS - blender.org". Blender Foundation. 2020-06-03. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
  26. ^ "OpenXR Plugin | OpenXR Plugin | 0.1.2-preview.2". docs.unity3d.com. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  27. ^ Olij, Bastiaan (4 July 2021). "Godot XR Update - September 2023". Godot Engine. Retrieved 2022-06-18.
  28. ^ "Help". help.autodesk.com. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  29. ^ "StereoKit". stereokit.net. Retrieved 2024-04-17.
  30. ^ Schreiner, Maximilian (2023-08-08). "Nvidia Omniverse gets spatial computing update with OpenXR support". MIXED Reality News. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  31. ^ "UNIGINE SDK 2.19 Release | UNIGINE: real-time 3D engine". unigine.com. Retrieved 20 August 2024.
  32. ^ "OpenXR Might Open The Door To Minecraft On Oculus Quest". Road to VR. 2020-07-28. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
  33. ^ "Khronos Releases OpenXR 1.0 Specification Establishing a Foundation for the AR and VR Ecosystem". The Khronos Group. 2019-07-29. Retrieved 2022-11-19.
  34. ^ "Multiple Conformant OpenXR Implementations Ship Bringing to Life the Dream of Portable XR Applications". Khronos Group. 2020-07-28. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
  35. ^ "OpenXR". Khronos Group. 2019-10-26. Retrieved 2020-10-26.
  36. ^ "Zhaoxin". en.wikichip.org. Retrieved 2018-08-07. Zhaoxin (Shanghai Zhaoxin Semiconductor Co., Ltd., also goes by VIA Alliance Semiconductor Co., Ltd.)