Augmented reality glasses: a new look at the world. Details about Intel Vaunt - smart glasses that look like glasses

Recent developments in the field of virtual reality have taken it to a new level. They made it possible to combine the real world and virtual objects. This is how AR technology appeared, which transfers a non-existent object into ordinary life.

In practice, it is used in medicine and military art. It is used when it is necessary to organize an exhibition, a conference, to conduct a briefing.

What are augmented reality VR glasses?

Augmented reality glasses in their device resemble a computer. They create a new picture with 3D objects based on the real objects in front of them. Equipped with sensors and cameras that record the movement of the pupils. When the user sees an object, the system reacts and performs the required actions. For example, it searches for information on the Internet or displays the desired application on the screen.

Benefits of Augmented Reality: User Benefits

Augmented reality VR glasses are gradually becoming mainstream. Using them, you get:

• innovative technologies: 30 years ago they were part of science fiction novels. Today it is a real and modern product;
• compatibility: the ability to coordinate actions via a smartphone or computer, which means expanding the scope of application to infinity;
• comfort: the weight of the device is only 50-60 grams, and the functionality is like that of an advanced PC;
• mobility: the equipment is autonomous and on average is designed for 6 hours of continuous operation. Not tied to a station, system unit or console. You decide where and how to apply it;
• freedom of choice: the set of programs and applications is not limited to the preferences of developers.

AR glasses, which you can buy from us, allow you to abandon numerous auxiliary gadgets. They will replace the phone, navigator, camera. Due to the powerful built-in processor, they are able to solve many tasks. Create a virtual screen, design a 3D model of a non-existent object, show a presentation - the device can do it. Management - with the help of voice or gestures.

We deliver orders in Moscow and regions. The terms of receipt in the regions can be clarified with managers. Buyers from Moscow can pick up the goods from our point of issue and pay upon receipt.

Augmented reality glasses are unrealistically cool thing! True, it is still difficult to say whether this is such a necessary thing as a smartphone, or just an expensive toy. Consider an interesting project of smart glasses for professional use, which facilitate the work of an electrician / electronics engineer. Let's make it in the style of the good old DIY with arduinos and 3d printers.

Anyone who has done at least a little electronics knows what a multimeter is and how to use it. Nothing super complicated - we take two probes, set the measurement mode, poke and look at the result on the display. Despite the simplicity, in professional practice there are often cases when there is a probe in each hand, and the measuring device simply has nowhere to go and you have to go all out to attach it somewhere. This introduces great inconvenience in work, and with due clumsiness and great stress, it also leads to bright fireworks.

However, as you may have guessed from the title of the article, there will not be a description of the assembly of parts according to ready-made instructions, instead I will show how I assembled this device from what I found in my heap of electronic trash. And we'll start with the micro-display.

In principle, Chinese comrades sell such screens quite inexpensively, but the Black Friday circus taking place at that time made it clear that it would take a very long time to wait.

Therefore, rummaging through the trash, I found an old Soviet calculator Elektronika B3-21 with good miniature eight-segment indicators.

Stop! Hold your righteous anger and take your hands off the keyboard. I would not break such a rarity for the sake of indicators. A couple of years ago, I rescued three of these copies from the garbage heap. Two of them were more or less intact, I gave them to collectors. The latter was only a pitiful remnant in the form of a board with indicators, while the “brains” of the calculator themselves were located on another part, which the barbarians, along with the body, had taken somewhere.

As you can see from the photo, there were only three indicators in the calculator, and they were made in the DIP-14 package. Each indicator has five symbols with seven segments each + one more dot. Carefully solder and put on the breadboard. The design is just a little larger than the microdisplay from the original design.

Since no documentation for these indicators can be found during the day with fire, we use a little trick to determine the pinout. Many multimeters in the continuity / resistance measurement mode give out enough voltage to the probes to make the LEDs glow faintly, or such indicators. In turn, poking all the leads, we find the necessary anodes (+) and cathodes (-). The latter are indicated by numbers corresponding to each of the five characters.

Thus, to control two such indicators, you need a microcontroller and only 18 of its ports. Roll up the lip and use the 74HC595 shift registers. Each of them has eight outputs, and connects to only three controller ports. The simplest connection scheme from the network:

I added two of these in small cases to the design. The first manages the segments and the second manages the characters. There are more characters than register outputs, so the two extreme characters in the bottom row will not be used, which is not scary in principle, since I planned to display the measured value in the form of numbers on the top line, and three characters on the lower unit of measurement will be enough for this.

The code for displaying characters is a byte, each bit of which is responsible in the case of the first register for ignited segments, and in the case of the second - for ignited characters. Such bytes are also often represented in hexadecimal notation.

An illustrative example for indicator segments

As a controller, I used the Chinese Arduino Nano. It is a little more than the Micro version and also fits perfectly into the original case.

We connect to the arduino and check the operation of the indicators.

After a successful check, it's time to think about what this display will show.

Instead of this foppishness, we will upgrade a cheaper, battle-worn good old Mastech MS8250B, which nevertheless has a USB interface.

We reverse-engineer this device and see that the interface is made on a separate board, which is optically isolated from the rest of the circuit. And here they used not the notorious optocouplers, but real infrared pairs of light and photodiodes. The gap between them is such that you can certainly measure up to a kilovolt without fear of burning your computer. On the board you can see the CP2102 chip, which is a UART → USB converter, which is a great success, since any arduino knows the UART protocol from the cradle.

The principle of operation is simple and banal, the CP2102 chip is powered from USB, at the same time the IR LED lights up, which lets the multimeter know that it is connected to the computer, after which the latter starts blinking its LED merrily in response, thus sending measurement data . We connect this cartoon to the computer and use the ComPort Toolkit to see what it sends:

Yes, it looks like complete bullshit. Obviously, the Chinese comrades did not use the standard speed of 9600. Let's arm ourselves with a logic analyzer (Saleae-logic compatible) and look at the signal in more detail. Saleae's software is so cool that it can automatically determine the UART speed from the length of the start bit.

The analyzer clearly determined the speed at 2400. We set the correct speed in the terminal and look at the output, frantically clicking the multimeter modes to collect more different data.

Well, some pattern has already appeared, although it is still not clear what he sends.

prompt

We pay attention to the high-order digits of the numbers that make up the sequence 123456789ABCDE. They do not change even when switching device modes, which means they are purely control in nature. The rest is data in some form.

I measured several different resistances, making a table for comparison.


Having studied the table, I understood how the multimeter encodes measurement data. You can think about this problem yourself, for the impatient here is the solution:

solution

There is a hint in the first part of the article, since the multimeter uses all the same segment symbols to denote numbers, it sends bytes describing which segments are activated in hexadecimal form. The higher digits do not carry information, therefore we look at the lower and identical digits in the measurement results. From this table it becomes clear that 0 for example is 7D and 2 is 5B. Thus, the transmission task is further simplified. It is enough to read the values ​​​​of the multimeter indicators and light ours in accordance.

It remains only to put the controller into the multimeter case, which will turn on the infrared LED, receive measurement data via UART, and send them to the glasses. In this case, purely to test the technology, I put a large arduino there, since the small ones suddenly

ran out

To connect the multimeter with glasses, I used cheap radio modules at 433 MHz. Alas, this is the worst solution that you can think of, but this is the only thing that was at hand.

We collect the display, controller, receiver and battery in a printed case

I had to work hard with the optical part. You can't find a plastic mirror like the author's in my area. I am not a master of wielding a glass cutter, therefore, despite all the superstitions, I broke a small mirror and turned a suitable fragment to the desired shape under running water.

At this stage, I advise you to return to the beginning of the article and refresh the design of the device in your memory. The lens plays a huge role here - it focuses the image from the display on the eye. It depends on its type and position at what focusing of the eye the numbers will be clearly visible. Of course, I did not find the same lens, so I used an ordinary plastic one from a cheap monocular. In my case, I placed it between the mirror and the indicators, finding the best position in terms of focus. To make the reflector, I layered the CD, wiped the data off it with a rag, and just cut out a suitable piece. After assembly, we get the coveted device.

Due to the fact that the wrong lens was used, as well as the fact that the indicators are larger than the display in size, only four characters are visible on the reflector in the top line, and the bottom line does not completely fall at all. In the photo, the camera transmits colors too brightly, in reality the numbers are much more faded.

In general, it is rather problematic for the camera to take an image on the reflector, in addition, it always sees the numbers in focus, which of course is far from reality. We connect a multimeter and see how it works.

It is difficult for the camera to capture both lines, although the eye can see them. Working with the resulting device looks something like this:

The measurement result is 6.73 volts. As you can see, the engineers of the USSR who developed these LED indicators for some reason placed the dot in such a not very convenient position, which, however, again can be considered luck, since in the multimeter the dot is completely to the left of the symbol. Well, it's a matter of habit.

Results

The device in my performance, of course, turned out to be quite collective farm, but even in this form, its use is delightful. Alas, the indicators from the old calculator, as it turned out, are an average option, since under normal lighting the numbers are almost invisible. I don’t recommend radio modules either: the transmitter will drain the battery quickly, but the connection will still be so-so. Well, the main drawback, probably, of any augmented reality glasses is the focus. To have the effect that the image is superimposed on top of the object where the eye is directed, appropriate focusing must be observed. And the problem is that the eye is constantly changing it, from which all the "magic" is lost. I hope that manufacturers of such devices are working to solve this problem and someday we will fully enjoy the benefits of augmented reality in our professional activities.

Virtual reality is the next step in the development of computer technology. Today it is popular and in demand thanks to Samsung Gear VR and Oculus Rift glasses. But Microsoft has gone one step further and introduced the Microsoft HoloLens augmented reality glasses, a review of which will help you understand why this gadget will become an integral part of the modern world.

Concept

HoloLens are augmented reality goggles. This is their fundamental difference from competitors.

Wearing them, a person sees the world around him with holograms, tables and other objects “embedded” in it, which seem to be three-dimensional. Only the person using the gadget can interact with them. If a group of several users put on glasses, they will plunge into the same world of augmented reality.

The principle of operation of HoloLens is simple: the holograms that are displayed on the glass are perceived by the brain as real objects. Approximately the same approach is implemented in Google Glass, but in them objects were positioned as windows of standard programs, and not real objects.

Technology

The Microsoft HoloLens is a compact, helmet-shaped computer that fits over your head. It is mobile and not tied to third-party gadgets: smartphone, laptop, camera, and so on. There is no wired connection.

The device is based on its own unique Holographic Processing Unit (HPU), has a built-in speaker system, camera, video accelerator and sensors.

HoloLens is equipped with two cameras, similar to those used in Kinect: one works in the normal spectrum, the other in infrared. They analyze and read the surrounding space. This is the base of the device.

Holograms are displayed on the screen, represented by translucent glass, which does not interfere with the perception of the real world. This interaction creates the effect of additional reality.

The set of sensors is represented by a gyroscope, a magnetometer and an accelerometer. HoloLens recognizes gestures and keeps track of where a person is looking. Depending on the direction of view, the position of the holograms on the screen changes. In addition, the device is fully compatible with Cortana, so it supports voice control.

Realistic interaction with augmented reality objects is provided by two technologies:

• Spatial Mapping (similar to Surface reconstruction) is a spatial scanning technology that, after processing the surrounding space, transforms it into a group of triangles. This information is recorded in the gadget's memory and used in the application logic. Due to this, virtual objects fully interact with holograms.
• Spatial Audio is the technology responsible for the implementation of the presence effect. If the object is located in a certain place in the room, the sound comes from exactly where it is located. Thanks to the open format of the speakers, the user is not limited in the perception of sounds from reality: he fully hears everything that happens around him in the real world.

Application

1. Architecture and construction. The design project of a new building can be presented in three dimensions, showing what is inside the building.
   
2. Education. The teacher can clearly demonstrate how the mechanism, design looks, works. This technology is especially useful in medicine, when the teacher can show students the work of the internal organs of a person.
3. Game industry. This is one of the main areas for which augmented reality glasses can be used.
   
4. Research. Scientists will be able to visually see the area under study. This is important for the implementation of space programs.

Appearance

The shape of HoloLens is similar to Google Glass, but less similar developments from Oculus and Samsung. The design of the glasses is well-designed, so they look like a modern device, and not like a mask that covers half of the head.

To reduce weight, the glasses use durable plastic, and transparent glass is located in the front. HoloLens is mounted on the head not like ordinary glasses, but covering the head to create a better fixation. In this case, the user may initially feel a little discomfort.

Technical component

Officially, Microsoft does not disclose details about the technical characteristics of the device. But since the first models have already come into the hands of developers, some of them have become known.

HoloLens, unlike other digital devices, does not have two chips (central and graphics processors), but three. The developers additionally installed the HPU (Holographic processing unit) - a holographic processor.

Central processor - Intel Atom x5-Z8100 with a clock frequency of 1.04 GHz, RAM - 2 GB, internal storage - 64 GB, built-in battery with a capacity of 16,500 mAh. The main pride of Microsoft is the graphics chip, which, according to the developers, processes a large array of data coming from the environment.

The device is running 32-bit Windows 10. It is possible that in the future augmented reality glasses will receive more powerful technical “stuffing” and a 64-bit OS.

Control

There are three ways to manage HoloLens.

1. Physically. Management is carried out using the buttons located on the sides of the gadget. They change the volume of the sound, the brightness of the reproduced objects.
2. Voice. Since Cortana is integrated into the device, it can be controlled using voice commands. But, unlike the voice assistant for a desktop PC, its functions are expanded: the user controls the holograms on the screen with the help of voice.
3. Gestures. Thanks to the built-in cameras, the device recognizes the user's gestures and performs a specific command with holographic objects (rotate or move).

When you turn on your HoloLens for the first time, you need to calibrate it to match your experience and activate your Microsoft Account. To simplify this procedure, Cortana is used, which talks about the capabilities of the gadget and teaches the user how to use gestures.

There are two basic gestures:

After this procedure, the standard Start-menu opens in front of the user, from which settings are managed, programs are launched, and other basic actions are performed.

Apps for the device are distributed through the HoloLens-optimized Windows Store. Now there are few of them and most of them are a product of Microsoft Studios. They demonstrate the potential of the gadget.

In addition, the user can launch Windows 10 UWP applications on the screen of the device. They open in the classic windowed mode. For comfortable work with them, you will need standard peripherals, but this does not affect functionality.

Functionality

Given the features of the device, HoloLens is primarily designed for the corporate segment - Microsoft partners: NASA, Disney, Volvo and Universal. They will not need to create complex three-dimensional models, explore hard-to-reach places, spending large sums. All this will be available with the help of augmented reality glasses.

The developers have successfully thought out the design of the device, so there is no discomfort during its use. What is important, the lenses are located at a remote distance from the eyes, so they do not affect a person's vision.

Another advantage of HoloLens is that objects that a person sees in front of him remain in the same place and continue to function in the background if they are not in the user's area of ​​​​perception. Therefore, when he starts Skype, attaches it to a certain part of the room and turns away, after returning his gaze to the starting point, the messenger window will remain in place. At the same time, a person can view the browser and simultaneously communicate in Skype.

disadvantages

Because HoloLens technology is young and evolving, it's not without flaws. Some of them are technological: technologies have not yet been created that could improve the operation of the device.

1. Viewing angle. One of the main limitations of HoloLens is the "modest" viewing angle, which is in the range of 120 by 120 degrees. In practice, this disadvantage is leveled after a certain time, when the human eye and brain adapt to new conditions.
2. Another limitation is the ability of each person to perceive information with the help of the organs of vision. This happens with its own specifics, depending on the organism, which also affects the operation of HoloLens.
3. The power of iron. The dimensions of HoloLens are limited, so installing a powerful hardware inside a compact case is impossible for a number of reasons, one of which is cooling. The cooling system in virtual reality glasses is passive. The removal of heat from the components is carried out by air that passes through the temples of the glasses, evenly distributed throughout the body. Installing a more powerful processor will increase heat dissipation and reduce the comfort of using the gadget.
4. The quality of the reproduced image. For a full-fledged perception of additional reality, it is necessary that the display be of high quality, like the holograms themselves. The first depends on Microsoft engineers and technology, and the second depends on HoloLens content developers.

At the same time, when using augmented reality glasses from Microsoft, there are no side effects, unlike Samsung Gear VR2 S6, when a person feels nauseous at first. With HoloLens, this does not happen even in the first minutes of using the device.

Microsoft HoloLens is a unique development that has a place to be. But its functionality "rests" on modern technologies, with the development of which developers will be able to make glasses more productive and mass-produced.

The cost of the gadget is 3 thousand dollars and it comes out in a limited edition, so it's too early to talk about global use.

At the moment, there are many devices that immerse the user in the world of virtual reality. The user has the opportunity to ride a roller coaster or escape from a bloodthirsty shark without leaving home.

Such devices work using a computer or TV. But what about virtual reality in the real world? While a person is walking down the street, his view is supplemented by virtual objects consisting of auxiliary signs, directions of movement, notifications. And the device can be used at home, at work, while walking.

Augmented reality is still developing, but it has a great future. Such a headset is expensive, and wearing it all day is uncomfortable. However, there are several quality devices that are commercially available or are in the final stages of development. We will review them.

Microsoft HoloLens

Microsoft uses the concept of holograms. The user controls augmented reality, virtual objects with the help of hands. Wearing Microsoft augmented reality glasses, the user can create reality with his own hands, draw various diagrams and arrows on any object. Project image and video on any surface. But only the wearer of augmented reality glasses will see the hologram. For everyone else, it is not available.

A test review for journalists presented a hologram projecting the rover's journey on Mars. The picture was displayed directly on the floor in the user's home.

Important! So far, microsoft hololens augmented reality glasses have not yet gone on sale, and are at the final stage of development. Moreover, hololens augmented reality glasses will be stationary, like the Oculus Rift, so you won’t be able to go shopping with them.

Hololens, microsoft's augmented reality glasses, will be useful for people who want to furnish their home, for example, by following instructions on objects around them. Microsoft Hololens glasses have great potential, the corporation believes. The price is not known, but it will be more than 1 thousand dollars.

Epson Moverio BT-20

The idea is that a picture is transferred to the user's eye, with dimensions of 960 * 540 pixels. The glasses achieve a very strong effect of virtuality in real time. If you look at a review of a gadget on the Internet, you can understand that the device does not have a beautiful design and good appearance. It does not connect to a mobile device and does not connect to a computer. Connection is possible using the touch control unit.

Attention! Additional applications are not installed from the usual Google Play, but are downloaded from a special Epson store. Currently, it has over 100 programs available.

Epson augmented reality glasses will be useful, first of all, for utility developers who will be able to look at the model in 3D mode while it is being created. The video review showed all the coolness of this innovation.
Virtual reality glasses have:

• camera 0.3 MP;
• wifi;
• bluetooth;
• battery that can withstand more than 7 hours of active work;
• 8 GB of memory.

There are also GPS, compass and gyroscope.
The price of the device is $800.

Google Glass

The small screen displays all the necessary information right in front of the user's eyes. It can be the weather forecast, note review, GPS navigation, and even missed messages or calls. Google Glass augmented reality glasses work with Android devices. You can "order" the gadget to take a snapshot of the object that the user is looking at. The battery of Google Glass can withstand 12 hours of active work.

The device has a 5 megapixel camera, shoots videos in 720p resolution. It also has Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 12 GB of internal memory.
The glasses are priced at $1,600.

Conclusion

The future that we have seen more than once from screens in feature films is near. In a few years, it will be possible to project objects directly onto the table in your home, and control them with your hands. But now the average consumer can enjoy the initial developments of manufacturers. In the meantime, all this is in its infancy, but thousands of programmers every day are working to ensure that augmented reality is as close to life as possible.

Augmented reality glasses | Vuzix M100 Smart Glasses

What's this? One of the more well-known competitors of Google Glass is finally available to buyers. There is not much difference between the "semi-professional" model and the standard version of the glasses for corporate use, except that the consumer version is attached to the glasses, while the corporate version itself looks like goggles.

Vuzix M100 Smart Glasses is an alternative to Google Glass. Source: Vuzix

The M100 smart glasses work with third-party Android apps as well as apps that can be downloaded through the company's app store. The glasses come with several preinstalled apps, including a voice recorder, camera, photo gallery, and barcode scanner. The device is controlled by voice and physical buttons. There is also a rather unusual way to control using an Android smartphone, which is used as a virtual mouse and keyboard.

Who is it for? For those who want to save money on buying Google Glass, if they are not confused by the large, bulky control box on the side. For Android fans.

Camera 5 MP; 1080p video; bluetooth; 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi; battery life for six hours (display off); 4 GB internal memory; built-in GPS.

Augmented reality glasses | Meta 1

What's this? If Tony Stark wore smart glasses, it would most likely be Meta 1. They are not designed for walking, but for interacting with augmented reality, like in the movie Minority Report. Meta 1 allows you to surf the Internet with left and right hand movements or drag windows, literally clenching them into a fist and moving them into view.

"Unleash your inner Tony Stark with the Meta 1 Smart Glasses." Source: Meta

The Meta 1 glasses are designed to fill the entire field of view with augmented reality elements using 3D rendering. They haven't gone on sale yet, so no one knows how the market (and third-party developers) will react to them. If the Meta 1 points are successful, then? in theory, you can play a very realistic "surgeon simulator" right on your living room table.

Who is it for? For those who want to diversify their lives with augmented reality applications, for example, web browsing with manual control or the ability to "sit" in a virtual copy of the car you are interested in. Meta 1 is currently aimed at developers. The consumer version of the glasses is not yet ready.

Key features and functions: camera with a resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels; 3D depth camera with a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels; integrated Dolby 3D sound; 360 degree head tracking accelerometer, gyroscope and compass; HDMI input.

Availability: The Meta 1 Developer Edition is available for pre-order for $667. Deliveries are due to begin in August 2015.

Augmented reality glasses | Recon Jet

What's this? This is a kind of sports version of Google Glass. The Recon Jet uses a similar configuration with a small screen in front of the eyes, but the HD camera, touchpad and sensors are all in a slightly thicker body. The camera and high-definition display are attached to glasses with polarized lenses. This is a very useful item for running or cycling when the sun is shining brightly. The glasses can be paired with iOS or Android devices to see calls and messages in real time. You can also use sports-themed apps that track various metrics such as speed, pace, distance traveled, and heart rate.

Recon Jet

However, glasses cannot be used without additional manipulations. The Recon Jet ships with voice activation disabled, although the built-in microphone may work with third party applications that support voice triggering. People will most often use the glasses outdoors, Recon says, and voice control, such as when riding a bike when the wind is whipping in your face, is quite difficult.

Who is it for? For athletes who want to see the necessary indicators right in front of their eyes (and not, say, on their wrist). However, they are not recommended for marathon runners, as the battery only lasts 4-6 hours.

Key features and functions: HD camera; Bluetooth 4.0; ANT+; 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi; battery lasts 4-6 hours; internal memory of 8 GB; built-in GPS; accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer, pressure sensor and infrared sensor.

Availability: The Recon Jet is available for pre-order for $700. Deliveries were to begin in May.

Augmented reality glasses | Optivent Ora-1

What's this? The Ora-1 takes a familiar approach from other glasses - a small screen and an integrated camera that allows you to take pictures and videos.

Ora-1 is likely to undergo major changes before the final version is released to buyers. Source: Optivent

The unique feature of the Ora-1 is the moving screen. Optivent calls it Flip-Vu. Thanks to him, the user, if desired, can move the virtual object to the center of the field of view. If the subject is distracting, the screen can be moved down and updates will appear in the corner of the field of view instead of in the center.

Pleasant additions include the shading of the photochromic lens in bright sunlight. In addition, Ora-1 smart glasses can function as a standalone Android device. Android applications can be run locally, and it is not necessary to maintain a constant connection between the smartphone and the glasses.

Who is it for? For developers. Don't buy early smart glasses, as Optivent will likely make significant changes to the final version of the product. We're more interested in the more affordable Ora-X headset, which is a gaming headphone with an optional drop-down display.

Key features and functions: camera 5 MP; video recording in 1080p; Bluetooth 4.0; 802.11 b/g/n Wi-Fi; 4 GB internal memory; light sensor; photochromic lenses.

Availability: Ora-1 is available for pre-order for $950.

Augmented reality glasses | glassup

What's this? Outwardly, these glasses look a little strange. Even the manufacturer himself admits this on his Indiegogo page. However, the beauty of the device lies in its simplicity. It is not equipped with cameras, therefore, you can not take photos and videos. You cannot select the color of the text displayed on the lenses (monochrome only). The glasses only show information directly in the center of the field of view.

glassup

If you receive an email, text message, or Facebook update, a message will appear in the center of your field of vision. It will hang for a few seconds and then disappear - that's all. You cannot reply to a message with glasses. However, GlassUp will most likely be equipped with a touch control panel, the purpose of which is not yet known (apparently, third-party developers will be able to use this feature at their discretion).