Facebook has announced the open beta release of Horizon Workrooms as a new way for people to collaborate at work via the Oculus Quest 2. A user can share files from her desk and brainstorm on infinite whiteboards. People can talk with colleagues in the virtual room or people who have joined via video call.
The Workrooms app uses mixed-reality desk and keyboard tracking, hand tracking, remote desktop streaming, video conferencing integration and spatial audio. According to Facebook, It's the first time these technologies have been combined to create a different kind of productivity experience. The app works with the Oculus Quest 2 and the web.
The virtual rooms can hold 16 people and up to 34 more people can join via video call. People participating via video, show up on a screen similar to a video call. Workrooms has a number of interactive features, including:
· The ability to join by VR or video call.
· A new hand-tracking function.
· A mixed-reality experience that combines a physical desk and a virtual room.
· Spatial audio technology.
· The ability to use a VR controller as a pen.
· The ability to pin images from your computer to the virtual room's whiteboard.
· A connection to Outlook and Google calendars.
According to Facebook, the experience was designed to use a person's hands as the primary input, instead of the VR controller. This makes it easier to switch between physical tools like a keyboard and the controller.
The hand-tracking and spatial audio features are available now for developers to use in third-party apps. The company plans to make avatars, Passthrough, the mixed-reality desk and tracked keyboard capabilities available as well.
Users need a Workrooms account in order to use the app, which is separate from both Facebook and Oculus accounts. Facebook has a VR code of conduct which sets expectations for behavior in the virtual world, including a ban on impersonating a Facebook employee. Workrooms is available in 22 countries.
