Qualcomm's VR headset lets you walk in a digital world (pictures)

This virtual-reality headset won't be available commercially, though it already looks polished. Qualcomm plans to release the reference design to its manufacturing partners in the fourth quarter.

Qualcomm has aggressive ambitions for the commercial release of headsets based on this design. Hugo Swart, Qualcomm's head of home entertainment, said he expects products to come out early next year.

One of the key benefits of the reference design is that it requires no wires. The power supply and processor are all built into the headset.

The headset also has two front-facing cameras and two cameras that look inward. They can be used to sense your motion, letting you move around and duck for a more immersive experience.

The display is made by Samsung, while the headset itself is built by Goertek, which specializes in building heads-up displays.

The displays are AMOLED panels supporting 1,440x1,440-pixel resolution per eye at 70 hertz.

There isn't a set price on this reference device, though a product manager said it would cost around $600 for its partners. Commercial devices could range between $500 and $600. That's a lot better than the Vive or Oculus, which require expensive PCs too.

On the left side of the headset is a volume rocker.

On the right side is the navigation control.

The top of the headset features a home button on the side and a back button in the middle.

Qualcomm showed off two demos. The first was of a digital octopus you can walk around and under. The second had a dragon scampering around you and breathing fire.

As a testament to its rough stage, the unit had no method of detecting whether you were about to hit something. Qualcomm said one of the front-facing cameras could be used as a pass-through lens, letting you see what's in front.

Qualcomm's Snapdragono VR820 reference platform. Rolls off the tongue, right? The headset is designed to give other companies a jumping off point for their VR headsets.

The freedom of movement is similar to that of the much-higher-end HTC Vive. The graphics on the Qualcomm unit aren't as smooth or crisp, but it's also much cheaper and requires no cables.

A list of the specs and features on the reference design.