Earlier this year we tried out Project Alloy from Intel — a reference design standalone headset that could identify its location without any external hardware required.

The system was essentially a PC pushed into the form factor of a head-mounted display and used Intel’s computer vision depth-sensing hardware and software to pinpoint its location. Microsoft, however, used the technology it pioneered with HoloLens to lure a series of PC manufacturing partners into developing VR headsets based on its tracking technology. This likely left little reason for Intel to continue Alloy.

Microsoft also debuted hand controllers that do a solid job when in view of the headset’s wide-angle cameras, with less accurate estimation when they are out of view. Intel was working with a solution from Ximmerse for similar functionality, but when we demoed Alloy at CES in January we were instead given controllers which could only be tracked with a limited range of movement. It was awkward.

The news of the Alloy cancellation was first reported by RoadToVR but we independently confirmed the news and received the following statement from Intel: