Introduction

Accessing XR content is contingent on a set of interconnected off-the-shelf hardware and software components - which we will refer to as an XR system. This section of the Knowledge Base describes the components of XR systems and introduces topics important to their long-term care.

Assessing XR Hardware

Hardware

• What kind of computer system is needed to run the software?

  • How flexible is the specification of the hardware?

  • Is a dedicated GPU required? If so, does it require one with a specific feature set?

• How is sound played back? Is this played back via the HMD or is additional hardware required to support this? e.g. audio interface, speakers, headphones.

• What kind of interactivity is supported? What kind of hardware is needed to support this?

  • Does the experience require the use of a controller or other human interface device (HID)?

  • If yes to above, can this be fulfilled by a generic piece of hardware or is a specific or custom-made device required?

• Does the experience involve sound? How is this played back?

  • Is spatial audio utilised and if so how is it played back? e.g. via positional speakers or head-related transfer function (HRTF) through an HMD or headphones.

  • Is subtitling or captioning used, or might they be needed?

• Are there any technical or conceptual reasons that specific XR hardware (e.g. HMD) is needed to access the XR content?

  • Dependency relationships with specific hardware can be baked into software when it is created (e.g. by using certain manufacturer-specific plugins).

  • A creator might prefer certain hardware for its characteristics (e.g. technical, visual, conceptual).

• How many users are supported simultaneously? e.g. single or multiple stations providing access, discrete or shared experience.

• Does the software require internet access? If so, what for and does this need to be maintained?

Acquisition Checklist

If specific or custom hardware is an important component of the XR material you are caring for, the following measures may help you maintain access and prepare for long-term preservation:

• Collecting multiple examples of exemplar hardware as a means of providing access in the short-term.

• Create disk images of any internal storage media of computers.

• Gathering documentation of the hardware and its components.

  • For custom hardware devices try and source or create circuit diagrams and a bill of materials.

• Extract and archive any related software components (e.g. the XR runtime which is required to drive the XR hardware system).