Hurdles may be present in Meta’s long-standing XR innovation journey. Last month, the Seattle Department of Labor & Industries issued a citation against Meta’s Reality Labs’ division to highlight health and safety hazards at its Matrix testing facility, potentially closing the space until Meta meets its working standards or if the Menlo Park-based firm can combat the decision. The department issued the citation in 2022, with an amended filing set last month.
Meta is now responding in the King County Superior Court to vacate the order, with the firm maintaining its Matrix facility following all local health and safety standards.
The Seattle department filled its most recent citation in mid-December, and Meta plans to fight the filling in June.
The Reality Labs division is crucial for Meta’s immersive roadmap. The space is where Meta commits critical research and development into XR hardware and software, including a recently teased secret pair of smart glasses.
Meta CTO Andrew Bosworth noted that the firm is working on an AR product, the “most exciting prototype that we’ve had to date.” The CTO also said, “I might get myself in trouble for saying this; I think it might be the most advanced piece of technology on the planet in its domain. In the domain of consumer electronics, it might be the most advanced thing that we’ve ever produced as a species.”
Meta vs. The Seattle Department of Labor & Industries
Seattle Department of Labor & Industries’ citation aims at the material that Meta uses in developing its prototype devices; the department explains that Meta should remove “all hazardous substances [at] work” or provide evidence of compliance improvement.
The Seattle Department of Labor & Industries also applied two more citations towards Meta in its December update, including a failure to decrease the original hazards and a citation covering additional dangers in the Matrix facility.
Moreover, a Seattle Department of Labor & Industries representative noted:
Our mission is to keep Washington workers safe. When there’s a hazard on the job, the employer has a responsibility to take effective steps to fix it, so their workers can be assured of going home to their families at the end of the day.
However, in defence, Meta claims that the health and safety of its employees remains the firm’s “top priority,” a company spokesperson added, “we’re working closely with state officials to take all precautions necessary to ensure a safe working environment.”
The Meta spokesperson also said:
By requiring several work practices in the Matrix facility’s cleanroom to cease, the Order imposes significant ongoing costs on Meta, which Meta will not be able to recover. [The Seattle Department of Labor & Industries] did not give Meta any prior notice that it was considering issuing an order of immediate restraint, did not attempt to obtain Meta’s agreement to voluntarily shut down any part of the Matrix facility prior to issuing the Order, and did not explain what Meta must do to avoid such a shut-down prior to issuing the Order.
The news comes as Meta aims for a busy 2024, with the firm working to optimise its product offering of MR and AR devices.
This week, reports revealed that Meta has reduced the prices of its Quest 2 VR headsets and accessories to increase the adoption of its VR technology. The company believes that making VR headsets more accessible to people in their homes is the key to driving widespread adoption and acceptance of this technology. As people become more familiar with immersive technologies in their personal lives, they will be more likely to consider using AR/VR/MR devices in their workplaces.
Meta’s price reductions make its 128GB Quest 2 available for $249.99 and the 256GB Quest 2 for $299.99. Refurbished 128GB units cost $229.99, while 256GB devices are priced at $269.99. The company has also reduced the cost of its Quest 2 accessories, including the Elite Strap, Carrying Case, Elite Strap with Battery, Active Pack, and the Fit Pack.
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