Tag: hololens

Augmented Reality: How Far Have We Come?

Technology today is improving at a rapid pace. A quick look at our workplaces and homes would reveal that many things that we take for granted today were not possible 10 years ago even after the concerted efforts of the best tech minds.

As digital technology continues to grow deep into every into every aspect of our daily lives, It’s only a matter of time before it starts to replace our plain old visual experiences with something a little more engrossing, and here is where the Augmented Reality(AR) will find its opportunity.

The concept of Augmented Reality was coined In 1992 by researcher Tom Caudell .It’s an experience that supplements the real world with a virtual layer of extra information. It is the seamless blending of virtual reality and real life which when executed correctly creates content that blends in with the real world. With Augmented Reality, users are able to interact with virtual contents in the real world, while being able to distinguish between the two at all times.

Virtual Reality’s lesser loved cousin, Augmented reality, has been around for some time now and has in the past tried to find real world applications in Defence, Healthcare, and Education sectors. But unlike the former the tech industry has yet to come up with a concrete plan to unleash its full potential and increase its reach while keeping costs down, but all that is about to change very soon.

2016, as many analysts predict, might be the year for Virtual Reality, but AR is making solid strides towards walking hand in hand, if not over taking it. Microsoft HoloLens, Meta 2, Project Tango are but a few ideas that the tech industry has in mind to bring Augmented Reality to the mainstream.

Microsoft’s take on AR is the hologram-themed augmented reality glass which to quite an extent is the true augmented reality concept that will, ideally, have wearers interact with screens and full-color virtual objects wherever they are. This tech will blur the lines between real and virtual, merging them seamlessly into one to enrich the experience of our daily lives with extra content.

Though the HoloLens project is still at a nascent stage, demos reveal users fixing light switches with the help of virtual assistants through the Skype AR app. The HoloLens also allows you to take an augmented-reality trip to Mars, seeing what a rover might see, projected entirely on the floor in front of you.

Another AR project, Meta, in its second iteration will look to replace monitors from your life.This move if carried out correctly will be both economical and productive. It can also usher in a new era of privacy and security allowing a user secure viewing of content while still being around people. Meta has the capability to produce an infinite number of tabs and screens working at the same time all in front of you like images on a wall with the only bottleneck being your own field of view.

Most promising of the upcoming lot though is the Magic Leap project. The industry estimates this idea to be so big that they have already managed to secure $1.4 Billion in funding at a Kickstarter level, and is already valued at $4.5 Billion. The Magic Leap head mounted device will use a camera to show you the room or environment you’re already in but seamlessly layering in computer-generated objects which would suddenly see a dragon breaking through the wall, or the user fighting a Pokemon battle in the middle of the room against another friend in the room.

Several other uses of Augmented reality are also being explored in the form of Google’s Project Tango which can draw 3-D maps of a room the user is in and detail how a piece of custom furniture or a new wall running through it look in it.

Augmented reality is full of potential, and these are but a few of the applications of this budding technology. Industry big shots believe that AR has more of a potential that VR and could outgrow VR significantly in the coming years. With hardware finally mature enough to support the dream of Augmented Reality many suggest the future might be closer than we think. A future more exciting and fun than you and us could even dream of right now.

March 5, 2016
Microsoft Shows Off an Incredible Holographic Version of Minecraft

Microsoft kicked off the annual E3 Expo yesterday with a bang. The first announcement was a brand new Xbox Controller for elite gamers. In addition to that, the company announced that hundreds of older Xbox 360 games will now be compatible with the newer Xbox One console. But this was just a warm-up. Microsoft then introduced the Minecraft HoloLens demo.

The HoloLens, which was showcased earlier this year, is a one of a kind wearable that brings science fiction into reality. It is a mere headset which when connected with any PC running Windows 10 will merge and blur the lines between the digital and the physical. At the E3 conference, Michael Saxs Persson of Microsoft Studios came on stage with the HoloLens in hand to demonstrate an all-new version of Minecraft. The video also clarified the growing rumours about the company’s Minecraft acquisition worth $2.5 billion. With this, Microsoft has shown its hard work to twist the conventional approach of playing games.

The Minecraft HoloLens demo shows a huge holographic photo running on a plane surface in 3D mode. Users can play Minecraft right on your wall and can also transfer it to another surface. You can control the world through voice input and hand gestures. Also, you can zoom in and zoom out, using your voice. The demo also revealed that the game is aware of your eye movements.

A big plus while playing with HoloLens is that another user can play along with a surface, without the HoloLens on.

Watch the Minecraft HoloLens demo below:

June 16, 2015
Sony’s Augmented Reality Glasses Goes Up for Sale in 10 Countries

Sony dipped its toes in the field of augmented reality two months back with the launch of SmartEyeglass. The electronics maker is now putting the transparent lens eyewear on sale in 10 countries across the globe.

The smart glass going on sale is the Developer Edition of AR eyewear and comes at a price of $840. The 10 countries where it will be accessible are Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, UK, and the USA. It is a Developer version, the general audience will get their hands on the device in a while. Only the business customers of the following countries would be able to get their holds on the AR tool.

For a while now, an influx of augmented reality devices has increased in the technology sector. Earlier Google came up with the Google Glas, which was pulled back from the market recently. Microsoft also stepped in the arena with the introduction of the HoloLens and gathered appreciation for bringing alive a cordless, self-contained Windows computer with holographic capabilities.

The Sony SmartEyeglass is a see-through binocular that superimposes text, symbols and images into the natural field of view. It projects a virtual image through the holographic elements to the user. The wearer can get updates of bus times, directions, and much more in front of their eyes. The device connects to the Android smartphone and mimics the behaviour of the SmartEyeglass.

For in-depth information on its working, check the video below:

https://youtu.be/Bx7O_h09HKA

March 28, 2015
Microsoft Pushes the Boundaries With HoloLens, But How Far Will it Go?

The much-awaited consumer preview of Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows 10 is here. This is, of course, the best Windows OS yet and tries to repent for Microsoft’s follies in Windows 8. There are a lot of amazing features such as the return of the Start menu, Cortana, a new browser dubbed Spartan and much more. Windows 10 seems like it might also give a boost to Microsoft’s ailing smartphone business that it acquired from Nokia. But the gizmo that won everybody’s heart was the HoloLens, a one of a kind wearable that brings science fiction into reality. We look at this amazing innovation from Microsoft and see if the biggest tech company in the world finally found its winning formula.

HoloLens can make all our displays obsolete as it can conjure a display anywhere you want

A Seamless Interaction between Digital Life and Real Life

Microsoft hits the top podium stand with the HoloLens at least in terms of imagination and innovation. The HoloLens has no match if you consider the manner in which it is presented. There have been previous attempts at making augmented reality based holographic glasses like Meta 1, but they appeared rather rudimentary. Google’s HoloLens gets the power of Windows 10 that will give it a boost above the rest. Also, with this product, Microsoft finally gets to stand up to Apple, whose biggest innovative offering has been the Apple Watch, which suffers from an extreme battery draining problem.

HoloLens bring Holographs into your everyday life.

The demos of the HoloLens were definitely mind blowing. The virtual holographic objects appear as if they are a part of the real world. Interaction with this world also feels like a breeze. Microsoft has also unveiled the Holo Studio that lets you create 3D objects in a 3D environment and then using 3D printers, bring them into the real world. Unlike most of the product demo videos that exaggerate the possibilities of the technology, HoloLens seemed to perform exactly as it was presented. The creation process of the quad copter literally felt as if we were in Tony Stark’s workspace.

The Technology

The HoloLens is a self contained computer on its own and doesn’t require connection to Phone or a PC.

The HoloLens is a self-contained computer. It includes a CPU, a GPU, and a dedicated holographic processor unit (HPU). It neither has wire nor does it require a connection to a phone, PC or any other device. It has 120 by 120 field of view, which is even wider than the Kinect. The wide view lets it see what your hands are doing even while they’re completely outstretched. The device has to process a lot of information that might lead to a lot of heat, to solve the issue; there are air vents on the side that disperse the heat. On the right side of the device are the buttons that let you adjust the volume and contrast of the Holographs.

Applications

HoloLens doesn’t just present an amazing bunch of features it also makes several previous technology such as various displays almost obsolete. With the HoloLens, you can conjure a display anywhere and of any size you desire. It can be used as a teaching tool and would bring a whole new meaning to “learning by doing”. Students can be given lessons in an interactive format where they’ll get the option to manipulate the lessons to see what happens. For e.g.; a holographic globe can be used in the class learning Geography that shows the movement of ocean currents and the formation clouds caused by it. This would be a lot more interactive than a dull map with lines drawn on them.

Lessons get interactive and more engaging with HoloLens.

You can also bid goodbye to the game boards, and the gaming consoles as the entire world becomes a virtual gaming space. As the technology will progress, developers are bound to introduce virtual reality gaming that with the might of HoloLens, will be better than anything we’ve experienced till now.

Designing process gets real easy with real time 3D modelling coupled with 3D printing.

On the enterprise front, the HoloLens will allow for virtual interactions between the entire team even if they are sitting thousands of kilometres away. Industrial designing, when coupled with 3D printing, would make the design process a lot more interactive. A vehicle designer or an architect can have an all-round view of their project and can find deficiencies and solve it after which they can get a 3D model printed.

Mars, just a HoloLens away

Microsoft has partnered with Nasa to create OnSight that lets scientists walk on Mars surface.

The coolest aspect of the HoloLens is how it is useful for the scientists at NASA. Now the researchers can have an immersive view of the Martian surface. To aid the scientists, Nasa and Microsoft have created a software called OnSight. Using the data sent by the Curiosity Rover on Mars, the scientist can have access to the surroundings of the rover to almost the same degree as a geologist on earth. Nasa plans to proactively use the OnSight software for the research. They also plan to integrate the technology in future missions including the next Mars rover expected to launch in 2020.

Microsoft will be opening the platform for developers this spring. The developers will get access to all the information during Microsoft’s Build conference from April 29 to May 1, 2015. Microsoft has said that it will be priced for both enterprise as well as consumer users. With the HoloLens and the successful preview of the Windows 10, Microsoft has finally managed to win our hearts again. With the HoloLens, everybody gets to be Tony Stark. Microsoft has not just pushed boundaries of holography but has also set a technological standard for others to match.

Dear Apple, that Watch just doesn’t cut it anymore, show us something that really blows our minds.

January 22, 2015
The 7 Most Important Announcements Made at Microsoft’s Windows 10 Event

Microsoft was serious when it called yesterday’s Windows 10 event as the unveiling of the ‘next chapter’ for the software giant. The company not only showed that it’s slowly moving away from its past failures but also managed to introduce some wildly futuristic concepts.

We are listing the top 7 announcements from yesterday’s Windows 10 event.

1. Cortana Comes to the desktop

Microsoft’s sassy virtual assistance has become first amongst others to get a desktop support. As rumored earlier, you can find Cortana just next to the task bar on your Windows 10 desktop. Cortana will be able to answer your typed or spoken questions and open documents from your local library or OneDrive. The PC version of Cortana can also take notes and tailor your experience. For example, Cortana is also integrated with a new Maps app which enables her to remind you where you have parked your car or how much time will it take to reach home. Along with this, Cortana will regularly pop-in with the latest updates on flights, football scores, stocks or whatever she understands you like, with course of time.

2. Gamers Delight

This is the announcement that made us exclaim in delight. We have been ranting about the defunct PC gaming network and Games for Windows Live being inadequate. Well, Microsoft changed it with yesterday. The company announced a new Xbox app on every Windows device allowing you to view your games collection and chat with people on Xbox Live. And the bigger news is that with Windows 10, you can stream Xbox One games to any PC or tablet. You’re no longer restricted to the gaming console. Streaming will require a one-time set up to establish a relationship between the devices, after which Xbox One games can be accessed on a Windows 10 device by clicking on the game’s name in the Windows 10 Xbox App.

3. Goodbye Internet Explorer, Hello Spartan!

Spartan has been in the news for sometime now. Microsoft’s new browsing app is a cleaner browser with a lot of shiny new features. There’s a “note-taking mode” that lets you draw over pages with a stylus or add comments with a keyboard, then save the results on OneNote. A clean “reading mode” formats a page like a book and adds a syncable reading list that’s basically “Pocket for Microsoft” or Safari’s page-saving feature. Another added bonus – Spartan has Cortana built into it.

4. Return Of the Start Menu

The new OS update is so radical it prompted Microsoft to skip straight from Windows 8 to 10. One of the biggest iterations in Windows 10 is the return of Start Menu. It not only made its come back with the new upgrade but is also said be better than ever. Windows 10’s Start Menu will now expand to a full-screen view that looks like Windows 8.1’s home screen. A new Android-style Action Center provides quick access to Wi-Fi options, Bluetooth, and other settings. Along with this Microsoft has also added the Continuum feature which is designed specifically for convertible devices, switching almost instantly from a mouse and keyboard to a tablet screen.

5. Giant Display For Enterprise

Surface hub is a giant 84-inch 4K screen meant for the workplace.The 4K display has a built-in camera, speakers, mics, Bluetooth and NFC along with a stylus as a main input device for its touchscreen interface. The new display is the outcome of Microsoft’s acquisition of Perceptive Pixel, a research company it acquired in 2012. The idea is to provide enterprises with a one stop solution for meetings with members – appearing via Skype, drawing on screen and easily sharing work between everyone’s devices.

6. HoloLens

As mentioned above, the company has also announced a wild and futuristic hardware. We were talking about HoloLens. The Microsoft HoloLens is a see-through visor that overlays holographic imagery over the real world. Born as the project codenamed as Project Baraboo, or sometimes just “B”, Hologram is powered by a new processor, what the company called a holographic processing unit. It’s equipped with sensors to detect the real world and gestures of the users, as well as holographic sound. It has no wires and doesn’t need to connect to phones or PCs.

7. Unified Role of OneDrive

With Windows 10, OneDrive will become an important aspect of the unified app system. It will allow documents to sync across devices. Cortana has also been integrated with OneDrive and now can search documents in your cloud storage through your PC. OneDrive will also play a bigger role in photo and music section with Windows 10. For example, music will sync between devices using OneDrive. Up until now, OneDrive was focused on just photo and document sharing.

January 22, 2015
Microsoft Holo Lens will bring Holographs to Life on PC

Microsoft is banking big on its new piece of technology which will bring holographic imagery to the end consumer.

Holo Lens is a mere headset which when connected with any PC running Windows 10 will merge and blur the lines between the digital and the physical. The kit will come complete with a set of APIs that enable developers to create holographic experiences in the real world.

With Windows 10, holograms are Windows universal apps and Windows universal apps can work as holograms, making it possible to place three-dimensional holograms in the world around you to communicate, create and explore in a manner that is far more personal and human.

The Holo Lens is wireless and will project the holograms in high definition and allow for a surround sound audio experience. Built directly into the hardware is a dedicated Holographic Processing Unit “HPU” ensuring a smooth transition between the software to the virtual world.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aThCr0PsyuA

January 22, 2015