Microsoft Hololens – augment reality revolution is coming
There
are many great things invented or created and today I would like to present one
of them – Microsoft Hololens.
Before
I start writing about great features that this device provides I should tell
you what it is.
Microsoft
Hololens is one of the newest devices presented
by Microsoft this year. It is a helmet with
glasses that enables displaying holograms in a
real environment.
What
does it mean? Imagine that you can put this helmet on your head and see many
different objects like cars, flowers or birds that do not exist in the real world.
What
is more, you can hear sounds that are produced
by them. Great, don’t you think?
Image
how many ideas you can realize with it. There are many scenarios where you can
use Hololens.
Skype call:
A
Skype call is realized by air tapping a
photo from your Skype contactbook, so you’re just really reaching out and
touching someone! You can keep them pinned to one place in space and time or you
can leave them loose so they can float with you as you move around the
room—it’s up to you.
Gaming:
You
can create games or applications with a great
user experience and provide amazing entertainment. There you have a great example of Hololens usage
for gaming:
If
you watched the above video, you can see that this device is real revolution.
Science:
Hololens can be used in many fields of science. The medical
field is a great example. The medical field benefits here, as
replacement parts or prosthetics can be sculpted and sized in HoloSuite, and
sent to a printer either in your hospital, or
the one across the world awaiting the piece for their patient.
Let me write something more about this amazing device
that will be a real revolution on the market. Developers can create games and
applications which will be available on this device that consist of audio and video. HoloLens is completely
wireless and requires no connection to a computer, phone, or other “brain”
device to function.
Why does Hololens stand out? There is no device on the market which enables a user to see the real world and augment reality. Of course, there is Google Glass for instance but it does not allow to create games. One more example – Oculus Rift, a helmet with glasses that you put on your head and you can play games but you can’t make this game to be part of the real world. With Hololens now you can.
Why does Hololens stand out? There is no device on the market which enables a user to see the real world and augment reality. Of course, there is Google Glass for instance but it does not allow to create games. One more example – Oculus Rift, a helmet with glasses that you put on your head and you can play games but you can’t make this game to be part of the real world. With Hololens now you can.
For
sure you are curious about what the price is and when you can buy it.
For
now only developers in the United States will
have a chance to buy it next year for 3000$. When will it be available
in Europe? There is no information from Microsoft at this point.
What
do you think about Microsoft Hololens? Have you heard about it before?
Please
share your opinion in comments!
Sources:
Google Glass Project is very similar to this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vG9vfjdcmRw) and it was supposed to expand the idea this kind of tehnology(just as you can see in the video). I had oppurtunity to test this device and sadly I was quite dissapointed.
ReplyDeleteEven now there are applications on our smartphones that pick up our GPS position and give additional info about the popular places which can be recognized by pointing at them with the camera as augmented reality (http://images.fonearena.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/LG-Wikitude-3D-Augmented-Reality.jpg). There are games connected with that as well (get to the point shown in the picture to get some points) - http://www.marxentlabs.com/top-5-augmented-reality-games-2014/
To give you some more examples, where this (or similar) technologies are used: some cameras are already having not only face recognition, but smile detection as well – they’re taking a picture when they detect your facial movement. Some machines are also trying to recognize your mood based on your mimic (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=45eLpzk6N34).
Another thing is that Kinect, in my opinion, is better for gaming industry that this Augmented Reality Helmet, because, you do not need extra hardware (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euBnBpLpmcs). But if you want - I would rather recommend Oculus RIFT (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6EImeY5RGg).
The whole idea was greatly presented in this South Park Episode(one of my favourites):
http://southpark.cc.com/full-episodes/s18e07-grounded-vindaloop
or only short clip: http://southpark.cc.com/clips/mb8mze/its-all-so-reallll
Short, but to the point presentation. Great job!
Thank you for your feedback. Examples which you presented show that currently we have big choice of products used for entertainment purposes and which are also highly developed and technologically advanced. Companies execute great ideas and all these products tempt (but for sure not the price :) )
DeleteWith this technology entertainment go to the next level, this change a lot. From simple watching a movie to be on holidays. Each of posibilities can change with this. Peoples will have options to see new world in this way. This can upgrate each of single staff on planet and its awsome
DeleteI had never heard of Microsoft Hololens . Too bad .. because it is a very interesting subject . I hope that in the future I will be able to use it. Playing with Microsoft Hololens must be exciting , when you see the game background as the real world . OMG you imagine to play The Sims with Microsoft Hololens ? Move into the world of The Sims , you build houses and use the world as one of the characters ? As if created sims with these glasses , I would have never left the house and just played :)
ReplyDeleteImagine this by using Microsoft Hololens : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z00mK3Pxc8w
Yes, it is true :) Playing Sims with HoloLens would be very interesting. Building a home in your real home. But when I think about it, it came to my mind a great example of the potential use Hololens to design and arrange interiors of flats / houses. With Hololens we would see immediately whether our ideas to furnish the flat are good or bad. What color combinations will fit together and we will see that the end result meets our expectations.I think that the creation of such a game like Sims for HoloLens will be very difficult, but as we know, technology in this area is rapidly developing, so I am sure that it is possible.
DeleteExacly! Ikea will be first company that should have this. With this you can pick every item from they gallery and place them in real enviorment. This is realy awsome.
DeleteSims with this tech will be completly different. You can start watch sim from this eye perspective, when they talk, eat party or everything. This is huge and this technology is in front of our back. I cant wait.
Amazing article @Klaudia!
ReplyDeleteFirstly I would like to say that I had chance to test this device in real conditions.
@Jakub this project is something different than Google Glass and I think that we should not compare these two.
Microsoft Hololens provides absolutely new user experience and will be real revolution on the market.
Imagine that you can connect real world with holographic objects including sound.
When I was testing it in Microsoft I was really impressed how easily user can interact with holograms.
For example we have created car that was controlled by gestures. When it hit the wall it was really damaged! :)
There was also huge whole in the ground where holographic world was presented including birds, trees and mountains.
@Klaudia I also agree with you with reference to usage of this device.
Users can use it for Skype calls, but also there is place for science - imagine that you can use Hololens to learn human anatomy. I think gamers will also be astonished!
Thank you
Wow, I'm impressed. When I was preparing this presentation, I wanted to find someone who tested this device and who put some opinion on it on the Internet, but unfortunately I did not manage it. I only found information about how we can use HoloLens, for what it could be useful, what is innovative on it, but I did not find the information about the real feelings of people who had the opportunity to test this product and their opinion on it. People write that this device is not available yet, moreover, that a long time will pass before it will be available beyond the borders of the USA. That is why I am surprised that you had a chance to test this device. From your comment I see that HoloLens has a potential and it truly may be a revolution on the market. Now, thanks to you, I want to test this device and I hope that I will have the opportunity to do it.
DeleteYea, I think this tach have potencial to change everything. Simple reading of book can be more engaging when you can hear lector, see letters/book on some nice looking place or even you can watch 3d models of each person from book then look what they do and see from different perspective where they are now. Posiblites are awsome.
DeleteFor example look how you can change your cooking experience when you have everything described with images, lector and some nice tips in time of make dish.
Nowadays we stand before a real science and technology boom. Almost everyone are excited how our life will look like in future. We have some imagination from movies, books, games etc. Do you remember times without smartphones? Not so long time ago, there were no such things, and now - nobody can live without them. A couple of days ago, I’ve realized how rapidly time goes, when I saw film on the internet, where father gives his daughter landline phone. She was confused because, she didn't know how to use it.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to keep track of new technologies, and what I can say, is that the Hololens has chance to become a big thing. Is there a chance, that in 10 years, Virtual Reality will be a part of our normal life? For me - defiantly yes. I personally can't wait for it.
I had a quite similar situation. I watched a tv show in witch a little girl got a special task. Tv presenter showed her recording tape and she has to guess what it is and how we can use it. Of course she was confused and she said that first time in her life she sees this item. It was a funny situation.
DeleteI can not imagine a world without smartphones and other smart technnology. I had a few times situation that I left my house without my smartphone and I felt like "without hand". We are very addicted to technology. It is a little scary but we can not live without it.
This situation was funny, thats true. I like it. This show how experience of each device was changed, each small idea that is added to smartphone od website can change something that will standard in few years. These innovations are most important now. Each day we can see small improvments. This change a lot, we should be prepared for this. historians will have full hands of work :)
DeleteThank You @Kladuia for decribing Microsoft Hololens because I had never heard before about this device. I think this is a very useful and fantastic technology. I'm sure that there are a lot of usages for Hololens that would stagger the imagination.
ReplyDeleteI'm waiting impatiently until it becomes avaliable for the common user. I also would like to play the Sims using Hololens like @Sylwia noticed. This was my favourite game when I was young and if it would be possible to enter the Sims world in the future I would like to do it! This would have to be an amazing experience.
You're welcome:) That is why I decided to make my presentation about HoloLens, because only a few people have heard about it. Maybe if more people hear about this device and they will want to have it, HoloLens will be more available for sale and developers will want to create programs for HoloLens. Then, who knows, maybe we go back to childhood and we play Sims in a little different way :)
DeleteI cant wait for play mario with this tech. This will be nice :D
DeleteThis is great! It is amazing how fast technology develops. Just go back only 10 years to see it. After reading and watching a video of hololens I am really looking forward to what will be in the next 10 years from now. I wonder if there will be any shows in Poland because I would go for something like this to see and test live.
ReplyDeleteI also hope that in Poland will be organized conference or a HoloLens demonstration and there will be an opportunity to test this device. But for now, I dobut that in the nearest future it will be possible. I hope that, at least on the Internet, there will be any videos of the HoloLens testing by ordinary users, not just videos promoted by Microsoft.
Deletethats true not all tech is for all ordinry peoples, not anyone can have aston martin and not anyone will have hololend(propably) but Im sure that this will be something that everyone should have in they home.
DeleteVery interesting article about news in technology. I like reading how Microsoft company develops their products nowadays. I heard about Hololens when I was watching Microsoft Conference a few months ago. It was about usage of Hololens in gameplay, it was the same what you attached in a movie in your presentation. My first impression was fascination, about how people could use this in your own homes and enjoy playing games, simple be in the game. It would be a great experience. The next thought I had is that the quality of this holograms is quite low. While I was watching this conference I felt like I was watching a game produced a decade ago. I hope it is just a prototype and Microsoft will work on improving quality of displaying 3D holograms.
ReplyDeleteThe thing that fascinates me also is Skype calls. It is a big step forward for internet conversations, when person from the other site of the world, will just sit near you. I think that now main obstacle for common user is a price. The Hololens for Skype call could only use big corporations to communicate and to negotiate without any relocations. I’m looking forward about how the Hololens will evolve, and I think, in a future every person will have a glasses like Hololens for their own.
Maybe that is why HoloLens is still not available for sale. In my opinion, Microsoft showed their new product, said what it is and how users can use it to encourage for example developers to came up with great ideas for apps, but itself will be still working on this device to improve it and in the future they introduce on the market a great hight-tech device.
DeleteThis is really great and interesting article, I had never heard about Microsoft Hololens! This is absolute revolution. I hope that i will be able to test it and see if it is better then Google Glass.
ReplyDeleteHoloLens and Google Glass both are headsets, but I think we should not compare these two devices. They are similar in the sense that they are both head-mounted displays, but it seems that Microsoft is trying to go down a different road. Google Glass was designed to perform the functions of a smartphone. Like a phone, Google Glass could support apps, provide directions, take photos and videos, and perform Internet searches. Microsoft's product is more advanced. Its headset recognizes the wearer's vocal communication, eye movement, and hand gestures to help facilitate interaction between the virtual world and the real world. But of course, I think that HoloLens is a better product than Google Glass :)
DeleteWoah that's absolutely fantastic, I've never heard of it before! I'm amazed with this news. I've heard about Oculus Rift once or twice and it was amazing but now Hololens just exploded my mind. It might be something like a e-drug or something like "You don't like your current reality? Improve it with our product"! :D I'm really curious about testing this device, sounds like an awesome idea!
ReplyDeleteIt is too early to say which is likely to offer the superior experience.
DeletePerhaps the most exciting thing about HoloLens, aside from the impressive technology itself, is that people can see plenty of genuinely useful applications for the technology. The possibilities are as varied as they are tantalising.
Great article! I’ve heard about Hololens but to be honest I’ve never had time to read about it more so thanks for sharing your knowlegde on this subject 😃
ReplyDeleteAugumented reality is a fantastic technology and as you said can be used in many fields. From my experience I can tell you about one more example of use. I was supposed to create some kind of guide for museums. It worked like this: you go to the exhibit of your interest and scan it with a special app installed on your smartphone. When the app recognizes the object it shows some additional content like description, pointers to recognizable fragments (of a painting) or even plays a video. What is more, you could even interact with this holographic content.
Unfortunately, psychologists are a little bit afraid about augumented reality. They say that we as a population, are becoming more and more isolated and withdrawn and thanks to this technology we stopped to see each other and spend time together in real life.
Here is a link to quite interesting video which shows how our future may look like:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GJKwHAvR4uI
The Google Hololens seems to be a very interesting and useful device.
DeleteYour article reminded me an application which let us create augmented reality - Metaio Creator. First time I heard about Metaio during our previous semester.
We are obligated to make a project using new technology - a short presentation about favourite artist and muzeo guide. I remember that exploring new software showed me plenty of opportunities show some extra content. I'm glad that this technology developes so fast :)
The Google Hololens seems to be a very interesting and useful device.
DeleteYour article reminded me an application which let us create augmented reality - Metaio Creator. First time I heard about Metaio during our previous semester.
We are obligated to make a project using new technology - a short presentation about favourite artist and muzeo guide. I remember that exploring new software showed me plenty of opportunities show some extra content. I'm glad that this technology developes so fast :)
I can see the applications for this product but I don't really like the strategy Microsoft chose.
ReplyDeleteThey advertise this lenses by using big words such as holograms and act like what they did is something new and revolutionary but in fact, the technology already existed and it had its name-augmented reality. What they did are glasses with a screens in them.
The sole idea of augmented reality is quite great but I hardly think that this product will make much difference in that area. Besides, who in a world would want to pay 3000$ for such product?
It's far more probable that in the near future it will be the time for virtual reality devices to shine. Their applications are similar and there are devices that are ready or near-ready for commercial release. The GearVR is having it's premiere in 5 days and it will cost 99$. Compare that to HoloLens. There's also there is SteamVR on the way and it will have it's premiere somewhere in 2016.
ReplyDeleteThat is quite a spectacular thing indeed! I think it may cause a revolution in the way we live and percieve the world. Who knows if in the future history classes HoloLens won't be presented next to the sun-centered solar system theory, or "origin of the species" ? Personally I believe it's got the potential to push the borders of limits humanity faces much further than ever before. Commercial usage of the technology would allow us all to -in a way- double the world we live in, which means doubling the possibilities we as the human kind have so far had!
I have already heard about Google Glass and Oculus Rift, but not about Microsoft HoloLens.
ReplyDeleteI think that all of these gadgets are a big innovation and a large step forward in technologies. A combination of reality with additives supplied by these devices in future may help us in a daily life, for example during driving car it can display informations about current speed or any dangerous which are near to us.
It can also be a great simulator that will facilitate learning eg. for pilots of planes.
I guess it's a matter of the few next years to get completely realistic hologram-3d/5d/whatever-d experience. That's nice, especially if not only gaming, but also more pragmatic purposes will be beneficial.
ReplyDeleteIt's also an interesting case for philosophers dealing with technology, a lot of things might go wrong there.
BTW. what comes to mind is a film by David Cronenberg, "ExistenZ"