Microsoft unveils 'HoloLens' holographic computing headset

Posted:
in General Discussion edited January 2015
Software giant Microsoft announced its latest move into hardware on Wednesday, unveiling an all-new augmented reality headset dubbed the "HoloLens" that will enable users to see and manipulate holographic images in realtime, without a tethered computer.

Image courtesy of The Verge
Image courtesy of The Verge


HoloLens looks much like a plastic headband with a glass shield over the wearer's eyes. The device contains a full computer, including what Microsoft says is a "high-end" CPU and GPU, along with an in-house "holographic processing unit."

The shield itself is see-through, and projects holograms directly over what the user sees, rather than compositing them with external video and showing the resulting images on a display. The company has also built in "spatial sound," which will project a three-dimensional soundstage all around the wearer in order to identify and interact with holograms in any orientation.



HoloLens is controlled via gestures and voice commands. Microsoft demonstrated the device's capabilities on stage by using it design an autonomous drone, a process that one executive likened to "print preview for 3D printing."

Microsoft's announcement comes just days after Google halted public sales of its controversial Glass wearable and reorganized the division under former Apple iPod chief Tony Fadell.

Microsoft developed HoloLens in partnership with scientists at NASA, who expect to roll the devices out to space agency researchers later this year. There is not yet any word on pricing or availability to the general public.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 101
    kkerstkkerst Posts: 330member

    I had to reply to this because it really touched a nerve. This is not a hologram if you have to put something on your head. It's VR - that's all. A true hologram is what you see in Star Wars. That's not what they showed here. 

     

    Ironically, that is what they showed in the video, but it was a BS pipedream. 

  • Reply 2 of 101
    quadra 610quadra 610 Posts: 6,757member
    Dear god....

    And now you see why this company is totally lost in current market dynamics.
  • Reply 3 of 101
    kkerstkkerst Posts: 330member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Quadra 610 View Post



    Dear god....



    And now you see why this company is totally lost in current market dynamics.

    Now I feel like I need to go on a one man compaign to set the record straight how this isn't holography. At all. 

  • Reply 4 of 101
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by kkerst View Post

     

    I had to reply to this because it really touched a nerve. This is not a hologram if you have to put something on your head. It's VR - that's all. A true hologram is what you see in Star Wars. That's not what they showed here. 

     

    Ironically, that is what they showed in the video, but it was a BS pipedream. 




    It's augmented reality, not virtual reality.

  • Reply 5 of 101
    rogifanrogifan Posts: 10,669member
    What exactly is the point of this? I just don't get the appeal of AR/VR outside of gaming.
  • Reply 6 of 101
    I ain't no HoloLens guy.
  • Reply 7 of 101
    gumbigumbi Posts: 148member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by kkerst View Post

     

    I had to reply to this because it really touched a nerve. This is not a hologram if you have to put something on your head. It's VR - that's all. A true hologram is what you see in Star Wars. That's not what they showed here. 

     

    Ironically, that is what they showed in the video, but it was a BS pipedream. 




    It's actually AR (Augmented Reality) not VR.  The "hologram" is projected as an overlay on the real world.

  • Reply 8 of 101
    gumbigumbi Posts: 148member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    What exactly is the point of this? I just don't get the appeal of AR/VR outside of gaming.



    Well, since this was co-developed with the JPL - there must be other non-gaming uses...

  • Reply 9 of 101
    jason98jason98 Posts: 768member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Quadra 610 View Post



    And now you see why this company is totally lost in current market dynamics.

     

    I thinks MS is doing right things by finally trying to innovate and not just follow.

  • Reply 10 of 101
    Unbelievable. This has all the hallmarks of a legacy Ballmer project that intended to capitalize on the false perception that GOOGLE GLASS was going to be a game changer, and indicative of the Ballmer era that sunk Microsoft: Playing catch-up with inferior products.
  • Reply 11 of 101
    jason98 wrote: »
    I thinks MS is doing right things by finally trying to innovate and not just follow.

    At least you admitted they were/are following. This is a big step forward for you. We're proud of you!
  • Reply 12 of 101
    jason98jason98 Posts: 768member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Suddenly Newton View Post





    At least you admitted they were/are following. This is a big step forward for you. We're proud of you!

     

    Who said I am fan of MS? :)

  • Reply 13 of 101
    dimmokdimmok Posts: 359member

    Shut down this company and give the money back to shareholders!

  • Reply 14 of 101
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    What exactly is the point of this? I just don't get the appeal of AR/VR outside of gaming.



    This is completely in reaction to Facebook's purchase of that VR company. VR and augmented reality systems will be rejected by consumers and then both companies will have wasted billions on albatrosses.

  • Reply 15 of 101

    This looks pretty limited and clunky but for all the derision directed at Google Glass and now this project by MS, you can bet on it that Apple is tinkering around with their own version of an eyeglass-like wearable. I read that they've had things like this in their labs for at least a decade. Clearly, they don't have anything ready for prime time. But it's only a matter of time. 

  • Reply 16 of 101
    kkerstkkerst Posts: 330member
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by gumbi View Post

     



    It's actually AR (Augmented Reality) not VR.  The "hologram" is projected as an overlay on the real world.


    Agree, it's AR, but there is no hologram. That connotes an entirely different set of physics they didn't even address. Where's the interference pattern that is regenerated? Oh, it doesn't exist. The MIT media lab is still the only the only thing I have seen that actually generated a digital holographic video system using SAM. 

  • Reply 17 of 101
    eightzeroeightzero Posts: 3,052member

    Have no idea what to think of this. I can see a use for heads up displays, but have a hard time seeing it as a consumer device. Games maybe; hard to see it as a replacement for a HDTV screen or monitor...depends on price and what it can do. Sorta like...apple watch!

     

    Guess you have to go try it first. But it is the first MS product I've ever seen that I want to know more about. So...progress.

  • Reply 18 of 101
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by jason98 View Post

     

     

    I thinks MS is doing right things by finally trying to innovate and not just follow.




     

    Try again :)

     

    Augmented Reality is in research for quite a few years. The whole vision Microsoft presented in the video is GCI, and not their idea at all. The implementation and the real demo are promising, but nothing special.

  • Reply 19 of 101
    Quote:

    Originally Posted by Rogifan View Post



    What exactly is the point of this? I just don't get the appeal of AR/VR outside of gaming.

    AR have huge potential when dealing with complex objects.  Nasa could use such a tool to provide just-in-time-information.  Imagine astronauts being able to view a part which quickly shows them what each part does; virtual click on a part and the AR can show how to take the piece apart to say replace or to make some adjustments.  AR can be used to quickly review the part and indicate potential problem and possible solutions.

     

    The concept has potential for on earth scenarios once it has evolved and made smaller; say security staff headset will show them potential problems as well as instructions on how to proceed; I am sure various branches of our forces can use it to learn and perform better (improve just-in-time-training) for both defensive as well as offensive scenarios. The existing tech used by pilots was too limited by the AR engine which I hope this technology is going to resolve.

     

    Ordinary people may one day I can imagine use it for automated help desk; how-to-do manual for all sort of things at home, automobiles, work.

     

    Personally; I would love to have a headset that displays a huge monitors without me having to have 4 large monitors on my desk :-)

  • Reply 20 of 101
    gtrgtr Posts: 3,231member
    Princess Leia: Help me, Obi Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope!
    Obi Wan: Okay, we better go save the Princess...(struggles for a moment)...how do I get these huge f*cking things off my head!?!
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