For some reason, gamers will exert a crazy amount of effort doing things for fun that would cost a lot to get developed. Here you see a main display, with AR displays to augment the central displays. This could be coming to your office soon. A lot of us who deal with a lot of information, design, etc could make great use of this.
Systems like the Nintendo 3DS and Wii-U also make use of extra displays to show menus, maps, and other UI elements to prevent them from interfering with the main game itself.
Microsoft has also dabbled with these sorts of features, with Xbox Smartglass. Using a phone app, some games were able to display second-screen functionality and even gameplay. An early version of Tom Clancy's The Division had a full-blown tablet companion game, allowing users to control an in-game support drone via Windows 8-based touch devices. I saw The Division's drone companion app running on a Surface 2 back at Gamescom 2014, and found it to be very impressive. Sadly, it never made it to the full game due to balancing issues. HoloLens could make these second screen experiences far more compelling.
Way beyond voice activation, Microsoft's system will offer a highly sophisticated 3D depth camera in tune with a pico projector to allow video conferencing to occur in any room in your home or office as the imagery could be projected on a wall instead of a computer display as noted in our cover graphic. Microsoft's home automation system could be set up in a user's home or office and act as a form of video-intercom. The system could be set up in a home in various configurations such as a device like the Amazon Echo or on the wall or ceiling so that a conversation could take place while a user is moving from room to room. ***** The projection unit 100 also comprises a rotating projection module #304 comprising at least one pico projector and optionally comprising an optical arrangement comprising mirrors and/or lenses configured to optically move light projected by the pico projector.
The ways this technology will be used will benefit us all enormously. Being part of it by providing the near-eye displays is enough. I have no idea if we're in Hololens or not, but it certainly seems like a very good fit.
The researchers showed two potential use cases for the HoloLens. In the first, called "automated progress monitoring," inspectors can actually "bring the design information to the construction site" via Microsoft's HoloLens Sketchup Viewer, says grad student Marianna Kopsida. That way, they can visualize relevant engineering data onsite in order to check building progress and take corrective actions where needed. In the other scenario, inspectors take high resolution photos on the building site, bring the data back to the office, and overlay it onto a 3D model of the project. "This copy is fully textured, data-rich and an exact replica that can be used for condition testing ... to find problems with the structure," says Cambridge researcher Philipp Huethwohl. That would let inspectors avoid physical inspections, keeping them out of danger and allowing bridges and other structures to remain open.
This is very much a company to watch. We know they get displays from Microvision (According to Vuzix financial documents) The Blade3000 does look like something that people will wear and even wear in public. (Nothing else passes that test) -- so it's something to watch. It is getting attention in the right places.
With two titans and a unicorn startup leaving their footprints in the AR field, how can the much smaller Vuzix compete? By aiming lower, says founder and CEO Paul Travers.
"We come from the perspective of practical," he told me at the company's CES booth. "We don't think you need to land the whale. It's a different approach than most companies."
Indeed, its newest device, the Blade 3000, may just be the first piece of AR hardware to be adapted by tech enthusiasts since the Google Glass. The company is aiming to introduce it to the market for under $1,000 this year, with the price dropping to under $500 in 2018. And unlike the $1,500 Google Glass, which had a design that resembled a one-eyed cyborg, the Blade 3000 looks like a pair of Oakley sunglasses.
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Vuzix, which was founded in 1997, holds more than 41 patents and has 10 additional patents pending, according to its website. It received a $24.8 million investment from Intel in 2015. Travers had worked at Eastman Kodak but said he left after many of his projects were killed by the company. He first started a business making sound cards in a basement and then sold it.
And even though Vuzix has been around for two decades, he still doesn't consider the company successful.
"If you want to succeed at being an entrepreneur, you just have to not quit, have tenacity," Travers said. "You've got to be willing to hang through the hard stuff."
Add another gaming company that is involved with Hololens. Then they allowed the release of the video. There will be tethered displays produced by other companies. It's looking like there will be a decent amount of content. VRFocus Sonic Twitter
This is really interesting news. The Hololens is a self-contained device -- with the computer in it. These will be the same kind of display -- tethered to a computer. Still targeted at developers, but at a lot more of them. Many of the advances in this technology will come from game development. Check out highlighted strategy.... this stuff is coming. My guess is that Microvision doesn't make an appearance in March with these headsets, but Good spot to watch. --
WinBuzzer The company will start selling headsets to developers to coincide with the Game Developers Conference. The Windows 10 Holographic Shell powered devices will be tethered and mix aspects of augmented and virtual reality. However, these developer headsets will not be the ones built by OEMs for consumers. They are going to arrive later in the year. Microsoft partners such as Acer, Asus, Lenovo, Dell, and HP have confirmed they are creating VR headsets.
If you are invested in a company that provides a better key component to something that is going to grow this fast, you're well positioned. Augmented Reality -- because of it's appeal in use cases like this, and because of the enthusiasm of gamers -- is going to grow much faster than most have predicted. Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA)
Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) announced it has adopted Microsoft HoloLens, a mixed-reality technology that allows users to engage with digital content and holograms.
Microsoft HoloLens creates an end-to-end solution for DEWA energy plants with 3D representation of real data, offering a holographic and scenario-oriented view of the DEWA Smart Grid. Business Review Europe -- more at the source
More than 24,000 thyssenkrupp engineers will be equipped with HoloLens, a mixed reality device that will allow them to visualise and identify problems with elevators ahead of a job and have remote, hands-free access to technical support when on site.
Given that a headset retails to American and Canadian consumers for $3,000 dollars, this is no small investment being made, although training 24,000 engineers will not be as daunting a task as some might think. A quick demonstration later, and even the less-technologically gifted attendees were online ordering spare parts from Germany via a few virtual nudges and points.
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“We have parts from Memphis, New York, Georgia, machines from Germany, equipment from Brazil, Canada, Italy, China and Korea,” Schierenbeck says. “That is a lot of complexity so you can imagine if you need to fix a German machine with the help of an expert in a different time zone, it can be time consuming.
“This is where HoloLens comes in. It is a completely new way for technicians to work faster, easier and safer. There are three major use cases. Firstly, remote support. You don’t have to fly in an engineer, you can connect over skype straight away and they can see what you are doing. The next element is training – the HoloLens will let you see the parts in 3D to help you understand and self-learn. The final part is preparation for the job, all hands free in augmented reality.”
All the signs so far are showing that this leads to one result – an increase in uptime. Microsoft HoloLens’s General Manager Sam George, having shown me how simple the device really is to use, goes into detail about the enormous scope of use cases and applications, which includes bringing live sporting events to life.
Hustled off to visit a friend this morning before I got done reading my alerts.
This one showed up when I resumed reading this afternoon.
A decent summary of what is going on in augmented reality -- and a nice mention of Microvision.
Spectrum.ieee Also in the AR-heavy category, and already shipping to developers and some business customers, is Microsoft’s $3,000 HoloLens, an AR headset with all its necessary computing performed on board. The trade-off Microsoft made to make this technology portable is in its field of view: At less than 45 degrees, it’s like looking through a small window. One of Microsoft’s competitors, Meta, is taking preorders from developers for a $950 headset with a 90-degree field of view—but the Meta headset requires tethering to an external computer to operate. Both project images outward, not directly on your retina, as Magic Leap is expected to do. But Magic Leap may not end up being the only AR retina display out there. Kartik Hosanagar, professor of technology and digital business at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, says he believes that MicroVision, a pioneer in retina displays, may move into commercial augmented reality.
So, we have been watching Microvision for Hololens, but they're going to support augmented reality with their software to support other companies devices as well. These -- according to TheStreet will arrive in the first Quarter of 2017 Augmented Reality is already being used -- and there is demand already from Industry -- which is HUGE. The price will come down to $300 from $3000-- (Lenovo and Dell). When Windows Holographic OS arrives... this year. And -- working on software to combine projection along with near eye displays. (yes, the video uses a fixed projector, but in the wild it would need to be attached to the wearable devices. I'm counting three times Microvision could be included in the same device. Future is looking good to me.
Holodeck closer to reality Why Microsoft is betting on AR -- The Street In Q1, Microsoft partners Asus, Acer, HP (HPQ) ,Lenovo and Dell plan to launch a line of $300 Windows 10 headsets that will enable both virtual reality and mixed reality experiences and run on PCs costing as little as $500. At the other end of the spectrum are devices such as Microsoft's $3,000 HoloLens Development Edition goggles, which are for companies and software developers to test and build apps for.
The key to Microsoft's approach is its launch sometime in 2017 (the company has not said exactly when) of Windows Holographic, a version of Windows 10 built for mixed reality applications, via a free online update (it's available right now, though, on the HoloLens Development Edition). Companies such as Volvo and Thyssenkrupp Elevators, and institutions such as Case Western Reserve University and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are actively using HoloLens.
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Cincotta said developers can target mixed reality experiences destined for a range of VR, AR and mixed reality devices, and not just for the HoloLens.
According to Alexis Macklin, VR analyst at research firm Greenlight Insights, Microsoft's approach is different from what top VR and AR companies are doing. Microsoft is starting to position its VR and AR product suites as business tools that help deliver digital transformation for enterprises.
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Microsoft will be in a unique position when Windows 10 headsets begin shipping because those devices will support the full spectrum of mixed reality. Cincotta said it's up to each company how it designs its headset to take advantage of these emerging technologies. The headsets are expected to debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas next week, when consumer launch dates will also be revealed.
Much of what we have seen in the past is still there -- This kind of projection can be done with regular projectors, but to ensure that everything is in focus, (I'm pretty sure) would cost a lot more computing horsepower than simply having an always in focus laser projector. This does look like a LOT more fun than a lot of other things they've come up with.
For regular movies and shows --- could be a lot more immersive by hinting at surroundings... (A forest, city, farm or bar scene could be changed so that you feel like you're actually THERE.)
Microsoft has already acquired Illumiroom, a proof-of-concept projector system that can augment the area surrounding the TV to reflect what's being seen on the console. This hardware akin to the Surround Sound only in visual form may befeatured in the Xbox Two according to Tech Radar.
However, Microsoft claimed that the hardware is too costly for mass production in Xbox One. To have it in Xbox 2 may push the price higher, an impractical move for Microsoft right now especially with the delayed arrival of the console.
Dissection labs are often cramped, with too many students per cadaver to afford everyone a good view. The chemicals used to preserve the bodies are harsh and can provoke allergies in some people, and the labs are difficult and expensive to maintain.
Could there be a better way for medical students to learn anatomy? One university thinks so: when Case Western opens its new health education campus in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic in 2019, students won't learn anatomy from cadavers, they'll learn it from virtual reality.
"In 2013, I was part of a team that was asked to teach anatomy completely digitally -- not having any cadaver lab in this new building. Obviously, this is a pretty big challenge. We've had many hundreds of years of teaching anatomy the same way, but we also thought the time was right to think about doing it in a new way... it's very difficult to maintain a cadaver lab, the cost and infrastructure required to maintain that is very difficult. Not only is there the challenge of having people's bodies donated, but there's a lot of challenge around all the environmental concerns," Mark Griswold, a professor in the department of radiology at Case Western, told ZDNet.
When Microsoft launched its Surface Hub conference room computers about a year and a half ago, we weren't entirely sure what to make of them. On the one hand, they offered a smart mix of video conferencing, digital whiteboarding, and collaborative working with a price that felt surprisingly low—$6,999 for the 55-inch version and $19,999 for the 84-inch version. On the other hand, meeting rooms are where old technology clings on to the bitter end; VGA ports are still abundant, clunky video conferencing systems are the norm, and for many companies a whiteboard is as high-tech as it gets.
There were initial signs of strong demand. Microsoft delayed the release, from September 2015 to January 2016, claiming that higher than expected demand (in particular of the 84-inch version) meant the company needed to change its manufacturing capabilities. The company also hiked the price of both models by $2,000, to $8,999 and $21,999—another move suggesting that demand was healthy.
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The average Surface Hub customer is buying about 50 devices for each deployment, and the company has achieved will hit more than 2,000 customers by the end of the year. One (unnamed) car manufacturer bought 1,500 of the things. Though Microsoft didn't reveal the exact mix between sizes, Surface Hub looks like it's another billion-dollar-a-year business for the software giant—to boot, it's a piece of hardware that it got right even in version one. In a Forrester report commissioned by Microsoft, it's claimed that meetings start more promptly—less faffing about to get remote attendees dialed in or computers hooked up to the projector—saving 15 to 23 minutes per meeting. Less measurable, Microsoft claims that Surface Hub is also driving greater meeting engagement, with people standing up and engaging with each other and the screen rather than hiding behind their laptop screens around a conference table or quietly playing games on their phones.
Sometimes, timing is everything, I don't know if the timing of this particular event is coincidental or meaningful. Prior to now, the Surface Phone was rumor ware. There were rumors about it. This confirms that it will exist. I consider this proof that there will be a surface phone. WE don't know what features it will have, but the timing and the language around it are interesting and worth paying attention to. Part of that language includes "Microsoft Continuum." I don't think Microsoft uses language by accident, so the TV or monitor is still part of the game, but "projector" is also meaningful. Draw your own conclusions.
"The Commercial Times of Taiwan reports that ODM Pegatron, which produces the iPhone and also the Surface Studio, is currently running production trials on the mythical Surface Phone." “We don’t want to be driven by just envy of what others have, the question is, what can we bring? That’s where I look at any device form factor or any technology, even AI. We will continue to be in the phone market not as defined by today’s market leaders, but by what it is that we can uniquely do in what is the most ultimate mobile device,”
Microsoft Continuum Continuum turns your phone into a big-screen projector and a big-time productivity tool. Use a dock or adapter to connect to a TV or monitor, then use your apps and see your content on a larger screen. Or, show off your favorite stuff on a Windows 10 PC without needing a dock or adapter. Want to do even more? Connect a keyboard and mouse and get started.
Although Windows Phone devices were definitely not a priority for Microsoft in 2016, the tech giant's CEO Satya Nadella recently raised lots of eyebrows by claiming that it's Microsoft's intention to eventually bring forth "the ultimate mobile device". Supposedly, this will be the ever-elusive Surface Phone, which has been a favorite rumor subject for the Microsoft-loving crowd.
According to reports out of Taiwan, Microsoft’s rumored Surface Phone is said to be running trial productions of the upcoming handset. The company behind the production is said to be Pegatron whom some of you guys might know as one of Apple’s main producers of the iPhone alongside Foxconn.
A Cool video. This technology is going to advance a LOT faster than people think. This device is in the development stage, and companies are coming out with applications and using it productively already. Some of this stuff that looks really easy to use requires an enormous amount of work to make it go. They've been working REALLY hard on this and have accomplished a lot.
I'm sure there's a lot of pressure at Microsoft to get it done quickly.
Great software applications require great displays.
What will exist with Augmented Reality is a way to increase productivity immensely, and increase learning about things immensely.
When you can label reality, people can learn faster. Imagine being able to label things as they need to be identified and tools as they are about to be used. Being able to see through things that are being studied... that's possible with AR.
Pearson, the world’s largest textbook company, has announced a collaboration with Microsoft at the EDUCAUSE 2016 to explore the power of mixed reality to solve real challenges in areas of learning, ranging from online tutoring and coaching, nursing education, and engineering to construction and surveyor training.
With Mixed Reality learning content can be developed for HoloLens that provides students with real world experiences, allowing them to build proficiency, develop confidence, explore and learn.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Lubbock and San Diego State University are both part of a Pearson mixed reality pilot aimed at leveraging mixed reality to solve challenges in nursing education. Today many nursing programs hire and train actors to simulate scenarios nurses will face in the real world — a process that is hard to standardize and even harder to replicate. As part of the mixed reality pilot, faculty at the two universities’ schools of nursing are collaborating with Pearson to improve the value and efficacy of the types of simulations in which students participate.
The Windows Surface Phone will also be coming with the Mobile Continuum feature. According to the Windows Website, "Continuum turns your phone into a big-screen projector and a big-time productivity tool. Use a dock or adapter to connect to a TV or monitor, then use your apps and see your content on a larger screen."
Contents on your Windows smart phone can also be viewed on a Windows 10 PC via Continuum without the need of a dock or an adapter. Basically, with the help of additional hardware, your phone will become like a PC with the help of Continuum.
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/microsoft-surface-phone-review-specs-price-release-date-mobile-continuum-170889/#xPG1wutBQUvwVmFW.99
