Microsoft’s HoloLens mixed reality device often seems to be overlooked in discussions of VR, as it isn't really a consumer-facing device right now. It costs around $3000 for developer edition and $5000 for commercial edition.
In this post, we are going to discuss about the future of Microsoft HoloLens and its uses, as it is now a most interesting topic.
Somehow or other, Microsoft’s HoloLens mixed reality device often seems to be overlooked in discussions of VR. On the so-called “high end”, it’s PlayStationVR, HTC Vive, and Oculus Rift that tend to grab headlines and generate attention. And on the lower end, we hear a great deal about Samsung Galaxy VR, Google Daydream VR, and even a few smaller “gadgets” like Google Cardboard and its imitators.
Microsoft HoloLens falls outside of this entire range, given that right now it isn’t really a consumer-facing device. Its development edition, for individual developers who are ready to get started, currently costs $3,000. And its “commercial suite”, for organizations, is a whopping $5,000. So, with both price and availability more or less excluding the bulk of the consumer market, what is the HoloLens actually for? What’s next for its use? These are a few interesting areas to watch.
Ford has made headlines recently by employing the Microsoft HoloLens in order to design new models for its cars. Mixed reality design allows for rapid prototyping in a virtual environment, as opposed to the need to actually build physical models of new concepts.
It’s not an entirely new concept given that computer graphics have long been able to simulate designs; but the HoloLens is being used in a similar manner to create life sized models. The program can also project new features or changed designs on an existing physical model. It’s a somewhat unexpected but fascinating idea that could well change (and improve) how cars are made in the future.
This is more about using the HoloLens for entertainment purposes, but it’s something that’s been discussed between Formula 1 and Microsoft executives. The idea is to use mixed reality to enhance the experience of watching F1 races.
That could mean, for instance, that by looking at a passing car with the HoloLens, perhaps in person or on television, one could learn who’s driving, or what the specifications of the vehicle are. Information could even pop up displaying what place the car is in, or what its last lap time was. Basically, it’s like live stat-tracking for a racing event.
Building off of the idea of F1 a little bit, we also know that virtual sports are becoming popular online. These are sports with the action simulated by computer graphics, meaning they aren’t actually real competitions. Yet they’ve become fixtures at several sites online, and many fans actually watch and bet on the events regularly.
Right now there is no clear connection to HoloLens. But the Formula 1 example makes the potential quite clear. Watching virtual sports in HoloLens could allow users to see information relevant to the contest when they look at certain virtual athletes. For that matter, the same idea can (and may well) be applied to real sporting events. We could see stats and information about athletes in much the same way we will with Formula 1 vehicles.
Finally, HoloLens has also been brought up in this oddly specific but very important arena. Chair lifts and the like are becoming quite popular with elderly individuals who wish to retain the independence and comfort of living in their own homes. But typically these mobility applications need to be installed after the fact, as homes aren’t designed to host them initially.
HoloLens is showing the potential to allow customers to quickly view exactly how their chairlift will look in their homes, and allow companies to customize those chairlifts exactly to a given home environment. Again, it’s a fairly specific application, but a tremendously productive one.
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