Articles about Augmented Reality

At the Hot Chips conference this week, Microsoft has shed some light on the hitherto secretive specifications of its augmented reality HoloLens. Now that anyone with $3,000 spare is able to buy a headset, there's never been more interest in what's actually inside the case powering the AR goodness.

The holographic processing unit (HPU) at the heart of HoloLens is a seriously multi-cored beast. The Register reports that it is a "TSMC-fabricated 28nm coprocessor that has 24 Tensilica DSP cores". Of course, there's much more to the device than just this chip.

Continue reading →

When Microsoft announced its entry into the world of augmented reality with HoloLens, there was a great deal of enthusiasm from the technology community. But while HoloLens is undeniably exciting, there was a problem -- it was only available to a very select few.

Now that changes. Anyone who has $3,000 to spare, and who lives in the US or Canada, can get their hands on a headset right now. It's the Microsoft HoloLens Developer Edition that's up for grabs, but you don’t (really) have to be a developer to buy one.

Continue reading →

Both virtual and augmented reality, machine learning and big data analytics, as well as the Internet of Things, are the most in-demand skills, according to a new report by Packt.

The report, titled "Skill Up", polled more than 11,500 worldwide developers and IT professionals. Besides identifying the most sought-after skills, it also says that security is one of the highest-paying industries in 2016, especially for freelancers.

Continue reading →

Pokémon Go has proved itself to be a rare phenomenon, and it has taken the world by storm. Attracting casual gamers of all ages the augmented reality title, Pokémon Go has seen people hitting the streets in search of elusive Pokémon -- until the servers overloaded.

There have been a few glitches with Pokémon Go, largely due to its staggering popularity. But today many people found that they were unable to get online for a different reason -- the game servers were hit by hackers. A group called PoodleCorp claims responsibility for the takedown and says worse is to come.

Continue reading →

Airplanes are one of the most important inventions. Why do I say this? Well, without them, the world would be a lot larger -- figuratively speaking, that is. You see, if we were limited to things like boats, buses, and and trains, it would take much longer to travel. What are relatively short trips by plane nowadays would be incredibly lengthy and tedious. Thanks to airplanes, you can travel from USA to say, Europe, in less than a day -- a miracle!

Of course, technology and air travel are forever linked, and today we learn that Japan Airlines is leveraging augmented reality to assist in the training of its pilots. This isn't just any AR, however, but Microsoft's exciting HoloLens solution.

Continue reading →

Gotta catch 'em all! The Pokémon phenomenon, it seems, did not die. Nintendo suddenly has a surprise hit on its hands in the form of augmented reality title Pokémon Go which is already riding high in the charts. The game has proved so successful, that in the few days since its launch it has been installed on more than 5 percent of Android smartphones.

The international roll-out has been paused while developer Niantic tries to beef up its servers to cope with demand. But while US Pokémon catchers are having a whale of a time, would-be gamers in other parts of the world -- such as the UK and the rest of Europe -- are turning to nefarious sources to grab Pokémon Go APKs. The bad news is that malware writers have already picked up on the title's popularity and developed infected versions.

Continue reading →

Microsoft is opening its HoloLens to a range of partners, the company announced at Computex today. This means that future VR headsets based on the HoloLens platform will come from a variety of manufacturers, and will be available in different forms, taking full advantage of Windows 10 Anniversary Update.

With a price tag of $3,000, the existing official HoloLens headset is out of the reach of many people, but in opening up the platform to partners, Microsoft says that cheaper price points should also be available. The company is also doing something interesting. One of the criticisms levelled at HoloLens is its limited field of vision. Partners will be able to build devices with wider fields of vision meaning that the official HoloLens will almost certainly not be the best.

Continue reading →

Quality virtual reality content is starting to come fast and furious. Earlier today, I was was watching an amazing video of YouTube sensation, Barnacules, playing VR horror game, Brookhaven Experiment, with the HTC Vive. The immersive experience made me start to salivate for HTC's VR offering.

Today, Google announces another intriguing program that takes advantage of the Vive. Called "Tilt Brush", the software lets the user virtually "paint" in a 3D environment. While it may seem like nothing more than a cool demo, I see it as much more than that -- the potential future of art.

Continue reading →

Now that HTC Vive has become available, we seem to have moved past virtual reality that gives you motion sickness and we can really start to grasp its impact on various business sectors. From reinventing tourism and the music industry to changing marketing and shopping behaviors, businesses are already starting to integrate VR solutions into their strategies and plans.

But with Mark Zuckerberg recently saying he thinks VR is still ten years away from being mainstream, it’s worth examining why.

Continue reading →

HoloLens is unquestionably one of the most exciting pieces of hardware being developed by Microsoft at the moment. The augmented reality system, or "untethered holographic computer" as the software giant refers to it, was first announced a year ago, but since then there’s been no word on when we can actually expect to see it.

Today, however, Microsoft announces a Development Edition which is now open for pre-orders, with shipping starting on March 30. This is the first step towards a consumer version.

Continue reading →

HoloLens is one of the most exciting things that Microsoft is working on. First showcased more than a year ago, this headset could transform how we interact with technology on a daily basis, making it possible to display holograms on top of everyday objects. Imagine having a huge TV that is playing your favorite show showing up on your bedroom wall, or seeing snow falling down around you on a hot summer's day. The possibilities are virtually endless.

But while HoloLens has no doubt captured the imagination of many consumers, Microsoft has not made a kit available to the general public, choosing instead to only offer it for developers and businesses. Question is, why not consumers as well?

Continue reading →

We might look at augmented reality (AR) as another means of entertainment, but it is its business applications that will fuel growth for the next five years, a new report suggests.

Beecham Research's Augmented Reality and Wearable Technology -- an operational tool for the enterprise report suggests that different markets such as manufacturing, healthcare and retail, areas where AR offers a new way for people to interact with information without the use of hands, is where this technology is expected to shine in the next five years.

Continue reading →

Virtual reality is hardly new -- it has been around for many years. The sudden popularity, however, is due to lower prices and improved technology. Makeshift headsets like Google's Cardboard impressively leverage existing smartphones, but are limited by being nothing more than slabs strapped to the user's face.

Microsoft's HoloLens is far more advanced as it blends reality with fantasy, for augmented reality, or AR. Yes, it is certainly more expensive, but as wise people say, "you get what you pay for" -- AR arguably has more potential than VR. More importantly, not only is the Windows-maker's solution designed for consumers, but for business and scientific purposes too. For example, NASA is embracing HoloLens. With that said, hardware is only as good as its software, so today, Microsoft announces the opening of a developer-focused HoloLens experience at its NYC flagship store. Will this encourage development?

Continue reading →

I know this is some Iron Man-level stuff, but it is true. Microsoft’s HoloLens allows you to interact with holographic objects that are set in the real world.

If you told me five years ago that I’d be able to wear a futuristic augmented reality headset and do so many tasks, I wouldn’t have believed you. We already saw what HoloLens can do and how it can make us feel like the Iron Man (except the suit). The best thing is, we are barely scratching the surface of the capabilities of this headset. A recent research paper outlines how the headset can be used to grab live video and turn it into a hologram.

Continue reading →

Since Microsoft gave us a glimpse of its immersive HoloLens headset, there has been much pondering about just what to expect from the unit. Until we get an opportunity to go hands on with the new virtual reality cum augmented reality device, we're largely reliant on second hand information about what the experience of using HoloLens is like.

Microsoft has released new footage of HoloLens in action including an almost-first-person perspective that gives an idea of what it's like to wear. What's interesting to note is that, despite the promises of an immersive experience, the field of vision is rather smaller than many people will have expected.

Continue reading →