There was a time when virtual reality could have been a hit. In fact, there was even a movie (Disclosure, 1994) which starred Michael Douglas and Demi Moore that gave us a glimpse of what virtual reality could do. And now Microsoft tries to rekindle this forgotten tech with the HoloLens.
Revealed during the Windows 10 press conference, the HoloLens overlays 3D images on top of surroundings opening a whole new world of possibilities. The donut-shaped headset included a small computer that could be slung on a user's neck.
A demo during the event showed how the device would initially scan the area and afterwards would produce translucent images (in that scenario a castle) rising from the tabletops. Not only that, the users can also interact with their surroundings, training their eyes on any object, holding out a pointer finger and "air tapping" it with a downward flick.
Aside from that, there were other demonstrations as well to show off what the HoloLens can do. That included guiding people on certain DIY stuff, projecting photographic landscapes of Mars and how models can be constructed on space by simply pinching shapes, rotating and then gluing them all together.
Under development for five years, the HoloLens does open a whole new world of possibilities in the world of business or even private lives.
Alex Kipman is the lead inventor for the HoloLens. And similar to the last wait on virtual reality, Kipman bears that the release of the device will come within the Windows 10 timeframe. Hence, it may take some more years before we do see it in the market.
Virtual reality is something that has failed to get off the ground. But with a positive outlook and a mind-boggling demo (which unfortunately could not be recorded during the event), virtual reality is back again in the limelight. This time however, let us hope that something really comes out of it.
