Augmented Reality is one of the emerging technologies that is expected to grow by $180 billion by year 2020. As Allen O'Neill writes, this is An Opportunity You Should Not Ignore.
Microsoft mixed-reality has changed the way we build and consume 3D objects using holograms, and HoloLens is the device to do so. Microsoft HoloLens Developer edition was released on April 30, 2016 and since then there have been speculations on the next release of the device.
Microsoft HoloLens is a fully holographic computer that features an Inertial Measurement Unit, an Intel 32-bit CPU (1 GHz), and a custom made Holographic Processing Unit (HPU). While IMU includes an accelerometer, gyroscope, and a magnetometer, four environment understanding sensors, an energy-efficient depth camera with a 120°×120° angle of view, a 2.4-megapixel photographic video camera, a four-microphone array, and an ambient light sensor. The device is powered by Microsoft Windows 10 operating system. The device also ships 2GB RAM, 1GB HPU RAM, and 64GB flash memory.
Microsoft wants to take holographic computing to the next level by mixing it with artificial intelligence and machine learning. The next version of HPU (2.0) will have artificial intelligence built into it.
“..the second version of the HPU, currently under development, will incorporate an AI coprocessor to natively and flexibly implement DNNs. The chip supports a wide variety of layer types, fully programmable by us. Harry showed an early spin of the second version of the HPU running live code implementing hand segmentation.
The AI coprocessor is designed to work in the next version of HoloLens, running continuously, off the HoloLens battery.”
For developers, HoloLens apps open up doors to new revenue by building mixed reality apps using UWP and Unity.
Check out Learn HoloLens and Learn UWP sections of C# Corner. Here are some more HoloLens articles:
Getting Started With HoloLens Apps
HoloLens Frequently Asked Questions