July 23, 2015
I remember just a few years ago when I saw the first holographic display at a technology convention. It brought the famous Star Trek line “Beam me up Scotty” to life. I could imagine the possibilities in our personal and professional lives.
Now, with the release of Windows 10 on July 29, the power of holographics will be in the hands of users.
Holographic computing is among the new features and functionality provided in Microsoft’s Windows 10. Microsoft calls it HoloLens. Windows 10 is being called the “next generation of Windows” – reminding guys like me about what once was mere sci-fi.
HoloLens allows your computer display to become untethered and appear on a wall or in the air anywhere – with the tap of your finger. Is this the end to the television display as we know it today?
The applications and implications of holographic computing are significant. It means no longer focusing on what size display to buy. Users can resize the display and put it anywhere – with their fingers. Users can pin multiple “holograms” in their environment.
How It Works
You can begin watching a video or creating a presentation in one room and say “Follow me” and the image will follow you – like one of those cartoon thought clouds. Then, with the tap of your finger, put it in place in another spot.
HoloLens operates without cords, a computer or even a smartphone. Reminiscent of Star Trek, the technology runs through a headset that resembles a large pair of futuristic sunglasses. The system responds to both finger and voice commands.
The technology does not actually work on holograms, as the name may suggest. It actually is created through what’s called augmented reality, which uses movement of the senses, virtual objects and light bouncing to create the three-dimensional experience.
What It Can Do
HoloLens will work with any Microsoft Universal Windows app. That makes the possibilities wide open. Here’s a glimpse of the applications:
Display a weather app on an end table. - Build a 3D model of an object for printing.
- Overlay engineering instructions of something you’re creating.
- Provide hands-on instruction over Skype or another video conferencing app.
- Play a video of your daughter’s first steps on the living room floor, like she is taking them for the first time.
- Conduct team-building (gaming-like) exercises across remote locations. (Microsoft owns the popular Minecraft game, so many gaming apps are likely to follow.)
Some have called HoloLens the “coolest thing Microsoft has done to date.” That’s a big compliment. At the least, HoloLens is opening up new possibilities and taking the human computer interface to a new level. The technology will continue to grow, adapt and impact how we live and do business.
I’m excited to see how the human computer interface will continue to change. Keep watching those sci-fi movies like I do to get a glimpse of the future. Maybe a chip in your head?
Read my blogs on what sci-fi predictions have been come true and technology sci-fi movies get wrong.
