Windows Holographic Cocktail: A Mix of VR, AR And 3D Manipulation

Magic Leap may have opened our eyes to mixed reality, a combination of reality and virtual reality, augmenting everything we thought was possible, but Microsoft Hololens was the first to make our holographic dreams come true. Now, Windows Holographic is the chance to experience that impressive technology through VR gears and “devices of all shapes and sizes” #realitymagic

Microsoft announced today the inclusion of Windows Holographic in the next update of Windows 10, offering a “holographic shell and interaction model, perception APIs, and Xbox Live services.” Since shipping Microsoft Hololens in March, people from different industries – architecture, fashion – have tried their hand at mixed reality. The results are astonishing – the ideas flow freely and take shape before your eyes, giving you a clear look of what they will be like in phyisical form.

From there on, the limit is the sky: “The development opportunity is significant – as all holographic apps are Universal Windows apps, and all Universal Windows apps can be made to run on the Windows Holographic platform. In fact, there are already hundreds of Universal Windows Apps in the Windows Store today that run on Windows Holographic.”

Indeed, an entire creative meeting could take place in this mixed reality, bringing together people from across the world. Just check the demonstration above, where with the help of a VR headset one person can map the room, discard or rearrange objects, thanks to the next-gen hand tracking technology, another can come to help as a hologram and all of them can take inspiration from the cloud and manipulate the set in 3D with either a pen or a special controller. That makes for a pretty great picture of the future… at least, until Magic Leap will sweep us off our feet.

Suddenly, an all-hands meeting isn’t so boring anymore 😉