Technology You Can (Almost) Touch, Holograms & Mixed Reality

There has been much emphasis on virtual reality (VR) headsets being the “gift of choice” this Christmas and sales of Oculus Rift, Vire and other VR headsets seem to bear this out. VR headsets allow the wearer to enter a virtual environment as part of a game or learning experience and be immersed in that environment. Augmented Reality (AR) goes further and creates a virtual object, usually on a tablet or smart phone screen from transmitted or stored data and a “key” which triggers the visualisation. This has been mainly used in marketing and advertising and permits consumers to “see” and customise a purchase before buying.
Released in the UK on 30th November, Microsoft have entered the market with their HoloLens headset using mixed reality (MR). MR allows the wearer of a headset to still see the “real” world but have holograms superimposed in their line of sight. Holograms that they can interact with, speak to and manipulate. Almost touch! Imagine a game where the “monsters” appear in your room and which if you don’t get them can cause virtual damage to your walls, doors etc. Imagine a Skype call where the caller “appears” in front of you and that you can walk around in 3D. Imagine seeing the working of a complex machine superimposed on the real thing or the anatomy of a patient overlaid on the real person. Imagine designing a product, vehicle, building or anything where the design software can interact in real time with a 3D hologram next to you or around the globe making changes which you – or your client – can inspect and comment on. All of this is possible and in full colour!
Come along to the 3M Buckley Innovation Centre on 27th February 2017 at 4.30 to 6.30 pm to experience the future, first hand and with one of the first headsets in the region. The event will offer an opportunity for visitors to hear about the potential uses of the HoloLens in Product Design, Engineering, Architecture and Heritage, Hazardous Environments, Healthcare, Training and Computer Gaming and see and try* the system. Visitors will also have an opportunity to discuss ideas for possible uses of MR, AR and VR for their businesses with our design and visualisation team.
*We will be asking visitors to put their business cards into a draw on arrival for a chance for up to 6 people to try the headset at the event. Others will be able to take the opportunity to make an appointment to try the system and assess it’s application to their business in the future.
Please visit the events section of our website to register to attend.

For more information visit http://www.3mbic.com/event/technology-can-almost-touch-holograms-mixed-reality-mr-huddersfield/