Back in August of 1995, while I was still in college, Microsoft released Internet Explorer 1.0 for Windows 95. Windows NT was given version 1.5 a couple of months later.
In November of 1995, IE 2.0 was released for both operating systems.
By August of 1996, IE 3.0 was released free of charge and it was actually bundled in the operating system.
Now you may be wondering what this has to do with the here and now and Microsoft’s latest operating system, Windows 10…
Well, by bundling the browser into Windows, it made the web main stream. While the web was actually created in 1991, it wasn’t until 1996 that many people knew of it’s existence.
Now, over two decades later, it is hard to imagine a world without the internet.
Microsoft is going all in on 3D and it shows because…
Microsoft is now bundling Mixed Reality into Windows.
They have included mixed reality inside of the Windows Creator’s Update that was just released.
What does this mean? Well, it means that…
Mixed Reality is going main stream…
I remember watching Microsoft’s Build 2015 conference from the comfort of my desk chair as it streamed live and seeing Alex Kipman reveal this new standalone PC that you wore on your head called a HoloLens.
It wasn’t April 1st, but it sure felt like it was a joke. How in the world is there a device that is actually placing holograms in the world?
“This is awesome! … if it is real …” is what I kept thinking…
I was skeptical, but I still immediately signed up to get the device. I successfully signed up under Wave 1. The device was going to cost $3,000 – ouch!
But I didn’t care, this was the future … if it was real…
The HoloLens device was real!
I kept a close eye on all things related to the HoloLens. It wasn’t a joke. It was real. This device could actually produce holograms that understood the real world! It had this cool new piece of technology called the Holographic Processing Unit (HPU).
The HPU is responsible for taking the data from the different input camera the HoloLens has and convert that data into something useful.
Spatial Mapping
The HoloLens has the ability to scan the room and create a 3D mesh that represents the real world. This is the work that the HPU is doing.
Then, as a developer, you can work with that 3D mesh.
This means you can have holograms walking around in your living room and then run into the side of the couch. You can create dynamic levels based off the furniture in the room like Young Conker.
It means you can have a holographic person walk into the room and sit down in a chair or on a couch and have a conversation with you like the game Fragments.
Businesses are looking for developers who can make these mixed reality experiences
Not only can you make these awesome experiences for your own enjoyment, but there are businesses who are currently looking for developers with this skillset.
There are a number of businesses who have already purchased HoloLens devices and are looking for developers that have the skillset needed to created these science fiction type of experiences.
Some of the companies that are working with the devices are Volvo, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Honda, Japan Airlines, and thyssenkrupp Elevator, are just a few…
What is Mixed Reality exactly?
Virtual Reality is a fully immersive experience where the user’s focus is solely on the virtual world. Popular VR devices are the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive.
Augmented Reality, on the other hand, augments the real world through some viewport, typically a mobile device, by adding virtual elements over top of the real world.
Mixed Reality allows the user to be aware of both the real world and the virtual world at the same time.
Mixed reality breaks down the barriers between physical and virtual realities.
You can get a head start on this ground breaking technology today!
I’m Chad Carter and I’ve been a professional software developer for over two decades now.
I received my HoloLens device in April of 2016 and have been working with it ever since. In September of 2016, I started a premium membership site at LearnHoloLens.com.
Every month, I release premium master classes to the members as well as have Live Q & A sessions.
If you want to see how you can shortcut your Mixed Reality and HoloLens development journey, head over to Learn HoloLens. Enrollment is only open to the public a couple of times a year.
It is currently open.
Do be aware that the doors to the membership will close at midnight on Thursday, April 13, 2017.
If you are reading this during a time when enrollment is closed, go ahead and jump on the notification list so you can know when it opens again.
Mixed reality is the future. If you want to make sure you aren’t left behind, head on over to LearnHoloLens.com and check it out.
