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Microsoft demos 'holoportation' 3D presence tech with HoloLens

research.microsoft.com

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Re: Microsoft demos 'holoportation' 3D presence tech with HoloLens

#81
post #8
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a generation or two they'll do facial tracking. I imagine you'll get a full 3D model made of you, and it'll pick up the facial movements and transpose them onto your avatar

This is possible with current consumer-grade webcams. You'll video conference like you do today, except you'll see life-like rendered avatars of each participant. Participants with VR headsets will be able to see everyone else sitting at a table with them. If you don't have a headset, you'll see the same video conference UI you see today, just with avatars instead of video.

Next step - replace the avatar with an AI employee bot trained on your in-work responses, and we can all go off to the beach.

And never come back.

Re: Microsoft demos 'holoportation' 3D presence tech with HoloLens

#82
Is it just me or HoloLens sounds a bit like a Hooli product?

All jokes aside, given that the rendering quality improves, this could have interesting applications for scientists researching facial and body expressions in certain environments. It would enable them to replay scenes and emotions which current 2D/3D video fails to capture, especially because it allows you to change your viewpoint.

I doubt this will be a game changer for teleconferencing, mainly due to the oversized device you have to wear, but then again all these gadgets tend to look a bit creepy in their initial phases (e.g. the Google Glass prototype).

Re: Microsoft demos 'holoportation' 3D presence tech with HoloLens

#83
post #31
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In a generation or two they'll do facial tracking. I imagine you'll get a full 3D model made of you, and it'll pick up the facial movements and transpose them onto your avatar

Here's an example of Faceshift, which is completely markerless (Apple acquired them last year): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLfAmNDNgHk And here's a good example of the relatively high fidelity (marker-based) tracking that's happening in real-time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OdQpJgLs51w

There is also FaceRig which you can purchase on steam: http://store.steampowered.com/app/274920/

Re: Microsoft demos 'holoportation' 3D presence tech with HoloLens

#85
post #84

Downvote me if you want but HOLY FUCK! I got goosebumps when he started replaying the interaction in reverse! This is really reaaaally cool!

It was really cool! the replay with him and his daughter reminded me of a scene in the Minority Report, but much cooler!

Re: Microsoft demos 'holoportation' 3D presence tech with HoloLens

#86
post #2

I was waiting for this, knew it was only a matter of time before Microsoft came out with something like this since it's right in their field of office products. Hopefully this is the catalyst needed to create better work/life balance and lower the barrier for remote work and make it just as productive as being present in the office.

I know it may sound trivial, but I work from home almost every day using short pants and no shoes. What I want to say is that home is still home, my kids will appear and yield, my tv might be turned on, and the dog would eventually bark. By no means I would want to transform my home in an office, I work from home for lot of things that wont be allowed in an office ever. And thats fine, I guess.

Re: Microsoft demos 'holoportation' 3D presence tech with HoloLens

#87
I never hear or see anybody mention this, but I feel that it is important to note that the actual surface area of the HoloLens is currently way to small to give anything resembling the presented experiences.

They always show the hololens used from a third perspective. Filmed with a camera, not the actual Hololens capture.

The hololens that I got to use (admittedly, almost a year ago now) was just nowhere near the expierence of any of the demo's. It's just a tiny tiny augmented display, compared to the massiveness of the headset.

Let's say it's more toward Google Glass than towards Oculus rift.

I really believe in this (type of) product, I have clients in certain fields where augmentation is just a obvious next step, but it is not going to be what they currently display.

And they know it, because there isn't a single image on the internet where you see what the Hololens user is actually seeing. Though I'm sure I'll be proven wrong at that in the comments below.

[Edit] Yes, I see there is a small render of the Hololens in the bottomleft corner, but you really need to see it compared to your full field-of-vision to get how small it is.

Re: Microsoft demos 'holoportation' 3D presence tech with HoloLens

#88
post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> The other thing that wasn't so evident by this video is that everyone you were taking to would have to be wearing Hololenses, so it will still be a bit awkward. I remember seeing the guy who invented the selfie stick present it to Canada's Dragon's Den: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bw7YbcoCkbs . My reaction was: this is ridiculous and stupid. Nobody will ever use that let alone buy it. Let's just say I was sligh…

You're sure it will take off. But at the same time you confess that you are very bad at predicting these kind of things. So, not sure what you're saying.

> So, not sure what you're saying.

That naysayers are usually wrong.

Re: Microsoft demos 'holoportation' 3D presence tech with HoloLens

#89
post #87

I never hear or see anybody mention this, but I feel that it is important to note that the actual surface area of the HoloLens is currently way to small to give anything resembling the presented experiences. They always show the hololens used from a third perspective. Filmed with a camera, not the actual Hololens capture. The hololens that I got to use (admittedly, almost a year ago now) was just nowhere near the exp…

As far as i know only dev-kits are out and the Hololens is not consumer ready. The screen size is something they need to fix before then, i totally agree, but that problem is of a "beta hardware" type of problem and something time can easily solve - I believe.

Re: Microsoft demos 'holoportation' 3D presence tech with HoloLens

#90
post #87

I never hear or see anybody mention this, but I feel that it is important to note that the actual surface area of the HoloLens is currently way to small to give anything resembling the presented experiences. They always show the hololens used from a third perspective. Filmed with a camera, not the actual Hololens capture. The hololens that I got to use (admittedly, almost a year ago now) was just nowhere near the exp…

They are actually pretty close to the FoV limit that the display technology they are using can provide. Magic Leap is going to have the same problem unless they have found a new technology since their original hints. Also long term use will probably burn your retinas out, they are likely running those lasers at the barely safe limits for brief exposure.
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