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Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

magicleap.com

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Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#81

Post by lubujackson »

tomp wrote: post #45
carloscm wrote: post #10

This is notable not just because of Neal Stephenson, but because his blog post contains what I think is the most detailed public description of the tech so far: --- Here’s where you’re probably expecting the sales pitch about how mind-blowingly awesome the demo was. But it’s a little more interesting than that. Yes, I saw something on that optical table I had never seen before--something that only Magic Leap, as far…

Stupid question: Who is Neal Stephenson, and why is he famous? Wikipedia suggests that he's a sci-fi author, is there a particular reason for his fame, could you recommend some of his works?

Outside of sci-fi novels, he is known for his insights into tech/Internet propagation, particularly during the 90s/00s.

I'd recommend his "Mother Earth Mother Board" article (more like a small book, be warned) as the definitive tome on the physical reality of how the Internet is held together across the world: http://archive.wired.com/wired/archive/4.12/ffglass.html

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#82

Post by themoonbus »

danellis wrote: post #30
a3n wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I had no idea what the company does until I bailed from their site and read a comment here. Yes, I could have dug deeper, like the person posting that comment did (thanks), but damn, gimme a reason . And no, having $CELEBRITY in your company is not enough reason. Two utilitarian sentences on what your thing is, and then all the literate prose you can produce. But gimme those two sentences.

Give you a reason for what? You're all acting like this company owes you an explanation of what it does.

I don't think they owe us anything, I'm just saying the website is badly designed. They have a lot of content, but none of it says anything.

If you're going to be stealthy, be stealthy (e.g. http://quanttus.com/). If you're going to attempt to market your company, then market it properly. This does neither.

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#83

Post by DanBC »

fla wrote: post #77
aetherson wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One of the things that's interesting to me about that quote is the phrase "optical table." I think that there's a presumption (that I've shared) that Magic Leap is trying to make AR goggles or glasses. But, as has been extensively commented upon in the past, that's just crazy. We're just barely at the point of doing semi-decent VR (Oculus Rift) and just barely at the point of doing semi-decent wearable heads-up displ…

It sounds more to me like a direct projection to retina. Has this ever been attempted ? Would that be working with lasers ?

There have been head-mounted "virtual retinal displays" that focus a laser onto the retina.

I think they're mostly in patent hell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_retinal_display

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#84

Post by themoonbus »

vidarh wrote: post #51
Delmania wrote: post #43

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They're selling something. If they want people to hand over cash, it might be practical to tell us what it is.

They're not selling anything yet. They don't you to hand over cash yet. And so it is more practical for them to tease and build interest.

Right, except that this doesn't tease or build interest... at least for me.

...not that it matters, seeing as they seem to have already built interest with the people that matter, investors.

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#85

Post by ryanSrich »

a3n wrote: post #16
themoonbus wrote: post #6

That's cool and all, but this has got to be one of the worst company websites I've seen recently. I get that they're stealthy, but this doesn't even build any interest. It was only until I clicked "Wizards Wanted" (yes, I get it. Magic.) that I sort of got an answer. Edit: Actually, the Developers section has some more information. But my point still stands.

I had no idea what the company does until I bailed from their site and read a comment here. Yes, I could have dug deeper, like the person posting that comment did (thanks), but damn, gimme a reason . And no, having $CELEBRITY in your company is not enough reason. Two utilitarian sentences on what your thing is, and then all the literate prose you can produce. But gimme those two sentences.

The site tells you nothing but I think that's the purpose. They really couldn't care less if you or anyone else knows what they do from the site. They have $542 million dollars in funding. Once they actually build something ready for the public I'm sure they'll put together a proper marketing site.

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#86

Post by ryanSrich »

themoonbus wrote: post #82
danellis wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Give you a reason for what? You're all acting like this company owes you an explanation of what it does.

I don't think they owe us anything, I'm just saying the website is badly designed. They have a lot of content, but none of it says anything. If you're going to be stealthy, be stealthy (e.g. http://quanttus.com/ ). If you're going to attempt to market your company, then market it properly. This does neither.

What? `http://quanttus.com/` literally tells me nothing. Even less than Magic Leap. At least with ML I know they are working on VR.

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#87

Post by jessaustin »

tomp wrote: post #45
carloscm wrote: post #10

This is notable not just because of Neal Stephenson, but because his blog post contains what I think is the most detailed public description of the tech so far: --- Here’s where you’re probably expecting the sales pitch about how mind-blowingly awesome the demo was. But it’s a little more interesting than that. Yes, I saw something on that optical table I had never seen before--something that only Magic Leap, as far…

Stupid question: Who is Neal Stephenson, and why is he famous? Wikipedia suggests that he's a sci-fi author, is there a particular reason for his fame, could you recommend some of his works?

In addition to what everyone else said, Stephenson's really long essay In the Beginning was the Command Line is worth a read, if one has the time:

http://www.cryptonomicon.com/beginning.html

Warning: written fifteen years ago, also really long.

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#88

Post by bri3d »

aetherson wrote: post #57
matthewmcg wrote: post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think you should read this as "what they are doing in the lab." An "optical table" is to optical technologies as a solderless breadboard is to electronics. Basically, it's a big, stable platform with lots of threaded holes of a standard size and pitch for attaching lasers, mirrors, etc. Most have some kind of pneumatic isolation or damping to keep vibrations from being transmitted from the floor. Things like interf…

This got lost between my brain and my previous message, but yes, I agree, that's the most likely explanation. But I mention the "they're trying to build like the equivalent of the early table-based Microsoft Surface (before that meant a tablet), but pseudo-holographic instead" idea just because it's so unbelievable to me that stand-alone goggles can possibly deliver what they're claiming.

Stand-alone goggles make more sense than a table, because they're closer to the eye and can more directly manipulate what the user sees.

If you read through the depths of Magic Leap's site combined with their patent applications, it becomes clear that they are trying to develop a set of goggles which combines some form of projection onto the retina [0] with some form of selective blocking [1] (to give contrast, and prevent the projected images from appearing as hazy mirages over the light otherwise reaching the retina).

Especially the blocking would be impossible to achieve with anything but goggles.

[0]: https://www.google.com/patents/US20140071539 [1]: https://www.google.com/patents/US20130128230

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#89

Post by themoonbus »

ryanSrich wrote: post #86
themoonbus wrote: post #82

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think they owe us anything, I'm just saying the website is badly designed. They have a lot of content, but none of it says anything. If you're going to be stealthy, be stealthy (e.g. http://quanttus.com/ ). If you're going to attempt to market your company, then market it properly. This does neither.

What? ` http://quanttus.com/` literally tells me nothing. Even less than Magic Leap. At least with ML I know they are working on VR.

The point of a teaser site is to tease, not tell.

My point was that magic leap uses a lot more words to tease, and as a result, the site borders on nonsensical.

And if the point of a site is to tell you what a company does or is working on, then that information shouldn't be buried in a random section.

But ultimately, it's not a big deal. Just the first thing that I thought of when I clicked on their site.

Re: Neal Stephenson Joins Magic Leap

#90

Post by carloscm »

replicatorblog wrote: post #46

This Gizmodo article does a great job of demystifying MagicLeap's tech by digging into the founder's background, patent filings, and trademark applications: http://gizmodo.com/how-magic-leap-is-secretly-creating-a-new...

That 1mm single fiber endoscope is just amazing, out of a spy/scifi novel.
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