Hololens 2 on CNET

Hololens 2 on CNET

on February 24, 2019

Hololens 2 on CNET

In HoloLens 1, holograms were created by reflecting images from a tiny screen in the headset into specially made lenses for red, blue and green light waves. Those light waves were then beamed into the back of your eyes, where your brain would create the final image.

In HoloLens 2, the tiny screen has been replaced by a mirror known as a MEMSthat moves fast enough to create the illusion of a screen in space. The MEMS creates 120 of these screens each second, filtered to your eye through new, sleeker lenses in the headset. The result is smooth movements, more-believable animations and quick response if you move your head.

Most importantly, there's much more area for the holograms to show up.

Before Microsoft started using MEMS technology, some executives believed it would be many years before the company could improve the HoloLens field of view. "It was a significant engineering problem," said Zulfi Alam, a general manager who worked on the displays and screens of the HoloLens.

Kipman called the new approach a "miracle."

The future

As Microsoft gears up to start selling HoloLens 2, Kipman is looking ahead a couple of years to when he'll show off HoloLens 3.

He demurred when asked about details, other than to promise it'll be even more comfortable, easier to use and have more capabilities than what's available now. Whatever the details are, Kipman said they're what got the US Army interested enough to invest $480 million in more than 100,000 headsets to "increase lethality by enhancing the ability to detect, decide and engage before the enemy," according to a government filing.

HoloLens won't be the only device vying for space on your head. There's still Magic Leap, and Apple's unannounced headset. By 2022, "tens of millions" of these things will have been sold, said Tim Merel, managing director of market watcher Digi-Capital.

For now, though, Kipman plans to keep HoloLens just out of reach for you and me. "I have no interest in overhyping these products," he said. "There is a point where it will have enough immersion, enough comfort and enough out-of-box value where I will be happy to announce a consumer product."

Until then, you'll just have wait. Unless you need to repair an ATV.

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