Here’s How HoloLens Will Change Work Forever

You know the overly-used cliché phrase, the future is now?

Well it seems like it has finally found its rightful home within Microsoft. Back in March 2016, the company released a revolutionary product, a pair of mixed reality smart glasses called the HoloLens. And after a year in the hands of designers and developers, it’s becoming apparent the HoloLens is a game changer.

Brace yourself as iconic sci-fi movies like Star Wars and Matrix are about to become a reality. No, we’re not talking about the intergalactic warfare or a disturbing dystopian world that’s been taken over by the machines. What we are talking about is the huge advancement in technology enabling us to experience mixed reality with 3D objects (i.e. holograms), that we can alter and manipulate, as if they were real.

After VR headsets such as Oculus Rift and other innovations like Google Glasses, the world has been introduced to various Augmented Reality (AR) products that function differently. Especially if we bear in mind the assets of the device and the way it engages the brain.

While VR devices are designed to transfer your mind into a new world, HoloLens brings your computer in front of you as all its wonders get placed in a physical space. It is a blend of the real and digital world which becomes the perfect environment for creative brainstorming.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said at the product launch:


Anyone with just a little bit of imagination can see the endless potential of this incredible innovation. It has already opened new doors in fields of education, science, medicine, design, and of course – the business world, in a broadest sense possible.



How the Brain Gets Tricked to See the Holograms

According to a study conducted primarily by the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, the brain has certain cells called topocytes or “place cells”, which help a person map out his or hers surroundings and orient in space. These are also activated in virtual realities or mixed realities, because the technology has evolved and now it does a good job with creating the feeling of depth for users, known as the “3D feel”.

In case of the HoloLens, only the wearer can see the projected 3D images. The device tricks your brain into seeing realistic holograms (which are really just made out of light). Alex Kipman, the chief inventor at Microsoft, explained this to Wired:


There are four main parts of the HoloLens headset: depth camera, computer, lenses, and the vent. As you’ve probably guessed, the computer has a holographic processing unit and the lenses are responsible for wearer seeing holograms. The headset is designed to track your movement and recognize your gestures. It watches your gaze via the light it projects to your eyes. This enables you to see the 3D images and interact with them (using voice command or the movement of your hand). You can also count on the help of Cortana, the virtual assistant.

Has the possibility of using HoloLens in medical treatment crossed your mind? Well, it’s already happening. Microsoft’s employees suffering from a rare muscle condition called myoclonus-dystonia are exploring the potential of using this HoloLens to rewire the brain and eventually trick it into healing.


The New Era of Design

As it has been said in the Microsoft’s explainer video, the HoloLens is a device that extends the realities around you. And the business potential has already been recognized by numerous companies and institutions.

Take architecture for example. The biggest challenge an architect has to face is bridging the gap between the screen and the physical space. Never before in history was it possible to directly transfer a 3D model off the screen and into the physical space. HoloLens enables experts do that by transforming the way we work with 3D data. A company named Trimble that provides design and solutions for constructing professionals already released an app called SketchUp Viewer for HoloLens with these amazing features.

The time between designing something, starting collaboration, and establishing partnerships gets shortened as 3D images are rendered in space. This allows you to present and discuss your ideas, and make instant changes by scaling the holograms or manipulating them in any way you want. It goes without saying the entertainment & gaming industries will catch on as there is huge potential for the both here.

Have you heard about Autodesk? Well their team is determined to transform the product design as we know it. They’ve released Autodesk Fusion 360 in strong faith that a shared workspace (in the mixed reality) will ensure a better and more effective communication between designers and engineers, so the process of developing a certain product gets a lot easier. HoloLens pushes 3D modelling even further as it allows you to design physical prototypes you can alter the way you want instantly.


Retail Will Never be the Same

HoloLens will revolutionize retail as well. Just picture how easier it will be for customers to decide on a purchase as they go through the offer from a company’s virtual catalogue? With this new technology support, business sectors within the company can collaborate on a whole new level as retail planners and merchandisers can work closely together to design the best experiences for the shoppers.

Think about home renovation: people are often indecisive about new elements they want to incorporate in their interior, be it fresh furniture or a different wall colour. HoloLens is about to change everything as customers will be able to see their personal space transformed before the official start of any construction work. The reality of change will become materialized and companies can hope for more revenue because let’s face it – it’s really hard to say no to that mesmerizing green for the kitchen wall once you see it in front of your eyes so realistically.

If you’re thinking we have to wait years before this actually gets implemented, newsflash – it’s already here. Lowe’s collaboration with Microsoft brings us the first hologram experiences and it’s just the beginning.


Manufacturing Efficiency Will Skyrocket

Imagine the possibility of shortening the process of manufacturing and saving tons of money that usually goes to waste. HoloLens will certainly support business to do that in the future.

By offering clients holographic prototypes, businesses will get the chance to research the market more thoroughly, get more precise feedback on their products and services, better the customer experience, and most importantly – they will get valuable data based on which they can rearrange the way they spend their capital and adjust their manufacturing to the actual market needs.

Volvo Cars has already boarded this innovation train, and so has the German company Thyssenkrupp. Here’s what Simon Feismann, the Head of Product Lifecycle Management at Thyssenkrupp had to say about the potential of HoloLens for businesses:

“With Azure cloud, we are actually able to transport all the data gathered by the HoloLens to our customer database and our accounting systems in real time and forward it to the manufacturing site… with a device like HoloLens, we can deliver products up to four times faster.”


Coming to Your Home (Soon)

Needless to say, the first version of HoloLens is aimed at businesses and enterprises, established institutions, and developers. The impact this piece of technology will make is immense and the possibilities seem endless. We believe HoloLens and Augmented Reality is the future of computing and business.

Years will pass until it becomes truly integrated in our homes, but can you imagine what it could for your personal productivity? Goosebumps!

Hendrik Kruizinga
