There is a growing sense of excitement about the future of virtual reality, as tech giants such as Sony, Samsung and Google all get involved.
However, what about the Microsoft HoloLens headset? It may not have been as widely talked about as Google Cardboard or Oculus Rift but it could be about to make video calls a whole lot more exciting.
This is because the boffins at Microsoft have been showing off how it can be used to give incredible hologram communication. They are calling this feature “holoportation” and it is definitely worth taking a look at.
It works by having both people on the call set up 3d video cameras around them. These capture footage that can be used to make a 3D image. The 3D images are then seen in the virtual reality world in each Microsoft HoloLens headset.
Video Calling from Space
Another point to bear in mind is that the hologram appears in a world that can be completely adapted to the needs and whims of the callers. Do you want to carry out your business calls on top of a volcano or in deepest space?
There is also talk of a very special Minecraft version being made available for the HoloLens as well.
A special developer’s version of the Microsoft HoloLens is getting rolled out very soon. The price given so far is $3,000 (£2,100). It is expected that the price will drop fairly dramatically once the final consumer version is ready to roll. Certainly, it will need to be cheaper to compete with some of the VR headsets already on sale.
What kind of hologram video call would you make?
