Microsoft HoloLens

CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION

Microsoft HoloLens, known under development as Project Baraboo, is a pair of

mixed reality head-mounted smart glasses developed and manufactured by Microsoft.

HoloLens is essentially a holographic computer built into a headset that lets you see, hear
and interact with holograms within an environment such as a living room or an office
space. It is based on Augmented reality, Augmented reality (AR) is a live direct or
indirect view of a physical, real-world environment whose elements are augmented (or
supplemented) by computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, graphics or
GPS data.

The history of augmented reality can be traced back to 1990 and work undertaken by
Professor Tom Caudell as part of a neural systems project at Boeing. This project was
focused upon finding new ways to help the company's engineering process and involved
the use of virtual reality.
Augmented reality is the blending of virtual reality and real life, as developers can create
images within applications that blend in with contents in the real world. With AR, users
are able to interact with virtual contents in the real world, and are able to distinguish
between the two.

Augmented Reality vs. Virtual Reality

Augmented reality and virtual reality are inverse reflections of one in another with what
each technology seeks to accomplish and deliver for the user. Virtual reality offers a
digital recreation of a real life setting, while augmented reality delivers virtual elements as
an overlay to the real world.

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CHAPTER 2
DESCRIPTION

Holography is a diffraction-based coherent imaging technique in which a complex

three-dimensional object can be reproduced from a flat, two-dimensional screen with a
complex transparency representing amplitude and phase values. It is commonly agreed
that real-time holography is an art and science of visualizing fast temporally changing 3-D
scenes. The integration of the real-time or electro-holographic principle into display
technology is one of the most promising but also challenging developments for the future
consumer display and TV market. Only holography allows the reconstruction of natural-
looking 3-D scenes, and therefore provides observers with a completely comfortable
viewing experience.
A HoloLens will use holographic technology to project large-scale, high-resolution
images onto a variety of different surfaces, at different focal distances, from a relatively
small-scale projection device. To understand the technology used in HoloLens, we must
understand the term ‘Hologram’, and the process of making and projecting holograms.
Holography is a technique that allows the light scattered from an object to be recorded and
later reconstructed. The technique to optically store, retrieve, and process information.
The holograms preserve the 3-D information of a holographed subject, which helps to
project 3D images.

2.1. HOLOGRAMS

A hologram is a physical component or device that stores information about the

holographic image. For example, a hologram can be a grating recorded on a piece of film.
It is especially useful to be able to record a full image of an object in a short exposure if
the object or space changes in time. Holos means “whole” and graphein means “writing”.
Holography is a technique that is used to display objects or scenes in three dimensions.
These 3D images are called holograms. A photographic record produced by illuminating
the object with coherent light (as from a laser) and, without using lenses, exposing a film
to light reflected from this object and to a direct beam of coherent light. When
interference patterns on the film are illuminated by the coherent light a three-dimensional
image is produced.

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2.2. MICROSOFT HOLOLENS

HoloLens is essentially a holographic computer built into a headset that lets you see, hear,
and interact with holograms within an environment such as a living room or an office
space. Microsoft has built the headset without the need to be wirelessly connected to a PC,
and has used high-definition lenses and spatial sound technology to create that immersive,
interactive holographic experience. [1]

The HoloLens comes with semi-transparent holographic lenses which generate multi-
dimensional full-colour holograms. That means it's not going to be projecting images into
a room that everyone can see. It's cutting edge stuff, but it's not quite that advanced yet.

Basically HoloLens is a high-tech computer system that can be wearable and works
according to your gestures with hands, eyes, etc.

Fig.2.1: HoloLens

Fig.2.1 depicts the actual picture of wearable augmented reality from Microsoft named
HoloLens. This is the first holographic computer which is running on Windows 10. It is
completely unattached as no wires, phones or computers needed, it is a computer itself.

Microsoft HoloLens is a smart-glass headset that is a cordless, self-contained Windows 10

computer. It uses various sensors, a high-definition stereoscopic 3D optical head-mounted

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display, and spatial sound to allow augmented reality applications, with a natural user
interface that the user interacts through gaze, voice, and hand gestures.

HoloLens chief inventor Alex Kipman stating that HoloLens will have a consumer release
only when the market is ready for it. Companies such as Samsung Electronics and Asus
had expressed interest in working with Microsoft to produce their own mixed-reality
products based on HoloLens

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CHAPTER 3
PARTS OF HOLOLENS

It has a major six parts; those are bone of this product. They are: Camera, Computer,
Lenses, Vent, Sensor, Buttons.

Camera: The project HoloLens depth camera has a field of vision that spans 120 by 120
degree, so it can sense what your hands are doing even when they are nearly outstretched.

Computer: HoloLens is not just a visor connected to a computer, it is a computer on its

own. HoloLens contain CPU, battery, GPU and first of its kind HPU (holographic
processing unit). 18 sensors flood the brain of the device with terabyte of data every
seconds.

Lenses: Microsoft HoloLens has two display. They are transparent so that wearer can see
the real world behind virtual object. To create project HoloLens image, light particles
bounce around millions of times in the so called light engine of the device. Then the
photons enter the two lenses (one for each eye), where they ricochet between layers of
glasses before finally hitting of wearer eye.

Vent: The device is more powerful than a laptop but won’t overheat- warm air flows to the
sides, where it vents up and out.

Sensor: Sensor track where the wearer is looking and adjust the display. Motion sensor
detect wearers movement. The sensor can also see wearers hands; the hands are an input
system: user can interact with whatever they see by just touching it. Wearers also give
gesture, as input sensor enables the tracking of user movement.

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Buttons: On the right side, buttons allow user to adjust the volume and to control the
contrast of the hologram. [2]

3.1 SPECIFICATION OF HOLOLENS

Optics

Fig.3.1: Optical view of HoloLens

 See through holographic lenses (Waveguides)

 2 HD 16:9 light engines.
 Automatic pupillary distance calibration.
 Holographic Resolution: 2.3 total light points.
 Holographic Density: > 2.5 radiant (lights point per radian).


Sensors

Fig.3.2: Sensors of HoloLens

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 1 IMU
 4 environment understanding cameras
 1 depth camera
 1 2MP photo / HD video camera
 Mixed reality capture
 4 microphones
 1 ambient light sensor


Human Understanding

 Spatial sound
 Gaze tracking
 Gesture input
 Voice support


Input / Output / Connectivity

 Built-in speakers
 Audio 3.5mm jack
 Volume up/down
 Brightness up/down
 Power button
 Battery status LEDs
 Wi-Fi 802.11ac
 Micro USB 2.0
 Bluetooth 4.1 LE


Power

 Battery Life
 2-3 hours of active use
 Up to 2 weeks of standby time

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 Fully functional when charging

 Passively cooled (no fans)

Processors

Fig.3.3: Motherboard of HoloLens

 Intel 32-bit architecture with TPM 2.0 support

 Custom-built Microsoft Holographic Processing Unit (HPU 1.0)

Weight

 579g

Memory

 64GB Flash
 2GB RAM [3]


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CHAPTER 4
WORKING OF HOLOLENS

There are a couple of key ingredients to taking a head-mounted computer-hat and turning
it into an effective hologram machine, the first of which is getting those images in front
of eyes. To do that, HoloLens has a pair of translucent screens for its eye -pieces, ones
that allow for the injection of floating windows into the line of sight without completely
blocking users off to the world in the way big headsets like the Oculus Rift do .

But it's about more than just putting a screen in front of eyes. The real magic is turning
that visual information into something that appears to be an actual 3D-object that the
users can walk around and look at from all angles, as opposed to flat images that just sit
in front of your eyes, like google glass.

This is where the rest of the HoloLens' sensors come into play. In the top part of the
HoloLens visor there are a number of cameras facing out that scan the area and collect as
much data as possible. HoloLens then turns that information into a digital model where
the holograms can live in 3D space. Microsoft hasn't explained how these work, but it's
reasonable to assume they're basically like a head-mounted version of the Xbox's Kinect
camera, and that they use a combination of standard video and infrared depth -sensing
vision to draw a digital picture of the surroundings. These digital eyes look out at the
world with a 120-degree gaze, they get a view not only of the room but also of user’s
limbs, so they can reach out and "click" on non-existent holograms with their hands.

Fig.4.1: Sensors and Camera on Microsoft HoloLens

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But just seeing things isn't enough. To make these holograms convincing as users move,
the HoloLens needs to know exactly where the head is. To that end, it also contains an
accelerometer (to measure the speed your head is moving), a gyroscope (to measure the
tilt and orientation of your head), and a magnetometer (to function as a compass). With
all those sensors, HoloLens will be able to collect enough data to know what the room
looks like and where head is. That's enough data to decide where the holograms should
appear to be and what they should look like.

Fig.4.2: Sensing Head Movements

HoloLens has a chip in it that Microsoft calls the HPU, or Holographic Processing Unit.
This processor digs through all the sensor data and translates it into a smaller and much
more manageable chunks of data, which the HoloLens' GPU and CPU can use. HoloLens
doesn't need to be connected to a computer, a mobile phone, or anything at all.
Everything goes down inside the headset.

Finally, there's the element of sound. HoloLens will have microphones for keeping tabs
on ambient sound and taking commands via voice control. It will also have speakers,
which serve two purposes. First, they don't block out the sound of the real world like
headphones would. But more importantly they'll also use binaural sound to fool user’s
ears into thinking they're hearing things in 3D space. It's like stereo sound but without the
headphones. [4]

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CHAPTER 5
APPLICATIONS

1. Wallpaper Your Room with Webpages:

The HoloLens can run some normal Windows 10 apps, displaying them as glowing
windows floating in the air. Microsoft Edge comes installed on the HoloLens
Development Edition, so users can just open a bunch of different Web browser windows
and scatter them around their room. They automatically snap to walls if the HoloLens
detects them or users can also manually place and resize them anywhere around, where
they'll remain.

Fig.5.1: Running Webpages using HoloLens

2. Create a Holographic Diorama:

HoloStudio is a HoloLens app that allows to build, modify, and arrange holograms into
entire scenes. It's more powerful than the included Holograms app, which just allows
setting down premade holograms and resize them. HoloStudio has manipulation tools for
copying, connecting, and coloring different basic objects together and turning them into a
room-sized holographic diorama.

Fig.5.2: Creating Holographic Diorama

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3. Video call friends in skype and share holographic vision:

Skype is already available on the HoloLens, and it’s pretty fun. Video calls appear as
floating windows in front of users, like VidWindows from Reboot. Since the HoloLens
doesn't have any cameras pointing at users, video feed instead shows whoever the users
are talking to, complete with any holograms that’s set up around the room.

Fig.5.3: Skype call using HoloLens

4. Solve a Fictional Kidnapping:

Fragments takes the concept behind the FBI's augmented reality glasses
in Heavy Rain and turns it into an entire AR game of its o wn. The HoloLens
game scans the surroundings and uses it to build a crime scene that can be
investigated, using a number of tools to collect clues. Once enough clues are
collected, they can be used to narrow down search areas using a variety of
filters, eventually finding the answer.

Fig.5.4: Solving crime case using HoloLens

5. Plan Furniture Layouts:

HoloPlanner app lets the users see what it will look like before doing any
heavy lifting. HoloPlanner is a very limited demo that lets the user place
cabinets, chairs, desks, shelves, and tables around any room. There are only a
few dozen very simple pieces of furniture to choose from, but users can at least
see what a cabinet will look like in an emp ty corner. It's a fun glance at the

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future of home décor, and shows how furniture and home improvement
companies can use the HoloLens in the future.

Fig.5.5: Placing furnitur e using HoloLens

6. Explore the Solar System:

The Galaxy Explorer app projects the Milky Wa y galaxy into the middle of the
room, allowing spinning, zooming, and generally exploring it. It's a simple
demo made as part of Microsoft's Share Idea program that invited Twitter users
to pitch an app concept for the HoloLens. Currently it only offers a wide view
of the Milky Way and a detailed view of the solar system, with a handful of
other celestial bodies like the Crab Nebula as additional pieces of art with
educational blurbs connected to them, but it's still a striking view of space.

Fig.5.6: Projection of Milky Way Galaxy

7. Build a Shrine to Harambe:

The Holograms app lets users place different premade holograms all around
work area. Users can basically virtually decorate their home or office with
animals, space ephemera, and three-dimensional icons to their heart's content.
Or they can take an empty conference room and turn it into a ho lographic
shrine to Harambe. [5]

Fig. 5.7: Building a shrine to Harambe

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CHAPTER 6

ADVANTAGES

 Easy to wear and use.


 Sensitive and responsive to the presence of people.

 HoloLens can be used in army battlefield, where detailed instruction can be given
to the untrained person in the midst of combat.

 A spectacle based computer to reside directly

 On your eyes rather than your pocket.


DISADVANTAGES

 Can be easily damaged or broken. User will have a tough time taking care of it.

 It may lead to accident while driving.

 Privacy of people may break due to new glasses. [6]

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CHAPTER 7
FUTURE SCOPE

HoloLens is the product to enhance the virtual reality or augmented reality in real world, it
is the new way to visualize our work, new way to collaborate and explore, the very new
way to create what we imagine. HoloLens is a new world to connect, create and explore
like never before. There are various uses and scopes for HoloLens, some of them can be
categorized in major three lines below:

 Visual diagrams would actually show up in space around the user indicating exactly
what users need to do next.
 This application could even extend to the battlefield, where detailed medical
instructions could be given to untrained personnel in the midst of combat.
 Pin holograms to physical objects so user can size and scale them in each angle and
with gestures do all new creation.

Fig.7.1: Mixed reality home application using HoloLens

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Conclusion

Since Microsoft has not yet launched the product or give a look into the technology of the
HoloLens making a strict conclusion on this technology is very difficult. Considering the
present technology’s and their performance Microsoft HoloLens is far ahead than all the
existing technology’s. Since apple had acquired two patents on similar technology earlier
there is a chance that apple and other companies can come up with improved ideas, if the
market is welcoming the new face of the augmented reality. Since Microsoft has not
announced the pricing and releasing dates, determining the future of this technology will be
inappropriate. Microsoft has already started promoting building API’s and SDK for HoloLens.
Virtual reality is being used by pilots in the training process to help them overcome the fear of
heights. With the help of AR, it is also possible for scientists to comprehend the chemical
reactions in a much better way and help them gather the minute details of any reaction.
Architects can make an optimum use of VR and AR by visualizing a building that is yet not
into existence and to experience a virtual tour of the structure. Augmented reality also offers
great deal of amusement with the museums and galleries [7]. These could also be used by
surgeons while in a surgery who can be assisted by other surgeons in other part of the world.

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REFERENCES

[1] http://www.trustedreviews.com/opinion/hololens-release-date-news-and-price-

2922378

[2] https://www.scribd.com/document/330853509/Holo-Lens-Seminar-Report

[3] Microsoft HoloLens - Full processor, storage and RAM specs, Windows Central,

May 2, 2016.

[4] Eric Limer – “The clever tricks of technology and science behind the holograms”,

May 1, 2015.

[5] Will Greenwald- “7 things to do with Microsoft HoloLens”, August 23, 2016.

[6] https://www.slideshare.net/jyothsnasridhar1/hololens-74310923

[7] N Karimbil, “Microsoft HoloLens Seminar report”.

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