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NASA is building the next Mars rover in mixed reality
I poked my head inside NASA's latest Mars rover. During a mixed-reality demonstration at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, as soon as I strapped on a HoloLens, a vibrant holographic vehicle popped up in front of me.
NASA's use of HoloLens puts you on Mars with Buzz Aldrin
I got a ticket to Mars. At the end of an exhibit hall at San Francisco's Moscone Center, a Microsoft representative punched my orange ticket. I was ready to strap on the company's augmented reality headset for a holographic stroll on the neighboring planet. I was one of eight HoloLens-wearing visitors in a group at NASA's Destination: Mars installation at Build. Although the demo was open to a limited audience last week, it will open its doors to all visitors at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida this summer.
ICYMI: Portable DNA lab, drone inspired by bug and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-420543{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-420543, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-420543{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-420543").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: Bento Lab is releasing a portable lab to analyze DNA, the Picobug drone can autonomously switch from flying to crawling and back again, and NASA is giving the people what they want, since what they want is a HoloLens tour of what Mars is really like. We're also summing up the week for you in our TLDR segment. While we didn't include it because the news keeps changing, please do read up on the Japanese satellite that may or may not have splintered into five different pieces, but then sent some communications. Very X-Files. As always, please share any great tech or science videos you find by using the #ICYMI hashtag on Twitter for @mskerryd.
Watch Microsoft's opening-day Build keynote in just 10 minutes
If you didn't happen to be sitting near a computer during the opening ceremonies for Microsoft's Build developer conference yesterday, never fear: We've condensed the two-hour, opening-day keynote into a roughly 10-minute video. Included in our highlight reel are CEO Satya Nadella's opening remarks; the Windows 10 "Anniversary Update"; news on universal apps; a demo of new Windows inking features; Microsoft's surprise Linus news; a peek at HoloLens's packaging; and, most importantly, a glimpse at Microsoft's incoming army of chatbots. If you've got just 10 minutes, we'll give you all the meat, minus the fluff.
Untethered and unguided: Our first deep look at HoloLens
There's a white unicorn with a rainbow horn on the wall in front of me. A tiger sits casually by the door on the right. On a grey couch at one end of the room, a globe starts to spin when I gaze at it. A second celestial object with the word "Fragments" floats over a white coffee table. I walk towards the couch and turn onto a short hallway next to it. I see a bright pink octopus staring back at me from the tiled toilet floor.
Microsoft's Build 2016 conference by the numbers
Despite somehow managing to stretch 20 minutes worth of actual news into a two and a half-hour slog, Microsoft announced a host of new products and services at its 2016 Build developers conference on Wednesday. The company announced an "Anniversary Update" for Windows 10, new universal social media apps, educational trips to Mars using the Hololens and a new software dev kit for the XBox One. And that's just the start!
Microsoft's HoloLens starts shipping to developers today
We knew that Microsoft would be shipping the first wave of HoloLens preorders to developers today, but now we're getting a peek at what that kit will look like. Inside the box, you'll of course find the mixed-reality headset along with a sleek carrying case for when you want to take it to a friend's house. There's also a device called Clicker, which is designed to help you navigate the user interface. If you missed out on the first wave of preorders, Microsoft says it will fulfill the rest over a period of two to three months.
Microsoft and NASA want you to walk on Mars
Microsoft and NASA have been collaborating on ingenious ways to use mixed reality as an aid for astronauts since last year. Last December, as part of NASA's Sidekick project, two HoloLens headsets reached the International Space Station to assist and guide the crew. Now they're bringing the experience of space exploration to the public with "Destination: Mars." The interactive exhibit opening at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida this summer will allow visitors to walk on a virtual version of Mars. The planet has been created with images from NASA's Curiosity Mars Rover so you can expect your simulated exploration to be accurate. The experience will be further enhanced with a holographic version of Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, who will guide you through your stroll in space.
Live from Microsoft's Build 2016 keynote!
It's time once again for Build, Microsoft's annual developer conference, where the company lays out its plan for the year ahead. Since Windows 10 is already out there in the wild -- where it's enjoying quite a bit of popularity -- we don't expect too big of an update on the OS front. Still, we'll probably see a few additional features; perhaps richer Live Tiles, greater Cortana integration and even more of those universal apps (Skype, anyone?). It seems especially likely that we'll hear more about how Windows 10 apps will work on the Xbox One. On top of that, we're expecting more Office and productivity suite news and fingers crossed that we'll get an update on Windows Phone too. Last, but certainly not least, we'll definitely get to see more of HoloLens, Microsoft's AR headset that's set to head out to developers later this week. To get the full rundown of what will be announced at the keynote, tune in to our liveblog right here at 11:30 am ET / 8:30 am PT.
Here's how to watch Microsoft's opening-day Build keynote
Microsoft is about to kick off its annual Build conference in San Francisco this week. The debut of Windows 10 made all the news last year. Now, about eight months since its launch, we're expecting to see some high-profile new universal apps, improved Cortana integration and some more AI-powered chatbots. And with HoloLens shipping to developers today, you can expect some augmented reality news, maybe even a teleportation trick or two on stage. We'll be bringing you live updates from the Moscone Center today at 11:30AM ET/8:30AM PT. You can also tune in right here to watch Satya Nadella's opening-day Build keynote.
'Holoportation' demo makes live-video holograms look easy
Last June Microsoft showed off its HoloLens tech that created holograms from live video. Now it's putting that into practice and giving it an official name: Holoportation. It uses multiple 3D cameras to capture a subject from all angles, creating a "temporally consistent model" that can mimic the feeling of someone being in a room with you. During a TED Talk,Alex Kipman used it to virtually meet with a colleague in front of a Mars backdrop, but this lab demo from Microsoft Research shows something a bit more realistic. That is, so long as you're wearing one of the $3,000 augmented reality headsets.
HoloLens TED Talk shows what augmented reality can do
If you think you have a sense of what Microsoft's HoloLens headset can do, you're in for a pleasant surprise. The company's Alex Kipman recently presented a TED Talk on HoloLens that included multiple fresh demos illustrating Kipman's vision of an augmented reality future. He showed off virtual caves and forests, and a space where you could watch TV at one moment and talk to family in the next. The highlight, however, comes near the end: Kipman talks to an avatar of NASA's Jeffrey Norris standing on a recreation of Mars. Suddenly, Star Wars' holograms aren't so far-fetched.
With HoloLens, you can now remodel your kitchen at Lowe's
When it comes to HoloLens, Microsoft's augmented reality headset, the company's making very careful moves to introduce the holographic tech to the public. Case in point: Today, it announced a partnership with Lowe's, the home improvement chain, that will let customers in the Seattle area visualize a remodel of their kitchens using HoloLens in a showroom environment. The obvious appeal here being the cost benefits: there's no need to order, try and return expensive tiles or appliances if they don't suit your design tastes. They are just holograms, after all.
The next big thing in smartphones is uncertainty
You've probably noticed something about smartphones. They haven't been exciting lately. Chances are, your current smartphone looks and works a lot like your last one. Your next will probably seem pretty familiar, too. But there are signs that smartphones, and the ways we use them, could be about to significantly change -- even if no one can quite agree on exactly how.
Microsoft shows how you tell stories with HoloLens
When Microsoft started taking pre-orders for its HoloLens developer headset, it teased a digital storytelling app named Actiongram. But what is it, exactly, and how does it work? The folks in Redmond are finally ready to explain. In a detailed blog post, Microsoft has revealed that Actiongram is all about letting you create short, effects-laden mixed-reality videos without having to know a thing about 3D graphics. You just have to pick characters and props, place them in the world, and tell your tale. It's not particularly elaborate, but it shows how augmented reality apps can simplify this kind of creativity -- a video that would take days of compositing work could be wrapped up in an afternoon.
Watch astronauts make outer space Skype calls with HoloLens
So why exactly did the crew International Space Station need those HoloLens headsets? For a holographic instruction manual and VoIP calls, of course. Prior to entering orbit, the headset was certified for use on the Weightless Wonder C9 a number of times to ensure it'd work in a zero-G environment in addition to the NEEMO underwater space station analog, according to Victor Luo, the technical lead of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab. Astronaut Scott Kelly used it to make the first Skype call from outer space to mission control and says he fiddled around with it for about two hours, too.
HoloLens' official PC app streams live video from your headset
You know that Microsoft's HoloLens will do a fair amount on its own, but what can it do in harmony with your PC? Quite a bit, actually. Fans have noticed that Hololens' official companion app for Windows 10 lets you download media, remotely launch apps and even watch a live stream from the augmented reality headset. The app is free to grab if you're curious, although it clearly won't be very useful unless you're willing to plunk down $3,000 for the developer headset -- think of this more as a peek at what you'll get when the eventual mainstream model hits shelves.
Microsoft's HoloLens is now ready for developers
If you're a developer, today's the day Microsoft is making good on its mixed-reality promise. Pre-orders for HoloLens, the company's augmented-reality Windows 10 headset, are now live. Invites to purchase the $3,000 device will begin to hit the inboxes of those who've already applied, while others can sign up today for a shot at building out HoloLen's ecosystem of apps. And the wait won't be that long either, as Microsoft plans to begin shipping units in the US and Canada beginning March 30th.
Astronauts are trying Microsoft HoloLens in space
Astronauts will soon have plenty of sweet tools at their disposal, but nothing quite like this -- as promised, NASA recently began testing Microsoft HoloLens aboard the International Space Station. The augmented reality headset is there as part of an experimental project, Sidekick, that gives crews a helping hand without having to flip through thick manuals or stay on the radio. Someone on the ground can use Skype to not only offer voice directions during repairs, but draw notes at the moment they're relevant. They'll also get animated visuals on top of real-world objects, showing them how to complete less-than-obvious tasks.
ICYMI: Spacey HoloLens use, spy submarines and more
#fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-905675{display:none;} .cke_show_borders #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-905675, #postcontentcontainer #fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-905675{width:570px;display:block;} try{document.getElementById("fivemin-widget-blogsmith-image-905675").style.display="none";}catch(e){}Today on In Case You Missed It: DARPA is about to start testing an autonomous submarine called Sea Hunter, designed to find and trail larger submarines for weeks at a time.
