With Microsoft revealing the opening of pre-orders today for its HoloLens Developer Edition mixed reality (MR) head-mounted display (HMD), and detailing a list of software available including three videogames, now a new tool for studios has been released. The Redmond-based company has unveiled its HoloLens emulator to allow content creators to test apps without the HMD.
Microsoft’s official description for the emulator says: “The HoloLens emulator allows you to test holographic apps on your PC without a physical HoloLens and comes with the HoloLens development toolset. The emulator uses a Hyper-V virtual machine. The human and environmental inputs that would usually be read by the sensors on the HoloLens are instead simulated using your keyboard, mouse, or Xbox controller. Apps don’t need to be modified to run on the emulator and don’t know that they aren’t running on a real HoloLens.”
The rest of the details include how to deploy apps using the software and the input methods used. Since studios will be testing the app without the headsets suit of sensors to track gesture inputs these then need to be replicated via mouse and keyboard controls instead.
Further news is likely to appear at the Microsoft Build Developer Conference, which takes place from 30th March – 1st, April 2016, as the team behind the Galaxy Explorer app are aiming to have it ready for the event.
VRFocus will continue its coverage of HoloLens, reporting back with any further announcements.
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