It was a little over a year ago now that Microsoft introduced HoloLens, its new mixed reality (MR) head-mounted display (HMD) that runs independently of any other hardware. It’s been a quiet year for the device since, only appearing at a handful of company events, including press conferences and E3. Things are set to pick up considerably from today on, however, as the company is now shipping a development of HoloLens to the US and Canada as its annual Build developer conference gets underway in San Francisco, California.
Microsoft launched pre-orders for the device earlier this year for developers that had applied to get their hands on one. The kit costs some $3,000 USD and arrives with several apps including software such as HoloStudio to full on videogames like Young Conker. It’s not yet clear when it will be shipping to other territories, although hopefully information such as this will arrive later today during the company’s keynote speech at Build in the Moscone Center. The talk takes place at 08:30 PST and is followed by three days of sessions.
HoloLens consists of a pair of see through lenses that display virtual images in a real world environment. The system is powered by on-board tech, meaning it doesn’t need to be tethered to any other kind of device. Some developers already have their hands on the kit and are creating unique applications such as Holoportation. There’s currently no word on when the kit might see a consumer launch.
Check back with VRFocus for the latest updates on HoloLens.
