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Does the Acer headset generate a 3D map of the environment (like the hololens)?

If it does, can that map be accessed by the SDK?

Thanks.

Best Answer

Answers

  • That is.. disappointing. And misleading? I guess it's "Mixed Reality" in the sense that it mixes 0% real and 100% virtual?

    I'm honestly baffled by MS labeling these headsets MR.

  • ahalimahalim ✭✭

    The MR docs mentioned there are 3 types of MR apps supported in windows mr world:

    1. enhanced app (AR env, dev: HoloLens)
    2. blended app (AR env with layered digital appearances, dev: HoloLens)
    3. immersive app (VR like, dev: acer/hp/etc immersive headset)

    The current immersive headset is capable of playing on immersive app which is pretty much VR as you said. In the near future though, I hope Microsoft might release another type of hybrid headset which can run 'blended app'.

    I agreed with you to certain extent that the word 'mixed' is kinda misleading for the acer headset. It seems to me that Microsoft wants to extend the PC functionalities to support VR stuff, and here comes the notion of 'mixed', which is mixing PC environment and VR. For ex: you can run webvr apps using edge browser running inside the immersive headset etc. On related notes, this device is only $300 which is very cheap and adding a room mapping scanning hardware will surely increase the cost. As said maybe in the near future there maybe be a device from MS which does what you were expecting but at a higher sale price but lower than HoloLens.

  • I was also disappointed to realize that the immersive headsets completely lack spatial mapping. I was really hoping to develop some "opaque" Hololens style experiences using these headsets to explore your immediate surroundings, or room/world scale with a backpack PC.

    Seems like this is something that could be added in software later, unless all the tracking calculation happens on the headset hardware instead of the tethered PC.

  • @ahalim said:
    1. enhanced app (AR env, dev: HoloLens)
    2. blended app (AR env with layered digital appearances, dev: HoloLens)
    3. immersive app (VR like, dev: acer/hp/etc immersive headset)

    In the documentation 'blended apps' are not marked as Hololens only, must be a typo, but this is misleading at first.
    ( https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/types_of_mixed_reality_apps )

  • It's not a typo. It's true it's not mentioned in the doc but does not mean it's incorrect. Currently only Hololens is capable of doing blended app. In the future there maybe other devices to do this but for now only Hololens.

  • GruguirGruguir
    edited August 2017

    @ahalim but then i don't get why the first would be marked as, and remain, 'hololens only' if the second would not, as my understanding is enhanced is a simpler concept than blended (but i may be wrong ? my english is limited).
    I also think that VR and AR should merge and the distinctions will blur with upcoming devices. I'm just trying to grasp the concepts and ideas behind the MR platform and ecosystem. For instance i thought that we would be able (in immersive headsets) to have some apps displaying (and maybe 'blending' ?) the cliff house home environment.

  • I picked up the HP "Windows Mixed Reality Headset" thinking I would be building AR apps, but from what I am reading it only a VR headset...

  • @Gruguir said:
    @ahalim but then i don't get why the first would be marked as, and remain, 'hololens only' if the second would not, as my understanding is enhanced is a simpler concept than blended (but i may be wrong ? my english is limited).

    The blended app can be more complex than enhanced app. It has to know your physical surrounding plus it adds digital layer on the surfaces of some of the real objects.
    A good example of the blended app is the app written by voxelkei.

  • bendrexlbendrexl
    edited August 2017

    @Gruguir said:

    @ahalim said:
    1. enhanced app (AR env, dev: HoloLens)
    2. blended app (AR env with layered digital appearances, dev: HoloLens)
    3. immersive app (VR like, dev: acer/hp/etc immersive headset)

    In the documentation 'blended apps' are not marked as Hololens only, must be a typo, but this is misleading at first.
    ( https://developer.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/mixed-reality/types_of_mixed_reality_apps )

    Interesting - even the section on Immersive makes reference to optionally replacing the user's real environment. It seems that there's currently no way to interact with the user's surroundings via Immersive headsets though.

  • Hello! Does anyone know if there is a way to track where your fingers are on the keyboard without removing your headset? I wonder if the infra-red sensors could be used to visualize your keyboard vs. hands position..

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