Sean Ong - Beginning Windows Mixed Reality Programming: For HoloLens and Mixed Reality Headsets

The HoloLens enables an empty desk (left image) to be filled with holographic computer monitors and desk decorations (right image)

In my previous future scenario example, youll notice that I only give examples of holographic 2D screens. To some, my examples may have sounded amazing or revolutionary. They are, in fact, dull examples that dont adequately capture what the HoloLens and other holographic headsets can achieve. Think of holograms of co-workers in your office for remote meetings, advance training simulations for factory workers, collaborative engineering on complex 3D models, and using the power of cloud-based artificial intelligence to analyze and augment the world around you with helpful information. These are only a few of the possibilities that Mixed Reality technology can offer.

The challenge and opportunity of building experiences for these headsets is unlike anything that the technology industry has faced to date. Until now, the vast majority of software experiences have been designed for flat, 2D screens. Think of televisions, smartphones, tablets, laptops or even the flat page or screen upon which you are reading this book. Video games, 3D movies, and other so-called 3D advances over the past few years are nothing more than a glorified 2D experience we view on our flat, rectangular screens. The Windows Mixed Reality platform breaks this status quo by allowing us to develop true 3D applications in our real world. Early applications that have emerged for the HoloLens suffer from developers thinking inside the box by creating 2D experiences such as floating holographic screens or 2D menus and buttons for navigation. Many in the industry believe that a functional and intuitive 3D user experience has yet to be discovered and developed. As you are guided through the tutorials and example projects in this book, we will pay particular attention to 3D design elements while discussing ways to think outside the box and move beyond the 2D status quo.

It is a very exciting time to be a Mixed Reality developer. The devices are capable, the computing paradigm is new, and ideas for good applications seem to be endless. We, Mixed Reality developers, are the engineers, architects, and builders that will build the forthcoming Mixed Reality world.

The Mixed Reality future is inevitable. As with all high-tech gadgets, devices like the HoloLens will only become smaller and more powerful over time. Its not hard to imagine a near future where many (if not most) people will wear a pair of Mixed Reality glasses, whether or not they require prescription eyewear. Being equipped with these headsets will enable us to augment physical reality with relevant information, have more immersive digital experiences, and free us from the unnecessary screens that fill up our desks, walls, pockets, and purses.

How important will holographic devices be in daily life? One could speculate that most people in the near future might not be able to participate fully in society without a pair of holographic glasses. At first, this might sound like a dystopian prediction of our future. But think about how we use computers and smartphones today. Its very difficult to participate fully in todays modern society if you dont own or know how to use a computer. A vast majority of jobs in the United States require the use of a computer. We use email and online messages as primary forms of communication. Surely, if you told someone 50 years ago that they would not be able to fully participate in a future society without owning or knowing how to use a computer, they may have hesitated about such a future. Yet many of us today probably cant imagine daily life without our trusty PC or smartphone. Likewise, in 20 years, I think well look back and wonder how we ever lived without our trusty Mixed Reality glasses.