22 Sep 2016
Hololens gets first public outing as part of new Mars experience at Kennedy Space Center
BY Tom Anstey
Legendary astronaut Buzz Aldrin was among the first to try out Microsoft’s Hololens technology for the first time in a visitor attraction, with a new exhibition at the Florida’s Kennedy Space Center allowing visitors to virtually explore the surface of Mars.
Open until the end of the year, Destination: Mars has been developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in collaboration with Hololens. Using the augmented reality headset, visitors can explore parts of Mars as observed by NASA’s Curiosity rover.
Using JPL’s OnSight technology, which allows NASA’s researchers to participate in a shared AR experience, a holographic version of Aldrin and Curiosity rover driver Erisa Hines, explain the work NASA is doing on Mars today. Using the HoloLens headset, visitors can explore geographic features on Mars and even plan future routes for the Curiosity rover.
“Technology like the HoloLens leads us once again towards exploration," said Aldrin. "It's my hope that experiences like Destination: Mars will continue to inspire us to explore."
Microsoft made its Hololens developer kit available for pre-order in March at a price of US$3,000 (€2,750, £2,150) ahead of the technology’s public release.
According to Microsoft, the HoloLens is the first fully untethered, see-through holographic computer. The next-gen technology enables high-definition holograms to come to life, seamlessly integrating with real-world physical places, spaces, and objects.
The device itself is still in the development phase with no set date for the public release. Even the beta release is limited, with only those in Microsoft’s Windows Insider programme able to apply for a maximum of two Hololens devices.
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