Specs: Display: 2K 3.2 light engines | Head tracking: 4 visible light cameras | Eye tracking: 2 IR cameras | Front camera: 8MP stills, 1080p30 video | Microphone array: 5 channel
What do AirBus, Audi, Goodyear, Carnegie Mellon University, and L’Oreal have in common? They’ve unlocked the power of Microsoft’s truly revolutionary mixed reality headset — and you can too if you need to power up your work game.
The base HoloLens 2 headset comes in various trims based on the intended use environment. None are cheap. They range from $3,500 for a standard device to more than $5,000 for a hardhat integrated edition designed to work in rugged environments. But what you get for that investment is truly remarkable, which is why so many big brands have adopted HoloLens for manufacturing, engineering and construction, healthcare, and education.
Unlike Google Glass Enterprise 2, which is designed for quick access to information and as a wearable streaming device for remote workers, HoloLens is about interacting with mixed reality via holographic projections that the user can manipulate. Without the need for gloves, the device allows for fully articulated hand tracking so users can touch, grasp, and move holograms in ways that feel natural.
Collaboration is the real advantage here. Imagine two pharmaceutical scientists connecting over a drug discovery and manipulating a shared hologram while discussing development hurdles. Or an engineer working on a critical component in collaboration with a project leader who can see in real-time how changes to one system impact the whole. This is the kind of use case where Microsoft HoloLens thrives.
Given the scalability of Azure and the deep enterprise bona fides Microsoft brings, it has become the enterprise standard for immersive, holographic mixed reality.
Pros:
Wonderfully immersive
Vivid display
Cons:
Battery life not great
Very expensive