At Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2019 in Barcelona, Microsoft revealed the HoloLens 2, boasting an increased field of view (FOV), improved comfort, and better tracking for hand and eye movement.
Alex Kipman, Technical Fellow for AI and Mixed Reality in the Cloud and AI Group at Microsoft, introduced the HoloLens 2 and addressed the original HoloLens’ criticisms. Kipman claims that the HoloLens 2 “more than doubles” the original HoloLens’ FOV, though the specific FOV was not said. As the original HoloLens had a 35 degree FOV, it can be assumed that the HoloLens 2 will be around 70 degrees. Additionally, Kipman stated that the new headset will retain the 47 pixels-per-degree (PPD) of the original HoloLens in order to keep text legible.
As for comfort, Kipman said HoloLens 2 “more than triples the comfort” over the original HoloLens. However, the exact weight of the HoloLens 2 and what “triple the comfort” means was also not indicated. Still, to cut down on weight, the front portion of the headset is said to be made entirely from carbon fiber and offers a convenient flip-up visor, and much of the headset’s bulk balanced in the back of the headset.
The HoloLens 2 now offers full hand-tracking, allowing users to interact directly with applications by touching, poking, and sliding controls directly rather than using abstract gestures. The headset is also equipped with “real-time” eye-tracking, although Microsoft didn’t detail its capabilities. Also, the company noted that it is capable of being used for biometric authentication (and presumably user recognition), which ought to be very useful for enterprise use-cases.
Microsoft says that HoloLens 2 will be available for $3,500, and pre-orders are available starting today. The company says it will offer the headset in bundles with Dynamics 365 Remote Assist starting at $125 per month.
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Microsoft Reveals HoloLens 2 with More than 2x Field of View & 47 Pixels per-Degree
