HoloLens 2 – AR glasses

There are far more applications for Augmented Reality (AR) than we can list here – in addition to entertainment, AR glasses and their custom applications are an exceptionally effective and professional solution, particularly in industry, education and as a support for rehabilitation.

Over the past few years, we have carefully familiarized ourselves with the augmented reality products and technologies offered by various manufacturers, and have used software development to create augmented and mixed reality software for our clients. This time, we’ll use examples to show you what the Microsoft HoloLens 2 package has to offer. Perhaps you’ll find an idea that could boost your business’s performance?

What is HoloLens 2?

Microsoft launched the HoloLens 2 headset in 2019. The product has been developed for mixed reality (MR) applications, although we also use the term “augmented reality” in this context. In practice, the difference between MR and AR lies in the scope of the user experience. In MR, virtual elements interact with real-world objects, whereas in AR, the implementation can be less immersive. You can read more about the differences between MR and AR, for example, here: What really is the difference between AR / MR / VR / XR?

Contents of the HoloLens 2 box

The HoloLens offers a superior fit compared to other AR glasses. Resembling a welding mask, though considerably lighter and sleeker, the device is easy to adjust to suit the user. Even when worn for extended periods, the comfort of this well-fitting product remains undiminished.

AR applications that utilize HoloLens are usually controlled using the user’s own hands or even eye movements, so no separate sensors or control devices are required. The AR glasses recognize the user’s hands and hand movements, so AR elements can be zoomed in on and moved around naturally using the palms and fingers.

Practical AR applications

At present, HoloLens is being used internationally in fields such as medicine (the NHS), the automotive industry (Mercedes-Benz), the beauty industry (L’Oréal), and by many other organizations (Customer Stories). However, utilizing HoloLens does not mean that your company has to compete on the same level as international corporations – the capabilities of AR glasses can be put to good use in any products or services where you wish to provide users with illustrative digital content.

Suitable applications might include, for example, sales situations involving boats, cars and properties, where a large item is presented as comprehensively as possible. The broader concept of mixed reality is also well suited to internal training and educational purposes within companies and organizations. There are plenty of useful applications, for example, in the industrial or emergency services sectors, where organizing real-world training and educational scenarios is costly and time-consuming.

The use of augmented reality has been linked to positive learning outcomes (see Unity’s article “Error-free maintenance and on-the-job training with AR“). The interactive and visual nature of AR implementations supports engaging learning. In a digital environment, teaching sessions can also be repeated an unlimited number of times if necessary. However, an AR solution alone is not the key to success; the objectives and teaching materials must be suitable for digital delivery!

HoloLens 2 demonstration videos

The first video demonstrates how editing the Hurja 3D logo – which has been converted into an object – can be done literally in the blink of an eye. The info box, meanwhile, contains further information that complements the content relating to Hurja.

In the second video, we demonstrate how HoloLens works with moving objects. The asteroids heading towards the user could, of course, be any kind of object or item, or move in different directions. Interaction between the user and the software is lag-free and smooth, although handling moving objects while simultaneously tracking the user’s movements places high demands on the hardware’s performance.

In practice, the features demonstrated in the previous videos are used to create a more comprehensive augmented reality experience, so that the capabilities of the AR glasses can be utilized as effectively as possible. The third video shows an AR environment in which the user associates objects with their correct locations.

As you can see, the HoloLens’s out-of-the-box package offers a wealth of features. It is also possible to modify and customize the built-in functionalities, or build entirely new augmented reality solutions that are precisely tailored to the client’s needs. In addition to the examples provided, you can also find inspiration for AR implementations in the HoloLens app store.

How much do the AR app and the HoloLens 2 headsets cost?

AR glasses are available to everyone and are by no means just a science fiction concept of the future. However, something must be holding the general public back, as so far AR glasses or applications utilizing them have been presented to the public only very rarely. Is it because the product is not well known? Or is it the rather high purchase price, which is not, however, astronomical? The price of HoloLens 2 AR glasses ranges from 3,000 to 4,500 euros.

Fortunately, these problems can be solved, and there are currently some really good market niches in the field of augmented reality for pioneers! So please do get in touch – we’d be happy to tell you more about the various augmented reality options, such as WebAR, AR apps for mobile devices, or more comprehensive solutions designed for AR glasses, such as HoloLens or Nreal.

We’d be happy to go through your AR idea in more detail with you, perhaps starting with service design. We’ll help you turn your vision into a package that delivers genuine added value, where the benefits of augmented reality are clear, the implementation meets the needs of end users, and the AR solution is profitable, an investment that delivers added value even in the longer term.