Microsoft Mesh Mixed Reality Platform Launched That Allows Users to Appear as Holograms in Virtual Meetings

People using augmented reality glasses will be able to appear in Microsoft Mesh experiences as avatars initially and life-like holograms in the future.

By Agence France-Presse | Updated: 3 March 2021 11:01 IST

Microsoft Mesh Mixed Reality Platform Launched That Allows Users to Appear as Holograms in Virtual Meetings

Photo Credit: Bloomberg

Microsoft technical fellow Alex Kipman appeared as a hologram to unveil Mesh on a virtual stage

Highlights

Alex Kipman's team created HoloLens augmented reality eyewear
Microsoft Mesh is powered by Azure cloud computing systems
Apple, Google, and Facebook among companies investing in mixed reality

Microsoft on Tuesday set the stage for a future in which long-distance coworkers can collaborate as though in the same room, using augmented reality glasses and cloud computing power.

The US technology colossus launched Microsoft Mesh platform at its annual Ignite developers conference, which was a streamed event this year due to the pandemic.

Introducing Microsoft Mesh.

It enables presence and shared experiences from anywhere – across devices – through mixed reality applications. #MSIgnite pic.twitter.com/xbyO6trHdS
— Microsoft (@Microsoft) March 2, 2021

"One of the easiest ways to think about it is Microsoft Mesh connects the physical and digital worlds, allowing us to transcend the traditional boundaries of space and time," co-creator Simon Skaria said in a video presentation.

Microsoft technical fellow Alex Kipman, whose team created HoloLens augmented reality eyewear that has caught on with businesses, appeared as a hologram to unveil Mesh on a virtual stage.

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Mesh is powered by Azure cloud computing systems that combine data centre processing power with artificial intelligence.

Holohedrons headgear with a $3,500 (roughly Rs. 2.5 lakhs) price tag is used to overlay digital imagery on real world settings, but the Mesh platform has the potential to be synced to virtual reality gear such as Facebook-owned Oculus as well as smartphones, according to Kipman.

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Apple, Google, and Facebook are among the tech titans investing in mixed reality.

Mesh is designed to let people collaborate and share holographic experiences in real time no matter how far apart them may be, presentations showed.

"You can actually feel like you're in the same place with someone sharing content or you can teleport from different mixed reality devices and be present with people even when you're not physically together," Kipman said.

People will initially be able to appear in Mesh experiences as avatars, but in the future will be able to project lifelike holograms of themselves, according to Microsoft.

The pandemic caused a dramatic shift to working and learning remotely, with reliance on cloud computing instead of offices or classrooms expected to remain part of people's lives.

The Redmond, Washington-based company expects outside developers and partners to build applications on Mesh, and is working to integrate it in products such as Teams virtual collaboration service.

Niantic chief John Hanke took part in the Ignite presentation with a concept version of its popular Pokémon Go mobile game running on HoloLens.

We're thrilled to collaborate with @microsoft & @hololens on new experiences that will weave together the digital and physical world. Check out this proof-of-concept demo, built on our planet-scale platform, and the amazing possibilities that could await. https://t.co/ig0bQUIQ8b pic.twitter.com/gGk5djVayC
— Niantic, Inc. (@NianticLabs) March 2, 2021

"This notion of bringing my virtual friends along with me as I go out and walk and explore the world - I just love that concept and I'm really interested to see what we can do with that," Hanke said.

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