Microsoft HoloLens 1
| Microsoft HoloLens 1 | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Mixed Reality |
| Type | Head-mounted display |
| Subtype | Standalone AR/MR |
| Platform | Windows Holographic |
| Creator | Microsoft |
| Price | $3,000 (Dev) / $5,000 (Commercial) |
| Website | https://www.microsoft.com/hololens |
| System | |
| CPU | Intel Atom x5-Z8100 (Cherry Trail) |
| GPU | Integrated |
| HPU | Microsoft HPU 1.0 (custom) |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 64 GB eMMC |
| Display | |
| Display | See-through holographic lenses |
| Resolution | 1268 x 720 per eye |
| Image | |
| Optics | |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF (inside-out SLAM) |
| Hand Tracking | Yes (gestures) |
| Audio | |
| Microphone | Yes (4x) |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1 LE |
| Ports | USB 2.0 micro-B, 3.5mm |
| Device | |
| Weight | 579g |
| Sensors | IMU, depth camera, HD camera, ambient light |
| Input | Gaze, gesture, voice, Clicker |
The Microsoft HoloLens (1st generation) is a standalone mixed reality head-mounted display developed by Microsoft, announced in January 2015 and released on March 30, 2016 at $3,000 for developers. HoloLens was the first self-contained holographic computer, featuring see-through waveguide displays, spatial mapping, hand gesture recognition, and voice commands, all powered by a custom Holographic Processing Unit (HPU) alongside an Intel Atom processor. Despite a limited 30-degree field of view, HoloLens pioneered enterprise AR applications and demonstrated the potential of untethered mixed reality computing.[1]
History and Development
January 2015 Announcement
Revealed alongside Windows 10, demonstrating holographic computing concept.
March 2016 Developer Edition
Released to developers and enterprise partners at $3,000.
Commercial Suite
Enterprise version at $5,000 with additional security and management features.
Design and Hardware
Display System
- Type: See-through holographic waveguides
- Resolution: 1268 x 720 per eye (HD)
- Refresh Rate: 60 Hz
- Holographic: Light engines project images onto lenses
Field of View
- Diagonal: 30 degrees
- Primary limitation noted by users
- Holograms clip at edges
Standalone Design
- Fully self-contained (no PC or phone required)
- All processing on-device
- No wires or external sensors
Processing
Intel Atom CPU
- Model: x5-Z8100 (Cherry Trail)
- Memory: 1 GB LPDDR3
- Role: Windows 10, applications
Microsoft HPU 1.0
- Custom silicon designed by Microsoft
- Fabrication: TSMC 28nm
- Logic Gates: 65 million
- DSPs: 28 custom Tensilica cores
- Memory: 1 GB LPDDR3 + 8 MB SRAM
- Role: Sensor fusion, spatial mapping, gestures, voice
Processing Capabilities
- More computing power than average laptop
- Passively cooled (no fans)
- Real-time environment understanding
Sensors
Depth Camera
- Time-of-flight depth sensing
- Environment mesh generation
- Object recognition
RGB Camera
- 2.4 MP HD video camera
- Mixed reality capture
Inertial Measurement Unit
- Accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer
- Head tracking stabilization
Ambient Light Sensor
Adjusts hologram brightness to environment.
Spatial Mapping
Real-Time Environment Mesh
- Scans and understands physical space
- Holograms interact with surfaces
- Persistence across sessions
World Anchors
Lock holograms to real-world locations.
Input Methods
Gaze
- Head-tracked cursor
- Primary selection method
- Gaze-dwell activation
Gestures
- Air Tap: Select/click
- Bloom: Open Start menu
- Tap and Hold: Drag objects
- Limited gesture vocabulary
Voice Commands
- Cortana integration
- "Select" to click
- Application-specific commands
Clicker
- Bluetooth accessory included
- Alternative to air tap
- Single button input
Audio
Spatial Sound
- Built-in speakers above ears
- Binaural audio simulation
- Sound appears to come from hologram locations
- Head-related transfer function (HRTF)
Battery
Battery Life
- 2-3 hours active use
- 2 weeks standby
- USB charging
Applications
Enterprise Use Cases
- Remote assistance (Skype)
- Training and simulation
- Design visualization
- Healthcare applications
Development
- Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps
- Unity and Unreal Engine support
- Holographic APIs
Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | See-through waveguides |
| Resolution | 1268 x 720 per eye |
| FOV | 30° diagonal |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| CPU | Intel Atom x5-Z8100 |
| HPU | Microsoft HPU 1.0 (custom) |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Storage | 64 GB |
| Tracking | 6DoF inside-out SLAM |
| Spatial Mapping | Yes |
| Battery | 2-3 hours |
| Weight | 579g |
| Price | $3,000 / $5,000 |