Microsoft HoloLens
The Microsoft HoloLens (commonly HoloLens 1 or HoloLens Development Edition) is the first mixed reality head-mounted display developed by Microsoft, announced on January 21, 2015 and released on March 30, 2016 at $3,000 for the Development Edition. The HoloLens was the first self-contained, holographic computer with no wires, phones, or connection to a PC required, featuring Microsoft's revolutionary Holographic Processing Unit (HPU) capable of over one trillion operations per second. With see-through holographic lenses, gesture recognition, and spatial mapping, the original HoloLens pioneered the mixed reality category and established the foundation for enterprise AR applications.
| Microsoft HoloLens | |
|---|---|
| Basic Info | |
| VR/AR | Mixed Reality |
| Type | AR Glasses |
| Subtype | Enterprise AR |
| Platform | Windows Holographic |
| Developer | Microsoft |
| Manufacturer | Microsoft |
| Announcement Date | January 21, 2015 |
| Release Date | March 30, 2016 |
| Price | $3,000 USD (Development Edition) |
| Website | https://www.microsoft.com/hololens |
| Successor | Microsoft HoloLens 2 |
| System | |
| Chipset | Intel Atom x5-Z8100 |
| HPU | Microsoft Holographic Processing Unit 1.0 |
| Storage | |
| Storage | 64 GB |
| Memory | 2 GB |
| Display | |
| Display | See-through holographic lenses |
| Resolution | 1280x720 per eye (HD) |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Image | |
| Field of View | 35° diagonal (30° H x 17.5° V) |
| Optics | |
| Ocularity | Binocular |
| Tracking | |
| Tracking | 6DoF (inside-out) |
| Eye Tracking | No |
| Hand Tracking | Yes (gestures) |
| Audio | |
| Audio | Integrated spatial speakers |
| Connectivity | |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.1 LE |
| Device | |
| Weight | ~579g |
History and Development
Microsoft unveiled the HoloLens on January 21, 2015 at a Windows 10 event, surprising the tech industry with a fully self-contained mixed reality headset. The Development Edition shipped on March 30, 2016 to developers in the United States and Canada for $3,000. A Commercial Suite was later offered for $5,000, providing enterprise features. The original HoloLens was succeeded by the significantly improved Microsoft HoloLens 2 in 2019.[1]
Design and Hardware
Display
See-through holographic system:
- Transparent holographic lenses
- 1280x720 resolution per eye (HD)
- Over 2.5k light points per radian
- 60 Hz refresh rate
- Waveguide-based optics
- Additive display (holograms on real world)
Field of View
- ~35° diagonal FOV
- 30° horizontal
- 17.5° vertical
- Primary criticism of original HoloLens
- Limited hologram viewing area
Processing
Custom computing architecture:
Intel Atom Processor
- Intel Atom x5-Z8100 (Cherry Trail)
- 1.04 GHz frequency
- 64-bit quad-core
Holographic Processing Unit (HPU)
- Microsoft HPU 1.0—revolutionary custom chip
- 24 cores
- >1 trillion operations per second
- 200x faster than software processing
- Processes "terabytes of information"
- Dedicated to spatial computing
Memory
- 2 GB RAM
- 64 GB storage
Sensors
Comprehensive spatial awareness:
- 1 depth camera
- 4 environment understanding cameras
- 1 HD video camera (2.4 MP)
- Mixed reality capture
- Ambient light sensor
- 4 microphones
- IMU (accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer)
Tracking
Self-contained inside-out tracking:
- 6 Degrees of Freedom (6DoF)
- No external sensors required
- Spatial mapping of environment
- Real-time mesh generation
- Anchor placement
Input Methods
Controller-free interaction:
Gestures
- Air tap (select)
- Bloom (go to Start)
- Gaze targeting
- Hand gesture recognition
Voice
- Cortana integration
- Voice commands
- Dictation
Build
Self-contained design:
- ~579g weight
- All computing integrated
- No external wires
- No phone required
- No PC connection needed
- Adjustable headband
- Flip-up visor
Audio
- Integrated spatial speakers
- 3D sound positioning
- No headphones required
- Audio follows hologram position
Battery
- Built-in rechargeable battery
- 2-3 hours active use
- 2 weeks standby
- Operates while charging
- USB charging
Connectivity
- Wi-Fi 802.11ac (5 GHz)
- Bluetooth 4.1 LE
- Micro USB
Technical Specifications
| Specification | Details |
|---|---|
| Display | See-through holographic |
| Resolution | 1280x720 per eye |
| Refresh Rate | 60 Hz |
| Field of View | ~35° diagonal |
| Processor | Intel Atom x5-Z8100 |
| HPU | 24 cores, >1 trillion ops/sec |
| RAM | 2 GB |
| Storage | 64 GB |
| Tracking | 6DoF (inside-out) |
| Battery | 2-3 hours |
| Weight | ~579g |
| Price | $3,000 (Dev), $5,000 (Commercial) |
Reception
Praise:
- First self-contained mixed reality headset
- No wires, PC, or phone required
- HPU revolutionary custom chip
- Spatial mapping impressive
- Gesture recognition innovative
- Voice commands with Cortana
- Pioneered mixed reality category
- Windows 10 integration
- Enterprise applications promising
- Foundational for AR industry
Criticism:
- 35° FOV severely limited
- $3,000-$5,000 price prohibitive
- 579g heavy for extended wear
- 2-3 hour battery life
- Developer/enterprise focus only
- Limited consumer applications
- Gesture tracking imprecise
- Processing power limited[2]
Legacy
The original HoloLens pioneered the mixed reality category and established:
- Self-contained AR headset concept
- HPU as dedicated spatial computing chip
- Inside-out tracking for AR
- Spatial mapping and anchors
- Hand gesture-based interaction
- Foundation for HoloLens 2 improvements
See Also
References
- ↑ "Microsoft HoloLens". Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_HoloLens.
- ↑ "These are the full hardware specifications of the Microsoft HoloLens". Windows Central. https://www.windowscentral.com/hololens-hardware-specs.
- ↑ "Microsoft HoloLens Specifications". SizeScreens. https://www.sizescreens.com/microsoft-hololens-specifications/.