A recent product tear-down by YouTube user 's2upid' appears to show MicroVision components used in Microsoft's highly anticipated HoloLens 2, but who is this little known technology company? And why have they been flying under the radar for so long?
More importantly, did this guy actually just break open a $7,000 commercial Hololens XR10?! 😬
What is the HoloLens 2?
Mixed reality (MR) is a truly incredible frontier technology. The merging of real and virtual worlds in real-time, MR is being explored for both immersive gaming, and commercial applications like training simulations.
The HoloLens 2, arguably the most advanced MR headset, enables an amazing degree of interaction with the holographic world, letting users manipulate virtual environments like never before.
Who Are MicroVision?
MicroVision started in 1993, producing laser scanning technology for projection and 3D sensing. They had early success with MVIS MEMS Later Beam Scanning Technology, which is used extensively in LiDAR (deployed in self-driving cars) and mobile projection.
However, the company has been silently working away behind the scenes for some years with no huge news to speak of.
MicroVision HoloLens 2 Rumours
It's worth reminding readers that so far, MicroVision's involvement in Microsoft's Hololens products is just rumour, although it seems the video above goes some way to substantiating these rumours.
According to MicroVision's Wikipedia, their PicoP®MEMS Laser Beam Scanning Technology "can be used in products that make use of Mixed Reality Displays" - which apparently includes the HoloLens 2.
A Sneak Peak Behind The Lens?
There's no official communication from MicroVision or Microsoft yet, but s2upid's video certainly gives an interesting - if not expensive - behind the lens look at this long awaited piece of mixed-reality glasses.
Although the HoloLens 2 has been publicly and commercially available for around six months, it's high ticket price has largely restricted it's purchase by retail users, and this might be the first look behind the components powering the next-generation of augmented reality.
This situation is still developing but it's a great look at some of the components Microsoft are using in their Hololens 2.