Here’s How Microsoft Plans To Fully Immerse You In Future NFL Games With HoloLens
I just had one of those "Oh s**t!" moments. What prompted it was a short video from Microsoft teasing a whole new level of immersion with professional football, one that can only be made possible through augmented reality (AR), and in this case, HoloLens. I'll admit, I was a bit tepid towards HoloLens, but not anymore.
HoloLens is different from headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, both of which plunge you into a virtual reality (VR), be it a rendered video game world or a real life location. Instead of transporting you to another place, HoloLens augments your own surroundings, turning real-life objects into virtual ones.
There's an obvious application there for gaming, but what Microsoft demonstrated is nothing short of awesome. The video clip shows a couple sitting on a couch in a man-cave watching an NFL game on TV. They're both wearing HoloLens, so instead of an ordinary football experience, the contest comes alive in creative ways.
in one scene, fantasy football stats jump out in real-time and are manipulated by the viewers. And in another, an instant replay occurs on the couple's coffee table with miniature 3D players/holograms running up and down the field—think of it as a god view, if you will. It reminds me of that vibrating Electric Football game from years ago, except the players are real.
"With HoloLens, running Windows 10, your favorite players could be brought to life through high-definition, 3D displays – allowing you to experience the athleticism and skills behind their stats. That game-changing play could pop up as a 3D hologram so you could view the field from all angles, all while your fantasy scores update in real time, without the need for you to look down at another screen," Microsoft explains.
It's all very clever and it's just a glimpse of where technology like HoloLens is headed. Ultimately the end-user experience will depend on what developers come up with, and at this early stage, I'd argue we're in for some exciting things.
HoloLens is different from headsets like the Oculus Rift and HTC Vive, both of which plunge you into a virtual reality (VR), be it a rendered video game world or a real life location. Instead of transporting you to another place, HoloLens augments your own surroundings, turning real-life objects into virtual ones.
There's an obvious application there for gaming, but what Microsoft demonstrated is nothing short of awesome. The video clip shows a couple sitting on a couch in a man-cave watching an NFL game on TV. They're both wearing HoloLens, so instead of an ordinary football experience, the contest comes alive in creative ways.
in one scene, fantasy football stats jump out in real-time and are manipulated by the viewers. And in another, an instant replay occurs on the couple's coffee table with miniature 3D players/holograms running up and down the field—think of it as a god view, if you will. It reminds me of that vibrating Electric Football game from years ago, except the players are real.
"With HoloLens, running Windows 10, your favorite players could be brought to life through high-definition, 3D displays – allowing you to experience the athleticism and skills behind their stats. That game-changing play could pop up as a 3D hologram so you could view the field from all angles, all while your fantasy scores update in real time, without the need for you to look down at another screen," Microsoft explains.
It's all very clever and it's just a glimpse of where technology like HoloLens is headed. Ultimately the end-user experience will depend on what developers come up with, and at this early stage, I'd argue we're in for some exciting things.
