US startup company Magic Leap has recently released a video of what seems as a tech demo for future augmented reality devices they plan on releasing.
The video shows someone using such a device in an office, initially using it to watch YouTube and check his e-mail. After selecting a game, he gets hold of a weapon and starts blasting through robots that start appearing around the workplace, with the presentation ending after a virtual tank appears knocking down a wall.
This was done by projecting 3D computer-generated images over real world surroundings through a head mounted device. Magic Leap claims that the game shown in the video is already being played by its employees. The company did not offer additional details concerning the functionality of the device. The gun used by the man showing off the demo appeared to be a real world object rather than a projection
The minute and a half video, posted on YouTube and entitled “Just another day in the office at Magic Leap”, was released as an apology by the Magic Leap team for not making the Technology, Entertainment, Design conference this week, as stated in its description. The company has not unveiled the augmented reality device or devices it’s working on, nor has it disclosed any technical specifications.
Magic Leap was in 2010 and its development of augmented reality technology brought into the attention of a number of investors, including Google, which offered it over half a billion dollars in funding. Most recently, acclaimed science-fiction writer Neal Stephenson joined Magic Leap in December 2014.
The startup company will face serious competition in the augmented reality front from Microsoft’s Hololens, announced earlier this year, being designed as a personal imaging system under the form of goggles. A plethora of other big-name companies are developing virtual reality headsets, which simulate entire 3D environments surrounding the user. Giants such as Sony, Samsung and HTC are developing their own VR headsets, expected to be released in the nearby future, while Facebook bought developer Oculus VR last March and is expected to announce more about its Rift headset at the F8 developer’s conference next week.
Image Source: Gizmodo
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