After the announcement of their latest virtual reality headgear earlier this year, Microsoft puts up big grants for HoloLens development. The company opens up the possibility for universities and research labs to bring their own ideas to the project, offering a grant of $500,000 to possibly five applicants.
Microsoft has understood the multiple use of virtual reality and is now looking to expand into various areas, ready to support companies which will make reality apps a thing of the future. The applicants will each have a funding to start of $100,000 and two HoloLens developments kits in order to further their research.
They will gain an exclusive look inside the device along with the encouragement to search for more funding for research by themselves.
Though Microsoft had initially shown its interest in revolutionizing the gaming world through virtual reality, the description of potential proposals hints the company’s interest in other directions. They will accept projects from areas such as medicine, education, journalism, art, communication, psychology and problem solving.
The purpose will be to further expand each domain and create interactive, 3D options to work with, such as the collaboration to develop tools for future doctors they have already accomplished. With the help of university professor Mark Griswold, Microsoft created a reality app that with the help of HoloLens can create an accurate, virtual representation of the anatomy of the human body for medical students.
The company also has a project in the works with NASA to provide better training for astronauts by simulating the inside of the International Space Station with the help of the HoloLens.
Microsoft has made the offer available and chance for innovation exclusively to researchers in the United states who must meet several conditions. Their institution must be an accredited, non-profit university or a non-profit research lab and they must allow the company to publicize their project once the winners have been decided.
In addition, the researchers must demonstrate their ability not only to come up with an interesting idea, but also to develop it from scratch. It’s clear that Microsoft is looking for design as much as competent developers who can stand on their own.
The proposal should be between 1-3 pages and it must contain information such as project description, approach, schedule and use of funds.
Submissions for the grants close on September 5th and it will take a month for the for the Microsoft review board to decide on who has proven themselves capable of the task. The winners will be announced on October 6th of this year.
While it has been advertised as a new gaming platform, the description of what Microsoft is searching for in proposals has shattered hopes of some gamers all around the world. It seems the HoloLens will be directed more toward professional uses such as business, medicine and education, but that has yet to be confirmed yet. However, hopes springs for them in the possibility that Microsoft already has gaming covered and is just looking to expand.
Image source: vox-cdn.com
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