Design tools have advanced remarkably in recent years; however, sooner or later it is necessary to reproduce the work in three dimensions to detect problems and apply optimizations. That is where the potential of Microsoft HoloLens emerges, combined with a robust tool like Autodesk Maya. If you have wondered about the capacity of augmented reality in a high-productivity environment, you need to see this.
From entertainment to productivity
Every time we explore an advance in virtual reality or augmented reality, a question lingers at the bottom of the jar: What about productivity? Wandering through digital worlds and using our room as a battlefield are very interesting aspects... but there is also the work. Every technological advance must measure its pulse in the business world, and both “realities” are no exception. The question is extremely difficult to answer. If we think more deeply, the situation of entertainment software for virtual reality headsets and similar solutions remains quite precarious. There is no what is sometimes called a “killer app” across the pond, and this could affect the adoption level in the short and medium term.
Still, there are things that definitely leave us excited. The most recent example is the demo Microsoft performed at its Worldwide Partner Conference with HoloLens, working in combination with Autodesk Maya. The HoloLens headset does not interfere with the general operation of Maya, but focuses on extending its capabilities, reproducing 3D models from our projects in real time. The most surprising part of the demo is without a doubt the projection of the work onto real objects. A “naked” motorcycle on the stage serves as a reference point to study changes in color and mirror position, among other things. The designer is no longer “anchored” to the desk, but has the possibility of walking around their design, seeing what's wrong, and fixing it with a couple of gestures.
As if that were not enough, the demo showed a bit of the collaborative angle. If a development team has several members spread around the globe, all of them can observe the 3D design, leave comments, suggest changes, or implement updates. In a word, impressive. The future of HoloLens is bright, and if it manages to maintain this level, it is likely that Redmond will become the number one player in augmented reality.
