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Comment by pitchups | Hacker News Reader

How does Magic Leap compare with Microsoft's Hololens? It appears that both are implementing AR is slightly different ways. Was completely blown away though by the demo videos of the Hololens -

https://www.microsoft.com/microsoft-hololens/en-us

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Magic Leap are promising MUCH more - realistic occlusion of virtual objects by real ones, dynamic transparency (allowing both AR and fully immersive VR), natural depth of field (refocusing on virtual objects without simulated blur), a scanning fiber light-field display, fully accurate hand tracking, both very near (holding something in your hand) and far (things flying through streets) depth tracking.. you get it. Not to mention, they haven't even said anything about their cloud platform yet, which you can bet Google are heavily involved with.. combining Tango area mapping with Google Maps.. they are trying to solve every problem in AR/Computer Vision, so it's no wonder people are skeptical. But if anyone's going to succeed, they have a pretty impressive team & investor lineup.

Not to mention, Magic Leap are trying to build a whole ecosystem designed for AR experiences, right down to retails stores. Whereas Microsoft simply seem to be making 'Windows-AR'.

There's no way to occlude real objects. Think about it, it's just shining more light in your eyes. You can't shine "dark" into someone's eyes.

I don't believe they've promised that anywhere either. In fact where are you getting any of this information?

This is the patent: https://www.google.co.nz/patents/US8950867

Abstract: A system may comprise a selectively transparent projection device for projecting an image toward an eye of a viewer from a projection device position in space relative to the eye of the viewer, the projection device being capable of assuming a substantially transparent state when no image is projected; an occlusion mask device coupled to the projection device and configured to selectively block light traveling toward the eye from one or more positions opposite of the projection device from the eye of the viewer in an occluding pattern correlated with the image projected by the projection device; and a zone plate diffraction patterning device interposed between the eye of the viewer and the projection device and configured to cause light from the projection device to pass through a diffraction pattern having a selectable geometry as it travels to the eye.

The OP claims the reverse: "realistic occlusion of virtual objects by real ones"

With a good 3D model of the real world, that is possible (but not easy to get right with a possibly rapidly moving camera)

And also complains dynamic transparency. That would be a way to do real objects occluded by virtual ones, depending on what it means.

Yes there is, you render the real environmental map as a "cloak." Pretty simple conceptually.

You're going to have to expand on that vague explanation because I still think it is fairly obviously impossible. The best you could do is be much brighter than the background (which may be quite effective in a dimly lit room but isn't true occlusion).

It seems to me that every time anyone tries to do everything at once, they almost always fail. On the other hand I can see how progress is incremental, and we have amazing things after competition and many incremental improvements. Apple is a partial, notable exception, and thus benefited immensely. So, I do hope they succeed, AR would be amazing, but your description of their ambition makes me doubt it.

The "screen based VR" companies should be right out nervous if they manage to accomplish even the basics of those lofty goals. Though, from what have been described from those who have tested the Magic Leap, it is currently a HUGE device. I'm sceptical if they can get it down to even Oculus size.

I thought they would be nervous too but there is still a market for screen based VR. Like the holodeck experience. Sometimes you just need to take people to a whole different place, one that doesn't include your current surroundings. #readyplayerone

Magic Leap have realistic occlusion. That means that black can be projected on the screen - thus, VR is possible.

Working out hardware is first part. Getting enough developers working on VR is much more important. I think Google is going clever way here by building up the hype and attracting them early. Also lots of 'traditional' VR people will switch.

> realistic occlusion of virtual objects by real ones

This - how is this possible?

Also, in the demo I noticed that the robots that landed on the higher floor where placed at the correct height. I know its a demo and not based on a PoC; but if they deliver that it will be amazing tech.

Actually, that is their PoC. It actually works. Watch this video by Graeme Devine for more on how they do it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oAAqbKSjRrk

This Reddit thread suggests that the video is a concept video, not taken from their PoC: http://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/2zvuoz/occlusion_mas...

Despite there been a lot of journalits who have used Hololens, it is surprisingly difficult to get an account of how it works or how well it works.

I have however read that most of the augmented graphics on the hololens is semi transparent and the area of the visual field it can augment is limited.

I also wonder how well it calibrates. Saw a presentation the other day about calibrating AR and the top of the line calibration in academia is not super good.

Oliver Kreylos probably has the best description of the current demo: http://doc-ok.org/?p=1223

Those who have tested the latest version complained a lot about the FOV being very small, thus breaking immersion.

Though it's the first gen version, so i guess it will become much better.

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