Software giant Microsoft is awarding $100,000 and development kits to schools that can find research applications for their augmented-reality headset.
The company is kicking off an academic research request for proposals (RFP) for its Windows 10-powered augmented-reality headset.
The communication was revealed by Jeannette Wing, corporate vice president of Microsoft Research on June 6, saying the Microsoft HoloLens Academic RFP will award US$100,000 and two HoloLens development kits to academic institutions.
The company expects to dole out five $100,000 awards as unrestricted gifts, each with two HoloLens development kits. The RFP is open to accredited non-profit, degree-granting universities or non-profit research labs in the United States. The application deadline is Sept. 5.
“We expect that researchers will envision novel ways of using HoloLens—from interactively teaching students, to creating mixed-realty art installations, to manipulating holographic data to reveal new relationships … to who knows what,” stated Wing.
HoloLens collaboration with scientific applications in space hit a snag recently, On June 28, two HoloLens headsets were set to take off on a SpaceX resupply mission to the International Space Station. HoloLens never made it after the unmanned Falcon 9 rocket exploded minutes after takeoff from Cape Canaveral.
Following the accident, Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, tweeted, “Space is hard… @NASA we’re with you and ready to try again!”
On July 8, Microsoft Research is hosting a Faculty Summit webcast showcasing some of the ways early units are being used.
The company has yet to announce its commercial availability, HoloLens is already aiding various industries, including architecture and construction, according to the company.
They hope HoloLens makes a splash in the video game industry. At this year’s E3 conference, the company demonstrated a HoloLens version of its popular Minecraft game, wowing attendees with novel ways to experience and interact with the sandbox game’s world. Microsoft acquired the game’s developer, Mojang, for $2.5 billion in September 2014.
Via eWeek
