Tag: microsoft augmented reality glasses

Microsoft takes a big step toward the wearable glasses market.

Recently, the computer software and electronics company acquired a patent for object-recognizing augmented reality glasses from Osterhout Design Group, a deal worth $150 million.

The smart glasses equipped with this technology could result in people interacting with their environment in a whole new way.

More specifically, the patent for which Microsoft filed is an application called “Wearable Behavior-based Vision System”. The wearable device that could result from this technology may be smart glasses that look like large sunglasses, which could enhance how the wearer interacts with his or her environment.

For instance, if the wearer was crossing the street and a vehicle happened to be approaching at a fast speed, the glasses would warn the wearer if the vehicle was perceived as a threat. In addition to this function, allegedly, the smart glasses could combine the real world with the virtual world. Thus, if the wearer were playing a game using the glasses, for example, and he or she were walking around their home, the glasses will incorporate objects from the real world (ex. furniture) with objects from the game (virtual world).

Rumors about Microsoft developing augmented reality glasses are nothing new.

Since November 2012, there have been rumors circulating about Microsoft working on some form of wearable tech involving glasses. However, by securing this patent, it does seem that the company is serious about entering the wearables space.

On the other hand, simply because a company files for a patent, this does not necessarily mean it will use the technology as has been rumored. Until Microsoft officially releases information regarding what it plans to do with the application, there still is no solid evidence to back the old rumors. After all, it is quite possible that the massive corporation may only be building a prototype device that they have no intention of releasing to the market or at least not for several years down the road.

That being said, if it turns out that Microsoft does create object-recognizing augmented reality glasses, it would produce a smart glass device equipped with unique features that Google Glass would lack.

The company is tinkering with the idea of incorporating the wearable devices in its game console.

A patent application that was newly published by Mircrosoft has revealed that it appears to be tinkering with a head mounted display device for multiplayer games, and which has technology followers wondering if augmented reality may be in the future of the Xbox game console.

None of these speculations have been officially confirmed by the company, other than its patent application.

The patent application details look as though Microsoft is working on augmented reality glasses and a way to be able to match the players by way of these wearable devices. Provided in the description is a system and related methods for being able to invite a potential additional player to participate into a multiplayer game by way of a device with a head mounted display, to be worn by the user.

Augmented reality could be a central part of being able to form a full experience among several players in a virtual space.

Within one of the examples, a potential additional player invitation program would receive data by way of the user’s voice and determines that the this data is an invitation to be able to take part in the multiplayer game. From that point, eye tracking information is received by the program, in addition to facial recognition data, depth info, information related to the head mounted display device of the potential user and/or the voice data of the potential player.

The program makes a match of the potential player with the potential player account. From that point, the program receives a response of acceptance from that additional player so that he or she can have his or her potential player account with a multiplayer game participating user account.

What is central to the filing of the patent from Microsoft was the use of the potentially augmented reality based eye tracking, facial recognition, depth information and other sensor data use in order to make it possible for a number of different players to participate within the same virtual game arena.

For example, to make it possible for two players to fight using swords. Within the patent filing, it explains that “depth information comprises a measured depth of an interaction space in which the user and the potential player are located, and the potential player invitation program is further configured to use the depth information to select a suggested multiplayer game that is physically compatible with the measured depth of the interaction space; and suggest to the user the suggested multiplayer game.” This has suggested to many that augmented reality would be required to complete that experience.