The HoloLens is now being sent into space for NASA employees to test while weightless.
Even though virtual and augmented reality technology based gadgets haven’t really done much in mainstream life down here on Earth, when it comes to people who are living in space, a different situation is underway.
The Microsoft HoloLens is now being sent up to the residents of the International Space Station.
The resupply mission to the International Space Station (ISS) has included 2 Microsoft HoloLens devices that are meant to be used by NASA astronauts. This will allow them to test out the augmented reality technology for uses in weightless scenarios. The astronauts living on the ISS will be given devices that are meant to function as instruction manuals that offer relevant information in real time. This is a component of an existing NASA project that is called Project Sidekick.
The idea of this use of augmented reality is to boost the communication between the ISS and ground control.
In this way, a tech on Earth located in Houston would be able to see exactly what an astronaut wearing the HoloLens AR headset is viewing, and they will see it in real time. That would then make it possible for that individual on the ground to be able to draw a circle around a specific button or hardware on the view of the space station so that the astronaut’s attention can be drawn to it quickly and easily without lengthy descriptions and directions to find it. The idea is to make it easier to offer instructions for conducting experiments and repairs in a more efficient and effective way than written or verbal instructions.
According to the ISS program director, Sam Scimemi, “HoloLens and other virtual and mixed reality devices are cutting edge technologies that could help drive future exploration and provide new capabilities to the men and women conducting critical science on the International Space Station.” He added that the use of this new augmented reality tech could improve opportunities for explorers in the future who require heightened autonomy, such as on a journey to Mars.
NASA had been sending the device up to the astronauts to provide assistance with a spectrum of tasks.
The new “Project Sidekick” experienced a massive setback on Sunday when the SpaceX Falcon rocket exploded shortly after takeoff. The intention of the project was to give astronauts a hand by way of augmented reality as NASA sends the HoloLens from Microsoft up into space in order to let people on the ground guide the astronauts through a variety of different complex tasks. It is believed that the devices will be sent again on a later rocket transport.
This use of AR technology could help to simplify the completion of difficult tasks while in orbit.
The idea is to use the HoloLens augmented reality headset to be able to provide the astronauts with additional information directly from people on the ground. This could be very helpful to the astronauts who will not only be able to hear instructions or see text but also see indications as to precisely what buttons they should be pressing, for example. It will also provide the people on the ground with a much clearer understanding of the perspective of the astronauts while they are actually completing the tasks in question.
The first pair of the augmented reality headsets were to be sent to the astronauts on Sunday with a supply rocket.
The two AR mobile gadgets were added to the resupply mission that was flown into space by the private rocket company called SpaceX. Unfortunately, that rocket exploded and was completely destroyed shortly after liftoff. Those who use the wearable technology will be able to see a display of virtual images in an overlay on top of the actual world around them. This device was unveiled by Microsoft as a part of the launch of their next operating system, Windows 10.
According to the International Space Station (ISS) program, Sam Scimemi, “HoloLens and other virtual and mixed reality devices are cutting edge technologies that could help drive future exploration and provide new capabilities to the men and women conducting critical science on the International Space Station.”
He also went on to say that the augmented reality technology may have the ability to “empower future explorers requiring greater autonomy on the journey to Mars.” NASA and the ISS have already been testing out the AR technology devices on the Weightless Wonder C9 jet in order to simulate its performance in a microgravity environment similar to that of the space station.
