Microsoft have purchased many augmented reality patents for 150 million dollars

Cyan

Cyan

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Now after the acquisition of Oculus Rift by Facebook and the brand new Project Morpheus created by Sony, Microsoft have acquired more than 80 patents related to augmented reality.

This could work for certain people, like me. My only and unique gripe with VR for me is that the head-mounted displays can make you feel disconnected from the world surrounding you, and unaware of it to some extent, pretty much like headphones when someone calls you on the phone or rings the bell at home.

If it's only glasses and stuff like that... My monocle idea might be unrealised but I have worn 3D glasses on top of regular glasses and contact lenses and have never had a problem with migraines --which are naturally frequent for me.

http://www.computerandvideogames.com/456343/microsoft-acquires-string-of-augmented-reality-patents/

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VR and AR are two different things. AR's applications are mostly non-gaming, with the little bit of interactive environments. VR is mostly about gaming or similar entertainment experiences. These patents are far, far more likely aimed at battling Google Glass and shifting mobile experiences away from iOS and Android towards MS Windows Specs or whatever.

I'll even go so far to say this doesn't belong in the console forum as it isn't gaming related. Just that some typically ill-informed game website is posting it as much. They manage to take a quote from Phil Harrison saying, "we aren't looking into creating VR ourselves yet," and interpret that to mean, "MS are at the early stages of designing VR hardware." :rolleyes:
 
It's most likely to make sure that MS have a foothold in wearable computing. They are being more canny about changes in tech now. They obviously have realised that they are falling behind in far more areas than they can afford to and, rather than be caught out by minor developments like mobile computing or the internet, are going to be buying up as much as they can; knowing that they move far to slowly compared to smaller start ups or tech focused companies like Google, Apple etc.
 
Shifty Geezer said:
VR and AR are two different things. AR's applications are mostly non-gaming, with the little bit of interactive environments. VR is mostly about gaming or similar entertainment experiences. These patents are far, far more likely aimed at battling Google Glass and shifting mobile experiences away from iOS and Android towards MS Windows Specs or whatever.

I'll even go so far to say this doesn't belong in the console forum as it isn't gaming related. Just that some typically ill-informed game website is posting it as much. They manage to take a quote from Phil Harrison saying, "we aren't looking into creating VR ourselves yet," and interpret that to mean, "MS are at the early stages of designing VR hardware." :rolleyes:
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Interesting... What I observed in the screengrabs is that they have the words Xbox One written all over it. To be honest, I don't know the difference between virtual reality and augmented reality as I've never tried either.

From what I know, they create a sense of belonging to the virtual world, which can be very fun and make you feel euphoria. It's just that the VR seems more complex.
 
Shifty Geezer said:
I'll even go so far to say this doesn't belong in the console forum as it isn't gaming related. Just that some typically ill-informed game website is posting it as much. They manage to take a quote from Phil Harrison saying, "we aren't looking into creating VR ourselves yet," and interpret that to mean, "MS are at the early stages of designing VR hardware." :rolleyes:
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Maybe not "early" ;) http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/03/21/gdc-microsoft-has-worked-on-vr-for-quite-a-while

During a conversation about virtual reality technology at the Game Developers Conference, Microsoft Game Studios' Phil Spencer said "I think the technology is really interesting, and it’s definitely something we’ve been playing with for quite a while."
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AR patents, or in other words ... "If we had this magic technology we could do this obvious shit with them ... we don't have the technology, but in case someone else does GIVE US ALL THE MONEY".
 
Cyan said:
Interesting... What I observed in the screengrabs is that they have the words Xbox One written all over it. To be honest, I don't know the difference between virtual reality and augmented reality as I've never tried either.

From what I know, they create a sense of belonging to the virtual world, which can be very fun and make you feel euphoria. It's just that the VR seems more complex.
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AR is something Sony have included in the PS since the original eyetoy. It's the Wonderbook approach where the camera captures the real world scene and overlays GFX onto it. Like the Tank game on the Vita. It's no where near as immersive as VR and isn't really capable of providing anywhere near the same experience.

It's fun to play with for a while, Playroom on the PS4 is a really good example, but its main use is overlaying informational data on the real world. Think using your phone to identify objects in the real world and pull up the wiki entry.

I have been putting together stuff for AR for a couple of years now. I have one project in the pipeline that shows the creation of a building from bare soil to finished article when you view the building through either your phone or tablet.
 
BoardBonobo said:
AR is something Sony have included in the PS since the original eyetoy. It's the Wonderbook approach where the camera captures the real world scene and overlays GFX onto it. Like the Tank game on the Vita. It's no where near as immersive as VR and isn't really capable of providing anywhere near the same experience.

It's fun to play with for a while, Playroom on the PS4 is a really good example, but its main use is overlaying informational data on the real world. Think using your phone to identify objects in the real world and pull up the wiki entry.

I have been putting together stuff for AR for a couple of years now. I have one project in the pipeline that shows the creation of a building from bare soil to finished article when you view the building through either your phone or tablet.
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Is there a way to see some of your work without spoiling much?

Aren't there many ways to achieve augmented reality then? I mean, they are incorporating glasses, just like 3D glasses, and some kind of stickers to your fingers.

That might be part of the Fortaleza glasses, mentioned in this leak.

http://forum.beyond3d.com/showthread.php?t=62038

I can see some uses in it for gaming, if utilised with Kinect. Or is that just me?
 
Cyan said:
Interesting... What I observed in the screengrabs is that they have the words Xbox One written all over it. To be honest, I don't know the difference between virtual reality and augmented reality as I've never tried either.
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AR is augmenting reality, which means taking reality and overlaying+integrating computer generated elements. These can be anything from labels to superimposed game characters. However, getting robust 3D integration with the environment is very difficult. That's something a mobile depth camera would be remarkably beneficial for, but that's a long way off. Simple 3D overlays like arrows on a road to follow is a lot easier and where AR shines.

VR is creating a completely isolated, synthetic representation of reality that immerses the person such that they feel like they're there. VR is 100% computer graphics, stereoscopic vision and audio, and preferably head tracking. By definition it substitutes the real world with an alternative.

The two are thus almost mutually exclusive. If we get a game that places game combatants in a VR type 1:1 player tracking situation and superimposes them in the real world, it'd play like VR but be AR.

I can see some uses in it for gaming, if utilised with Kinect. Or is that just me?
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It can be, but those would be AR games and not VR games.

eastmen said:
MS is further along than Sony is. Look to the Kinect for vr
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I flatly disagree. The interface doesn't define the VR experience, and without proper haptic feedback, waving one's hand around or wielding a controller will be equally abstracted interactions.

Sony have applied AR in console (EyeToy) and mobile (Invisimals) form, overlaying game elements with live footage. They have VR in their upcoming headset.

MS have AR in Kinect titles but haven't shown anything like VR yet. Body tracking and watching the results on a 2D screen isn't VR, which requires a way to fool the visual senses at least into placing the player in the centre of the experience.

MS can easily add VR with their own headset, in which case Kinect will provide a good interface for some games, but it won't be better in every way (some experiences will be better with a Move-like controller, which of course MS can also add), and they aren't further ahead. Without even saying they are actively pursuing this, MS are definitely behind at the moment (though they could surprise everyone with a new headset announced at E3 and released a month later!). However, that shouldn't come as a surprise. VR will probably be a far smaller market than AR, at least considered with the mindset of a massive international IT company, and MS would probably do better to be a strong player in the AR market than in the VR market.

Personally I'd expect VR to be big for the next few years and then AR once the tech is really there to mainstream it.
 
(rant) just read a different topic 2 mins ago on these forums where ppl haven't discovered that you you can find out info easily on the internet

Man you would think ppl on this forum would know the difference between AR & VR

If you dont know or are unsure, go to the top of the screen and type them in the searchbar, and check the wiki article. Simple aye :)
its not just VR & AR you can find out info about on the internet but anything
(end rand)
 
MS has a ton of ongoing work on both VR and AR in MSR, but commercializing would require some external motivation.

The thing most people don't realize is the technology for the headsets is very different for AR vs VR, buying oculus has almost no value if your interest is in the AR space.
 
Shifty Geezer said:
AR is augmenting reality, which means taking reality and overlaying+integrating computer generated elements. These can be anything from labels to superimposed game characters. However, getting robust 3D integration with the environment is very difficult. That's something a mobile depth camera would be remarkably beneficial for, but that's a long way off. Simple 3D overlays like arrows on a road to follow is a lot easier and where AR shines.

VR is creating a completely isolated, synthetic representation of reality that immerses the person such that they feel like they're there. VR is 100% computer graphics, stereoscopic vision and audio, and preferably head tracking. By definition it substitutes the real world with an alternative.

The two are thus almost mutually exclusive. If we get a game that places game combatants in a VR type 1:1 player tracking situation and superimposes them in the real world, it'd play like VR but be AR.

It can be, but those would be AR games and not VR games.


I flatly disagree. The interface doesn't define the VR experience, and without proper haptic feedback, waving one's hand around or wielding a controller will be equally abstracted interactions.

Sony have applied AR in console (EyeToy) and mobile (Invisimals) form, overlaying game elements with live footage. They have VR in their upcoming headset.

MS have AR in Kinect titles but haven't shown anything like VR yet. Body tracking and watching the results on a 2D screen isn't VR, which requires a way to fool the visual senses at least into placing the player in the centre of the experience.

MS can easily add VR with their own headset, in which case Kinect will provide a good interface for some games, but it won't be better in every way (some experiences will be better with a Move-like controller, which of course MS can also add), and they aren't further ahead. Without even saying they are actively pursuing this, MS are definitely behind at the moment (though they could surprise everyone with a new headset announced at E3 and released a month later!). However, that shouldn't come as a surprise. VR will probably be a far smaller market than AR, at least considered with the mindset of a massive international IT company, and MS would probably do better to be a strong player in the AR market than in the VR market.

Personally I'd expect VR to be big for the next few years and then AR once the tech is really there to mainstream it.
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MS has the best consumer skeleton tracking I've ever seen and coupled with a vr head set will blow away the tracking that oculus or sony has.
 
eastmen said:
MS has the best consumer skeleton tracking I've ever seen and coupled with a vr head set will blow away the tracking that oculus or sony has.
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and what is input to photon latency like on said tracking ;). its easy to say throw away lines like it will blow everything away...... well where is it ?
Really ?

That's what I really want.

http://www.virtuix.com/
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I only think you think you want it, but really you dont. There are plenty of real sports you could be doing right now if that's what you really wanted. everything from golf to paint ball, best part is they come with free realism..........
 
I play soccer / paintball but weather and time doesn't allways work out.

The Omni would be great , I would rather jump on that for an hour or two then a tread mill . Esp playing skyrim or something.
 
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