Magic Leap’s Christmas Present
Apparently, after a eggnog fueled ending-of-the-year party at Magic Leap’s HQ somebody made a suggestion of giving the world a preview on their 3 years awaited product as a Christmas present. So now, out of the blue, we have a first glimpse on their long promised revolutionary product.
They haven’t revealed much as for technical aspects and details are still scarce, but from the first images we can already estimate how the overall usage of this new headset will be. Shall we take a closer look?
Judging by the cover
First we’ll evaluate the general image the this headset presents at first look.
- It really looks like goggles: Albeit a bit teckie. It’s not as slick or futuristic as Microsoft’s HoloLens but it seems more likely to be used for daily chores. It does look more comfortable than other iterations and it seems smaller and lighter, maybe because the whole data processing is shared with the fashionable pack (irony off) that comes along with the glasses.
- It’s not just the goggles: There’s a whole lot of accessories that come along the headset. There’s a controller and the previously mentioned computer purse, with an all new cable which makes it a sort of hybrid monster, not dependable of a computer but not completely self reliant as well…
- “One”…: So, this is the name of Magic Leap’s first headset, will the second and the third also be called “Two” and “Three”? It’s not clear yet. Or it might also have the same idea of the Xbox, meaning that it’s “One” because it’s the only device you’ll ever need (seems less likely though). The interpretation I most like, and which seems to be the most likely, is that it marks the first of a new generation, a historical milestone, the birth of a new era, given that in their site they give us a big welcome to the “Day One”. As there were no further comments from Magic Leap we can only speculate.
- Other features: This is going a bit further from looks alone but apparently the “One” has an advanced sound system that emulates realistic sounds for virtual interactions. This is something that has been lacking in other iterations even though it’s almost as important as view alone.
- Here’s looking at you kid: There’re some eight (!!) sensors in the front side of it alone. According to Magic Leap it’s meant for not only a precise mapping of the environment and gestures but to provide a better interactive interface. It can track all your movements and gestures, including your head and eyes movements.
- Digital Lightfield: One more interesting feature that’s important to notice, the lenses are a lot closer to the user’s eyes than any other headset so far, which must be due to the so called “Digital Lightfield” technology. This has been the most promising feature from their product, it’s a whole different way of displaying holographics, making then much more natural to our human eyes. According to Magic Leap:
“Our lightfield photonics generate digital light at different depths and blend seamlessly with natural light to produce lifelike digital objects that coexist in the real world. This advanced technology allows our brain to naturally process digital objects the same way we do real-world objects, making it comfortable to use for long periods of time.”
Analysing the goods and bads
It goes without saying that although all the hype Magic Leap wouldn’t just bring a completely game changer, revolutionary product, especially so early in the game like now. As any other headset there will be great features and not so good one’s as well.
- The Bads
- The “LightPack”
The extra computer package is by far the most disappointing feature of the bunch. HoloLens is a stand alone device and is almost two years old already. Not only that but there are some wires as well that make the usage of this device seem clumsy in an overall view. More practical than Oculus and Vive but not quite there yet
The need to reallocate some processing data and to relieve the hardware weight out of the user’s head is completely understandable. In terms of looks having a stand alone device like the HoloLens is attractive, but knowing how uncomfortable it is can be discouraging. How comfortable “One” is still a mystery but we can say with 90% certainty that it will be more comfortable than HoloLens or Meta. Still, having this extra device makes us mindful of what we are doing and can get in the way of the experience, on this aspect HoloLens wins.
- That Cable
This is an extension of the “purse” problem. Albeit the cable is not so long and it doesn’t seem to mess up so much in the overall experience, at least not in the same level as we have with the high end VR headsets of today, but it’s just not fashionable at all.
Again, I know it’s not a final product and that it’s meant for developers and that we are still on phase one and all but this is a device that has a social part to it, it is meant to be used on daily basis in the future and that cable is not at all welcoming.
- The Controller
It’s still not clear what the controller does, or even why there’s only one, but having it is a bit worrisome. It makes looks as if the whole gesture and natural interaction isn’t still perfected and that we’ll still need some form of mediator, which kind of contradicts with their other statements about their interactive interface:
“We live and think in a 3D world, not on a flat screen. Our spatial interface includes multiple input modes including voice, gesture, head pose and eye tracking. This collective input system provides the tools needed to break free from outdated conventions of point and click interfaces, delivering a more natural and intuitive way to interact with technology.”
I mean, if “One” is actually capturing all this information and is good at it why would it need to resort itself to an “old fashioned” solution as a controller…?
2. The Ugly
- Seems a bit dark
It’s a problem that all headsets had so far and “One” is no exception. Mixed Reality is promising in many aspects, one is that it’s a very social tool, a tool that will make possible for we all marvel the new magical/virtual things in our world and see it all in a collective way. But “One’s” lenses appear to be as dark as HoloLens’ and from my experience it can be injuring for conversations and other social interactions. One important aspect of carrying a conversation is looking at the other’s face, especially their eyes. Cell Phones have already made some conversations awkward by making us shift our attention away from the interaction but these glasses are something else. I know that there’s no easy solution and that there’ll probably never be a perfect one, but the way they are now is a bit too much.
One more thing, these darker lenses are usually used as a form to balance the overall lighting, meaning it darkers the environment so that the holograms appear more clearly. I personally don’t think this is a solution, I see MR as a media that treats both virtual and real equally, by endarking reality they are giving priority to the virtual, which is just wrong. But remembering, this is just a conjunction of my based on the images released by Magic Leap, there’s no real evidence that those lenses are actually that dark (even though they appear so…, just saying)
- Still no 120 degrees of field of view
Just the same as other devices, Magic Leap didn’t manage to deliver a product with the necessary 120 degrees of field of view to fully encapsulate and emulate our own vision, meaning that there’ll still be a floating virtual window where the virtual elements are displayed. It’s not clear how many degrees “One” can display, it’s said that it’s more than what HoloLens can offer, but it’s still not a full immersion.
3. The Goods
- Groundbreaking display tech
As I said before, the new technology for displaying holograms developed by Magic Leap, the “Digital Lightfield” technology, is well expressed right in the design of this prototype. Having this proximity to the eyes of the user clearly indicates that in the future we will have glasses like devices and that they are nearing us.
As no one has tested it yet, and those who did must be under some sigil contract, we can’t really elaborate any further but to see already out of the gate that this device will proportionate a whole new experience is very exciting!
- Sound
Similar to the “Lightfield” tech, Magic Leap hasn’t spared any efforts on sound as well. Sound is the second most important sense that must be fooled to create a realistic sensation of immersion, yet it hasn’t been given the same attention as the display technology so far. Magic Leap didn’t follow the trend and is releasing “One” with their own “Soundfield” tech, to which I quote:
“To feel real, it must sound real. Our soundfield audio mimics the real world and relays distance and intensity with amazing quality. This allows you to hear exactly where a sound is coming from, meaning you’ll know how close a virtual T-Rex is as it stomps up behind you.”
As there are no apparent speakers or anything of the sort in the design the sound quality is still a mystery, but by their statement it does look promising.
- Virtual perception
Having eight sensors on the front alone (and who knows if there any other anywhere else) gives this device a good range of perception of reality. Having more information about the real environment can vastly improve the ending product so “One” is well covered. The placement of these sensor are quite unorthodox and might yield interesting results, besides, the placement also follows the overall style of the headset and seems quite natural, it blends well with the design and is not all that apparent.
It would be naive to believe that Magic Leap would come out of their cave with a groundbreaking, game changer product on their first try. “One” still has its problems and will find others along the way. All problems listed here will be solved in time, they are all already on Magic Leap’s agenda. The important thing is to see the birth a new tech that will improve the MR experience, one that will likely be constructive for the future of this new media.
One thing that kind of bumps me out is that this design is clearly made for in doors use, more likely to be used at your own home. I believe that MR will only really show it’s true advantages once it begins to be used outside, with a lot of people and with incredible shared experiences. I mean, what use would you give this device at your own home? Substitute your television? Play a little game once a while? Considering that it’s not the most comfortable device ever it’s very likely to be forgotten after a while. To pursue its full potential MR must be used collectively and in different spaces, playing with different possibilities. Unfortunately with “One” we can see none of that. It showcases many great thing for the future, but the most important one is, apparently, still far in the future.
On the other hand Magic Leap has been giving right steps toward the creation of MR content. Just yesterday they announced “ Tónandi”, a musical project with the collaboration of the Icelandic band Sigur Rós. In this app music evolves accordingly to how you interact with the environment, an idea in line with what I’ve been developing in some previous post, something I call “existential autonomy”. I won’t elaborate much now, this subject deserves a post of it’s own. I will put in here the links when I finish writting then.
Today was a historical day, a leap towards the future nevertheless.
So, Happy Day One everyone!!!
And a Merry Christmas and may 2018 bring even more incredible tech!
