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Inside Magic Leap

231 points by t23 10y ago

jarnix 10y ago
I wish I can combine Magic Leap with AR glasses.
- jarnix2 10y ago
  Or maybe already get a Magic Leap!
  - jarnix 10y ago
    Nobody knows if the tech exists yet!
maxxxxx 10y ago
Has there ever been a company that built this kind of hype over years and then in the end actually delivered something truly revolutionary? Judging from companies like Cuil (not sure if the name is right), Segway or Color they will fizzle out once their product gets on the market, if ever.
- BatFastard 10y ago
  If past history is the only thing to go on you are correct. However there are quite a few level A players investing huge sums of money in this. I have to think they are paying attention.
  - maxxxxx 10y ago
    I have Theranos as counterexample for the A player argument :). But my main question is: is there a an example where such an approach worked and revolutionized the industry? I can't think of any.
    - Mtinie 10y ago
      I'm not exactly sure how to classify it. Would you consider early institutional investors in Microsoft, Amazon, or Facebook? Anecdotally I've heard that lots of VC firms passed on all three during their very early days, but I'm not convinced that those are good examples of completely new markets.
  - Mtinie 10y ago
    Or, they are so afraid of potentially missing out on the next big thing that they are putting money towards the project in spite of any warning signs that are there.
- bobsil1 10y ago
  The hype is probably for recruiting. But, "Magic" in the name is like the handicap principle of biology, means the founders had a big prior exit and can raise despite the name ;) Like Magic Cap operating system — usually means good talent, but they take too long to ship.
simonebrunozzi 10y ago
I stopped reading Forbes.com because of their "malware" policy.
- intrasight 10y ago
  Me too - and because their web site sucks. Fortunately, there's usually an adequate TL;DR for anything posted to HN
- Hydraulix989 10y ago
  I stopped reading Forbes.com because of their bullshit articles.
Grefu 10y ago
"Changing Computing Forever" is the new "Making the world a better place" ?
M_Grey 10y ago
Uh huh... this is a case of, "Maybe it is, maybe it will, but I'll believe it a week after I see it."
QuantumRoar 10y ago
Asking to turn off the adblocker and at the same time showing the following quote: "I'm doing the thing that scares me the most every single day." Like what? Browsing without an adblocker?
joncp 10y ago
When a headline follows the format /change(d|ing) .* forever$/. I figure it's fluff and not worth my time. Am I wrong?
- donpdonp 10y ago
  I put on a Magical Leap and you won't believe what happens next!
  - truth_sentinell 10y ago
    Pun intended
debatem1 10y ago
I've been hearing rumors about these guys for years and it never seems to be any more than what's in this article-- "we saw some special effects and our wallets flipped themselves out of our back pockets onto the table and began spewing money". People so often underestimate the difficulty of productizing significant UI changes, not realizing that getting content to migrate to the new shiny will be at least as hard as getting rid of Flash on the web.
- simplemath 10y ago
  "We're going to make augmented reality everything! Repair manuals, etc" Bullshit. You're going to model and diagram every part and repair guide from every production model vehicle ever? Magic Leap would need a software development industry unto itself to build the solutions being batted lightly about in the OP like pingpong balls
  - binoct 10y ago
    I think that having an (the) entire industry writing solutions for Magic Leap is exactly what they are envisioning. It would be a platform, i.e. Chilton would build an app for it. Now, whether or not they are actually going to be the biggest thing in graphical interfaces since the flat screen is another question...
    - simplemath 10y ago
      There's just no way. They aren't going to beat Oculus/FB, or Sony, or HTC. They don't have a product; they clearly must have some incredible tech demos, and a wizard working VC
      - icelancer 10y ago
        Yeah, the simplest explanation is exactly that. What evidence is there that they're better than the current HMD race that is rapidly progressing?
      - bobsil1 10y ago
joezydeco 10y ago
Here's a peek at your future.... https://vimeo.com/166807261 https://vimeo.com/166807261
- 6stringmerc 10y ago
  Quite an intriguing take on it, thanks for sharing.
- hughes 10y ago
  Honestly it would take that level of visual fidelity and environmental awareness for the leap to live up to the hype and expectations.
  - joezydeco 10y ago
    Leap most certainly won't do this. But give it twenty years.
- jonah 10y ago
  I. Can. Hardly. Wait. /s We're already dealing with issues of sensory and information overload without having this layer of immersion.
- MrQuincle 10y ago
  Thanks! I was immediately thinking. I would love some glasses to remove visual overload! Get rid of advertisements by switching on the ad blocker in my glasses.
6stringmerc 10y ago
So clearly the author is sympathetic to the aura that Magic Leap is cultivating through secrecy and selective media engagements: >When it arrives–best guess is within the next 18 months–it could usher in a new era of computing, a next-generation interface we’ll use for decades to come. ...which may be a pretty valid statement or sentiment overall, but later in the article, we get to the crux of the "potential" future of the device / platform: >Eventually Magic Leap sees its greatest impact in business applications, especially medical imaging and retail (imagine “trying on” garments at home, seamlessly). But as with most technologies, entertainment offerings will lead the way. I might be picking on a low hanging fruit here, but seriously, one of the compelling reasons to look forward to Magic Leap is so it can have a tie in with the Home Shopping Network or QVC or Nieman Marcus? The more and more I see the little teaser images (and the occasional demo reel like the office game) I'm cautiously suspicious the technology is perfectly reasonable but figuring out great content for the platform will be the difference between whether it will align with the hype and promotion or be closer to the storyline of the Nintendo Virtual Boy. I'm just frumpy after years of seeing the difference between renders for PR purposes and actual in-game / in-environment footage as a player / user, which, I do think as tech has improved, isn't happening as much anymore in commercials and whatnot, which I like. This particular situation and eventual roll out will prove a lot I'm sure, one way or another..."soon-ish" as he says...
- corey_moncure 10y ago
  >but seriously, one of the compelling reasons to look forward to Magic Leap is so it can have a tie in with the Home Shopping Network or QVC or Nieman Marcus? I personally think this would be really cool, and would facilitate entirely new modes of interaction with people in this field e.g. designers and sales workers. Imagine being able to connect with a clothing designer remotely, and have them model you in a virtual outfit before a mirror, with an practically infinite vocabulary of color, texture, and pattern at their disposal. A 2-way conversation with a design professional with a vastly accelerated prototype-feedback loop. No, I think this would be totally awesome.
- ChuckMcM 10y ago
  I think that is a very salient observation. To reach its full potential the unit needs both pixel occlusion (which is knocking out the light your eye would normally see with light you generation) and pixel registration (which is keeping the pixel in the same place in 3-space outside of you). All of the demos focus on occlusion (the creatures seem like they really are in your room) and skate over registration accuracy. If you were going to tall someone how to fix something, registration accuracy would be critical (for example) Also people are very "forgiving" if things seem to wiggle a bit in the world but looking at the Google Tango device this weekend I got to see some of the challenges of keeping registration of the pixels high. Its frustrating if your ruler end point is "jiggling" a bit close to the spot where you want to start a measurement. So without good registration you get eye fatigue like you used to get with pilots flying long range on bumpy flights constantly looking at instruments. Only in the case of pilots they can look outside to the clouds (which don't "bump" in space).
sagivo 10y ago
Magic Leap goes against all the concepts we learned in "startup schools" - launch fast and iterate, get feedback, pivot and grow with your users etc.. they work away from the public for product they don't know if the public want. it's a bet, i hope it will pay off.
- pinot 10y ago
  More the school of Dean Kamen.
- andygates 10y ago
  They can't launch until the thing is at least portable - and in the carefully-managed rumours are right, it started out as an optics bench and then a tethered rack and ... nobody's seen anything that can be launched. We're still waiting for that "DK1".
  - sprafa 10y ago
    If appearances are to be trusted, Magic Leap is not doing a DK1. Considering the hundreds of people they've hired and their partners (Disney, ILM, Weta) They are launching with applications already, a bit like a games console more than anything.
- angersock 10y ago
  The gospel preached in modern startup circles is uniquely unsuited to certain product types. That doesn't mean that it is wrong, necessarily, but that it isn't always exactly applicable.
- swalsh 10y ago
  These guys aren't building an invoicing app. They're building a brand new high-tech platform. The traditional startup approach clearly isn't going to work well here. The line for what a "minimum viable product" could be is pretty high... and once it is out, you can't upgrade it again (well not cost effectively at least). Hardware has a different cycle. Traditional waterfall methodology is still kind of essential for hardware. Frankly, I'm super excited something like this is coming out of a startup, and not Apple. It's nice to have some diversity.
TY 10y ago
Nothing really new in this article, we have read bunch of these before...
edblarney 10y ago
Ok - it seems that they 'absolutely' have something bewildering, and eye-popping. There are enough 'no information' testimonials by smart people to get that. BUT I'm still pretty weary of billions getting pumped into a business that remains unproven. + Maybe development is very expensive + Maybe the goggles cost to much + Maybe they just don't have quite enough content to justify the high costs + Maybe the experience 'isn't quite there' So many times these 'wow' toys have proven to be near-duds when they actually hit market reality. I can't wait to try it, but I'm also looking forward to seeing the reality of it.
- talmand 10y ago
  I remember that we were going to revamp existing cities and build new cities in accordance to this wonderful transportation device that would change everything, of which I cannot recall the name. I currently see them used as joke props in movies.
  - Retric 10y ago
    If you include 'hover-boards' these battery powered, two wheeled, self balancing, things sold over 2.5 million of the things in just the USA in 2015. So, it really is becoming increasingly widespread. You can see this as and extension of the skateboards vs scooters vertical stick argument. PS: For comparson 17.5 million cars where sold in 2015 and 12.5 million bikes with 20+" wheels.
    - deleted 10y ago
      [deleted]
    - 0xffff2 10y ago
      > So, it really is becoming increasingly widespread. I don't know if this is really true. I saw a lot of hoverboards on my university campus last year. I don't see nearly as many this year. I'd like to see sales data for at least another year before declaring that anything is becoming increasingly widespread.
JumpCrisscross 10y ago
Magic Leap has been bleeding talent as a result of their relocating from the Bay Area to Florida [1]. As I understand it, this decision was made by and for one of their (independently wealthy) founders. [1] http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/careers/fl-magic-leap-new-building-20151013-story.html http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/careers/fl-magic-leap-n...
- jhallenworld 10y ago
  This article brings up a big issue: even if Magic Leap fails to deliver, they just might own all of the relevant patents. This could make AR needlessly expensive for decades.
  - sharemywin 10y ago
    except they seem like they're all business method or software patents which will much hard to enforce: At the time the Mayo case was decided, there was some uncertainty over whether it applied only to natural principles (laws of nature) or more generally to patent eligibility of all abstract ideas and general principles, including those involved in software patents. The Alice decision confirmed that the test was general. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_patent_debate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_patent_debate
    - sharemywin 10y ago
      Federal Circuit has been invalidating software patents at an alarming rate ever since, all relying on the Alice decision. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/patent-eligibility-criteria-light-alice-concept-idea-fatih-ozluturk https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/patent-eligibility-criteria-l...
- shepardrtc 10y ago
  They've always been based in Florida. They have offices in the Bay Area and apparently they're building one in Seattle, too.
- sprafa 10y ago
lossolo 10y ago
I saw some video from Magic Leap some time ago, some animated character got behind the chair in augmented vr. Aren't they just using infrared to get distance to object, then they are using ML to classify and distinct them all, then when they have sizes of object they calculate behind which element their character will be so they can position it good and make parts of it transparent while crossing under the chair?
jhallenworld 10y ago
I'm thinking that Hololens rev. 2 will be out before Magic Leap rev. 1 is out and will be cheaper. So unless Magic Leap is an order of magnitude better than Hololens, they have failed. Say what you will about Microsoft, at least they already have a platform on which this "new era of computing" can be based: Windows. That is to say, it makes tremendous more sense to evolve from what we have now into the "new era of computing", than to write an entire platform from scratch, which is what I assume Magic Leap is trying to do.
- SparkyMcUnicorn 10y ago
  Hololense = 1268 * 720 pixels per eye Magicleap = supposedly infinite (or they don't exist at all?) Hololens says they have 2.3 million “light points”. I don't know much about light points other than a few paragraphs, but I wonder how Magicleap actually measures light density and how/if it compares or correlates.
  - bobsil1 10y ago
    MLeap is scanned, but they'll have a limit on the switching speed of the laser + color components.
    - smaddox 10y ago
      Diode lasers can easily amplitude modulate at 10s of MHz, which can provide more effective pixels than 4k displays. If they're still using the piezoelectric beam steering they demo'd a while back, then that will likely be their scanning speed limiter, and thus the pixel density limiter. Their most recent patents suggest they've moved on to something more advanced, though, so it's tough to say for sure. Regardless, GPUs will likely limit the render resolution for the first one or two products. Upscaling might be possible, though.
  - white-flame 10y ago
    1920x1080 ~= 2 million pixels. Assuming an optical scanning system, you could give them the benefit of the doubt that they can route R, G, and B through a single light point during scanning. I presume a "light point" is some sort of shaped structure on their glass which allows the scanned light to escape to the eye when requested. And in theory, might be a place where they can do interference cancellation of incoming light to darken points. All their hype probably points to metamaterials-style shaping of light. Remember that pixels aren't rectangles (hence why scaling images larger always looks more blocky or blurry than native res), they're point samples. So a "light point" should be equivalent to a pixel in the simple case. Whether or not they can bend light between points to make it "infinite", who knows. Any of that is always going to be limited by the resolution that the GPU can crunch in time.
IanDrake 10y ago
These guys might just be the WebVan of AR. Building a campus before you've sold V1 of your product? That's idiotic. Don't get me wrong, this could be incredibly cool in a vacuum. But reality often has different needs. I hope I'm wrong.
- bobsil1 10y ago
  I think the factory is part of the campus. And they need a factory because the parts are custom.
  - IanDrake 10y ago
    And WebVan needed a distribution network and warehouses. I'm not saying they're not making an awesome product. I'm saying it's possible not enough people will want to buy it in order to justify building a factory and campus. It's not my money though and I've never seen the product. This is obviously a HUGE gamble that will either be a raging success or will become a joke about the follies of venture capital (i.e. WebVan 2.0).
    - bobsil1 10y ago
      Some kind of AR will pretty clearly be a big wave (processing components shrinking, but input/output still human size, so they get virtualized). The funds need to make big bets, this one looked good: best tech from UW prof, a founder who's sold a hardware co for >$1B before. It depends very much on execution: polish, price, apps.
sharemywin 10y ago
This seems to me a lot like the segway.
spyder 10y ago
I believe Magic Leap has a new kind of display technology, but the article is pretty bullshit-sounding with statements like this: "Throw out your PC, your laptop and your mobile phone, because the computing power you need will be in your glasses, and they can make a display appear anywhere, at any size you like." Yeah sure, they not only made a new display tech but integrated the computing power of desktops or laptops into glasses. I wonder how they cool the GTX 1080 cards on your head...
- BatFastard 10y ago
  I had the same thoughts, but if its true! But might was well stay hopeful for as long as possible. Problem is that would require at least two huge leaps in technology one in display technology and one in compact computing power, probably more.
- ajmarsh 10y ago
  I assume the GTX 1080 lives in the cloud. We shall see I guess.
  - simonebrunozzi 10y ago
    Can't. The bandwidth wouldn't be enough.
    - jerf 10y ago
      Bandwidth is not the problem, latency is. Bandwidth can be fixed by throwing more bandwidth at the problem. Cloud gaming has not done all that well; it's right at the edge of feasibility due to latency. VR moves it back off the edge to "unquestionably infeasible". If VR gaming were to take off and become a dominant paradigm it would make cloud gaming even harder to justify.
      - Bartweiss 10y ago
        Gaming and banking/trading are definitely the informative projects here. Pseudo-real-time gaming is possible, but only for regional servers. Live global gaming is off the table permanently unless known physics changes; speed of light delays are larger than human reaction times. Right now, the best we can do is predictive techniques and continental servers, which have barely enabled MMO shooters. VR gaming worsens the problem - 80ms delays in VR are nauseating and game-ruining. Global latency isn't a solvable problem via money or devotion.
qaq 10y ago
They need to merge with Palantir
votr 10y ago
I want to believe Magic Leap is going to deliver. With investments from tech companies AND banks AND movie studios, and with half-a-dozen R&D outposts all over the world, it's hard to believe these investors just bought into vaporware.
- deleted 10y ago
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- mey 10y ago
  Having worked with VC's before, there isn't always a clear domain understanding of the problem they are investing in. Additionally, once funding snowballs, later investors can incorrectly assume due diligence has been taken care of by earlier investors. I would expect that we've seen what MagicLeap is targeting in both Google Glass and later Microsoft HoloLens. So conceptually the systems and optics are proven at some early stage. Instead of projecting into a lens that is then reflected into the eye, they claim they are projecting directly into the eye. Either way the optics should be similar. This means that as with any AR (instead of VR) system, they will not be able to project the absence of light in a brightly lit environment. (Creating shadows/darkness should be impossible)
  - bobsil1 10y ago
    Probably similar to HoloLens, very different from Glass. There are ways to hard-occlude, e.g. LCD mask, but might be punted til a later version.
defen 10y ago
Magic Leap is starting to set off my Theranos detectors...
- BipolarElsa 10y ago
  The trajectory of a well-funded gimmick is always down.
- davesque 10y ago
  It's not setting off your Segway detectors?
giulianob 10y ago
The author did an AMA on Reddit where he answered a bunch of questions: https://redd.it/5azhtx https://redd.it/5azhtx
Cyph0n 10y ago
Sorry, but this article is way to fluffy. Big words, and not much to show for it. The way I see it, it's basically an ad for the author's upcoming book. Magic Leap itself does seem to be doing amazing stuff, given how much money has been pumped into it. At least, I hope that's the case!
aedocw 10y ago
I thought this analysis[1] of how it might work based on the patents was really illuminating, and made at least some of the hype seem deserved. [1]: http://gpuofthebrain.com/blog/2016/7/22/how-magic-leap-will-work http://gpuofthebrain.com/blog/2016/7/22/how-magic-leap-will-...
dblock 10y ago
I've tried the Hololens dev version. It's very cool, unlike anything else I've had on my head. Those who let me try it don't seem to be overly worried or impressed with Magic Leap, but there's no way of telling until we see both side-by-side.
- bobsil1 10y ago
  They're focused on enterprise, MLeap on consumer. MS also isn't a single-product startup.
- yakz 10y ago
  It's cool, but the fov is narrow, and the area of visible pixels changes significantly with the position and orientation of the device relative to your eyes. Reach up and slide it a little bit up or down on your nose and you gain/lose enough area that you can spend minutes adjusting knobs and fittings to find something that seems usefully minimal. It's not particularly comfortable in general. And, as a wireless standalone unit compared to a desktop computer, it renders relatively very low quality 3d graphics because of the need for high framerate stereoscopic output and the typical constraints of a several-years-ago smartphone.
bobsil1 10y ago
AR headsets already exist, are not vaporware, already are selling into enterprise markets (e.g. Atheer, Lumus). They're clunky and expensive. MLeap is the only one I know of which has raised the $ needed for consumer-level polish and price. Probably because of the mini fiber-scan display and diffraction zone plates for natural focus. The other major pieces (waveguide or holo lens, IR TOF camera, SLAM, eye tracking, voice) have been done before.
jonplackett 10y ago
Does anyone know if it works the same as the hololens in that it is purely additive light - it can only make the image brighter rather than being able to make black pixels. This severely limits the kind of thing hololens will ever be able to do - it certainly isn't going to be replacing any screens.
jonplackett 10y ago
Does anyone know if it works the same as the hololens in that it is purely additive light - it can only make the image brighter rather than being able to make black pixels. This severely limits the kind of thing hololens will ever be able to do - it certainly isn't going to be replacing any screens.
lootsauce 10y ago
Seems like most people here are skeptical/dubious of ML. I don't blame them there is a lot of hype. But it is quite fascinating technology. If you look seriously at the detailed technical coverage on how the technology works [1] and watch the recent Stanford lecture by Brian Schowengerdt [2], Co-Founder of Magic Leap, then I think you will see why ML is actually quite special. Personally I am fascinated and optimistic about the potential represented by scanning fiber + waveguide display for AR and VR. I'm optimistic about the future of this tech platform far more than any other AR/VR tech out there mainly owing to form factor it affords (lightweight glasses) and the superior bio-compatibility of the light-field it produces (all day use). On principal its imagery is clearly light-years ahead of anything using a flat screen with lenses and its potential form factor could be surprisingly close to regular glasses. The image quality and form factor are huge part of why this tech could replace phone or a tv or a laptop. I am sure the first iterations will be cool but not perfect. I expect a progression much like that of the iPhone. It works, its awesome, then it keeps getting better and better and better. IMHO this really does look like a viable platform for the future of computing for the next 10-20 years. People still buy PCs but the laptop largely replaces most uses for it other than hard-core gaming. Similarly I could see the same effect happening with screens vs ML over time. I say all this with the caveat that the form factor really is much much closer to glasses than something like HoloLense. Here are couple things I have learned about the tech that kind of blew my mind: * The same tech used to display the light-field can also be used to capture images of they eye for eye tracking, no extra camera needed. It is conceivable that the same scanning fiber technology could be used to dramatically miniaturize the sensors needed for SLAM inputs as well. * The detail falloff of human vision from a small point in the center is huge. We largely piece together a detailed picture over time in our minds with quick eye movements. This means that good eye-tracking + foveated rendering largely mitigates concerns about achieving a very high perceived resolution with manageable IO. * I assumed this kind of display would only be able to produce semitransparent ghostly images. Not so. Apparently it can block incoming light from points where it is projecting. * It is not simple stereoscopy, the light hitting the eye is focusable at the distance the virtual object appears to exist in real space rather than at the surface of the waveguide. This is why it is so compatible with the human visual system and can be used all day as opposed to other tech. This has to do with how the visual system to point both eyes at an object in space is wired in sync with the system that focuses the lenses. No other system, to my knowledge, accommodates this linkage and thus causes strain. Watch the video to understand this more. [1] http://uploadvr.com/magic-leap-how-it-works/ http://uploadvr.com/magic-leap-how-it-works/ [2] https://talks.stanford.edu/brian-schowengerdt-human-sensory-systems-perception-and-immersive-digital-experiences/ https://talks.stanford.edu/brian-schowengerdt-human-sensory-...
fossuser 10y ago
I may regret this comment in the future, but Magic Leap represents the worst of tech to me. Extreme secrecy while at the same time pushing vapid press releases in the media without sharing any real information. Either collaborate and share or be secret and reveal, but this is the worst combination. If there was a way to short this company I would do it.
bananabill 10y ago
This is going to end up like that one episode of Angela Anaconda where they're all really excited about the new Jiggle Fruit but it ends up tasting bad and they don't like it.
nirav72 10y ago
I get this feeling that Magic Leap is marginally better than Micrsoft's Hololens. But after seeing the Hololens, they decided that they need more work to beat Microsft. Marginally better isn't going to cut it.
evilnig 10y ago
Next Theranos I'm calling it.
jheriko 10y ago
i'm hoping its real... but all that time and all the hype with no substance is confidence shaking. i mean, why would you not allay the obvious fears of investors and potential customers? there are also the deep technical problems which are widely acknowledged in the field and clearly not addressed. a top spec desktop machine struggles to keep up with your eyes movements /if they are known in advance/ - the idea that a pear of glasses coupled with /any/ peripheral, even one the size of your house, can contain the hardware to do this in real-time is quite far-fetched - even accounting for sensors with feedback and clever mechanical tricks. there is no mention of how to deal with occlusion. no amount of throwing light at your retina can solve that problem... you need something to intelligently block it out. the marketing hype images make this seem like a solved problem... maybe there is something that works, but i have no faith that magic leap is anything more than a scam targetting VCs. the same opinion i have grudgingly kept since i first saw anything of it... because its a cool idea and i want it. i hope these issues are publicly addressed so i can buy it early in confidence instead of waiting to see if its as good as the sales-pitch... which, sadly, there is no indication it will be - because none of the obvious issues have been addressed.
xorxornop 10y ago
So what makes this display tech any different (more special) from that in Hololens? Because it sounds very similar, if not identical..?
- schnelle 10y ago
  In a nutshell, Hololens has a fixed focal depth of 2m and objects are scaled proportionally to mimic distance. Magic Leap uses stacked optical elements that can be turned on/off (source of the name digital wave guide they use) and each plane is a different focal depth. So, by mimicking the way light would reach the eye normally, the ML results in more realistic objects in the world.
kriro 10y ago
Some sort of near eye light field display maybe? Funny company regardless with the hype updates and secrecy.
aaron695 10y ago
> Ask your virtual assistant to deliver a message to a coworker and it might walk out of your office, reappear beside your colleague’s desk via his or her own MR headset and deliver the message in person. Why do people buy into this junk. The easiest way is plain text. email/slack etc VR is useless for the office. Things are solved via text/speech, occasionally a graph helps but we all know they are mostly for show. A magical ability to make things 3D doesn't make work easier. > In one of its demos the Magic Leap team shows off a computer-generated “virtual interactive human,” life-size and surprisingly realistic. Abovitz and his team imagine virtual people (or animals or anything else) as digital assistants–think Siri on steroids How does a 3d Siri make the backend suddenly easier? The AI to analysis what you are saying? The AI to answer correctly? The tech to speak smoothly to you? The things that actually matter and work fine in 2d. A good computer game can costs 100's of millions. These are going to be even more expensive. Even gaming will take a while to kick off.
astannard 10y ago
I originally heard the projected images directly onto your retina, if that is the case I don't know how it would work with eye movements? Very interested to see what is underneath all the hype.
franciscop 10y ago
I just watched the Season 3 of Black Mirror, which gives a totally different perspective to this article
firstworldman 10y ago
The fact that Beeple was impressed with this is enough to get me excited about it. Granted, his reaction may have something to do with the ML team sitting right beside him as he demoed the product... so, cautiously optimistic then. It will be something cool. https://twitter.com/magicleap/status/752540648323026944 https://twitter.com/magicleap/status/752540648323026944

Inside Magic Leap

231 points by t23 10y ago

jarnix 10y ago

I wish I can combine Magic Leap with AR glasses.

jarnix2 10y ago
Or maybe already get a Magic Leap!
- jarnix 10y ago
  Nobody knows if the tech exists yet!

maxxxxx 10y ago

Has there ever been a company that built this kind of hype over years and then in the end actually delivered something truly revolutionary? Judging from companies like Cuil (not sure if the name is right), Segway or Color they will fizzle out once their product gets on the market, if ever.

BatFastard 10y ago
If past history is the only thing to go on you are correct. However there are quite a few level A players investing huge sums of money in this. I have to think they are paying attention.
- maxxxxx 10y ago
  I have Theranos as counterexample for the A player argument :). But my main question is: is there a an example where such an approach worked and revolutionized the industry? I can't think of any.
  - Mtinie 10y ago
    I'm not exactly sure how to classify it. Would you consider early institutional investors in Microsoft, Amazon, or Facebook? Anecdotally I've heard that lots of VC firms passed on all three during their very early days, but I'm not convinced that those are good examples of completely new markets.
- Mtinie 10y ago
  Or, they are so afraid of potentially missing out on the next big thing that they are putting money towards the project in spite of any warning signs that are there.
bobsil1 10y ago
The hype is probably for recruiting. But, "Magic" in the name is like the handicap principle of biology, means the founders had a big prior exit and can raise despite the name ;) Like Magic Cap operating system — usually means good talent, but they take too long to ship.

simonebrunozzi 10y ago

I stopped reading Forbes.com because of their "malware" policy.

intrasight 10y ago
Me too - and because their web site sucks. Fortunately, there's usually an adequate TL;DR for anything posted to HN
Hydraulix989 10y ago
I stopped reading Forbes.com because of their bullshit articles.

Grefu 10y ago

"Changing Computing Forever" is the new "Making the world a better place" ?

M_Grey 10y ago

Uh huh... this is a case of, "Maybe it is, maybe it will, but I'll believe it a week after I see it."

QuantumRoar 10y ago

Asking to turn off the adblocker and at the same time showing the following quote: "I'm doing the thing that scares me the most every single day." Like what? Browsing without an adblocker?

joncp 10y ago

When a headline follows the format /change(d|ing) .* forever$/. I figure it's fluff and not worth my time. Am I wrong?

donpdonp 10y ago
I put on a Magical Leap and you won't believe what happens next!
- truth_sentinell 10y ago
  Pun intended

debatem1 10y ago

I've been hearing rumors about these guys for years and it never seems to be any more than what's in this article-- "we saw some special effects and our wallets flipped themselves out of our back pockets onto the table and began spewing money". People so often underestimate the difficulty of productizing significant UI changes, not realizing that getting content to migrate to the new shiny will be at least as hard as getting rid of Flash on the web.

simplemath 10y ago
"We're going to make augmented reality everything! Repair manuals, etc" Bullshit. You're going to model and diagram every part and repair guide from every production model vehicle ever? Magic Leap would need a software development industry unto itself to build the solutions being batted lightly about in the OP like pingpong balls
- binoct 10y ago
  I think that having an (the) entire industry writing solutions for Magic Leap is exactly what they are envisioning. It would be a platform, i.e. Chilton would build an app for it. Now, whether or not they are actually going to be the biggest thing in graphical interfaces since the flat screen is another question...
  - simplemath 10y ago
    There's just no way. They aren't going to beat Oculus/FB, or Sony, or HTC. They don't have a product; they clearly must have some incredible tech demos, and a wizard working VC
    - icelancer 10y ago
      Yeah, the simplest explanation is exactly that. What evidence is there that they're better than the current HMD race that is rapidly progressing?
    - bobsil1 10y ago

joezydeco 10y ago

Here's a peek at your future.... https://vimeo.com/166807261 https://vimeo.com/166807261

6stringmerc 10y ago
Quite an intriguing take on it, thanks for sharing.
hughes 10y ago
Honestly it would take that level of visual fidelity and environmental awareness for the leap to live up to the hype and expectations.
- joezydeco 10y ago
  Leap most certainly won't do this. But give it twenty years.
jonah 10y ago
I. Can. Hardly. Wait. /s We're already dealing with issues of sensory and information overload without having this layer of immersion.
MrQuincle 10y ago
Thanks! I was immediately thinking. I would love some glasses to remove visual overload! Get rid of advertisements by switching on the ad blocker in my glasses.

6stringmerc 10y ago

So clearly the author is sympathetic to the aura that Magic Leap is cultivating through secrecy and selective media engagements: >When it arrives–best guess is within the next 18 months–it could usher in a new era of computing, a next-generation interface we’ll use for decades to come. ...which may be a pretty valid statement or sentiment overall, but later in the article, we get to the crux of the "potential" future of the device / platform: >Eventually Magic Leap sees its greatest impact in business applications, especially medical imaging and retail (imagine “trying on” garments at home, seamlessly). But as with most technologies, entertainment offerings will lead the way. I might be picking on a low hanging fruit here, but seriously, one of the compelling reasons to look forward to Magic Leap is so it can have a tie in with the Home Shopping Network or QVC or Nieman Marcus? The more and more I see the little teaser images (and the occasional demo reel like the office game) I'm cautiously suspicious the technology is perfectly reasonable but figuring out great content for the platform will be the difference between whether it will align with the hype and promotion or be closer to the storyline of the Nintendo Virtual Boy. I'm just frumpy after years of seeing the difference between renders for PR purposes and actual in-game / in-environment footage as a player / user, which, I do think as tech has improved, isn't happening as much anymore in commercials and whatnot, which I like. This particular situation and eventual roll out will prove a lot I'm sure, one way or another..."soon-ish" as he says...

corey_moncure 10y ago
>but seriously, one of the compelling reasons to look forward to Magic Leap is so it can have a tie in with the Home Shopping Network or QVC or Nieman Marcus? I personally think this would be really cool, and would facilitate entirely new modes of interaction with people in this field e.g. designers and sales workers. Imagine being able to connect with a clothing designer remotely, and have them model you in a virtual outfit before a mirror, with an practically infinite vocabulary of color, texture, and pattern at their disposal. A 2-way conversation with a design professional with a vastly accelerated prototype-feedback loop. No, I think this would be totally awesome.
ChuckMcM 10y ago
I think that is a very salient observation. To reach its full potential the unit needs both pixel occlusion (which is knocking out the light your eye would normally see with light you generation) and pixel registration (which is keeping the pixel in the same place in 3-space outside of you). All of the demos focus on occlusion (the creatures seem like they really are in your room) and skate over registration accuracy. If you were going to tall someone how to fix something, registration accuracy would be critical (for example) Also people are very "forgiving" if things seem to wiggle a bit in the world but looking at the Google Tango device this weekend I got to see some of the challenges of keeping registration of the pixels high. Its frustrating if your ruler end point is "jiggling" a bit close to the spot where you want to start a measurement. So without good registration you get eye fatigue like you used to get with pilots flying long range on bumpy flights constantly looking at instruments. Only in the case of pilots they can look outside to the clouds (which don't "bump" in space).

sagivo 10y ago

Magic Leap goes against all the concepts we learned in "startup schools" - launch fast and iterate, get feedback, pivot and grow with your users etc.. they work away from the public for product they don't know if the public want. it's a bet, i hope it will pay off.

pinot 10y ago
More the school of Dean Kamen.
andygates 10y ago
They can't launch until the thing is at least portable - and in the carefully-managed rumours are right, it started out as an optics bench and then a tethered rack and ... nobody's seen anything that can be launched. We're still waiting for that "DK1".
- sprafa 10y ago
  If appearances are to be trusted, Magic Leap is not doing a DK1. Considering the hundreds of people they've hired and their partners (Disney, ILM, Weta) They are launching with applications already, a bit like a games console more than anything.
angersock 10y ago
The gospel preached in modern startup circles is uniquely unsuited to certain product types. That doesn't mean that it is wrong, necessarily, but that it isn't always exactly applicable.
swalsh 10y ago
These guys aren't building an invoicing app. They're building a brand new high-tech platform. The traditional startup approach clearly isn't going to work well here. The line for what a "minimum viable product" could be is pretty high... and once it is out, you can't upgrade it again (well not cost effectively at least). Hardware has a different cycle. Traditional waterfall methodology is still kind of essential for hardware. Frankly, I'm super excited something like this is coming out of a startup, and not Apple. It's nice to have some diversity.

TY 10y ago

Nothing really new in this article, we have read bunch of these before...

edblarney 10y ago

Ok - it seems that they 'absolutely' have something bewildering, and eye-popping. There are enough 'no information' testimonials by smart people to get that. BUT I'm still pretty weary of billions getting pumped into a business that remains unproven. + Maybe development is very expensive + Maybe the goggles cost to much + Maybe they just don't have quite enough content to justify the high costs + Maybe the experience 'isn't quite there' So many times these 'wow' toys have proven to be near-duds when they actually hit market reality. I can't wait to try it, but I'm also looking forward to seeing the reality of it.

talmand 10y ago
I remember that we were going to revamp existing cities and build new cities in accordance to this wonderful transportation device that would change everything, of which I cannot recall the name. I currently see them used as joke props in movies.
- Retric 10y ago
  If you include 'hover-boards' these battery powered, two wheeled, self balancing, things sold over 2.5 million of the things in just the USA in 2015. So, it really is becoming increasingly widespread. You can see this as and extension of the skateboards vs scooters vertical stick argument. PS: For comparson 17.5 million cars where sold in 2015 and 12.5 million bikes with 20+" wheels.
  - deleted 10y ago
    [deleted]
  - 0xffff2 10y ago
    > So, it really is becoming increasingly widespread. I don't know if this is really true. I saw a lot of hoverboards on my university campus last year. I don't see nearly as many this year. I'd like to see sales data for at least another year before declaring that anything is becoming increasingly widespread.

JumpCrisscross 10y ago

Magic Leap has been bleeding talent as a result of their relocating from the Bay Area to Florida [1]. As I understand it, this decision was made by and for one of their (independently wealthy) founders. [1] http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/careers/fl-magic-leap-new-building-20151013-story.html http://www.sun-sentinel.com/business/careers/fl-magic-leap-n...

jhallenworld 10y ago
This article brings up a big issue: even if Magic Leap fails to deliver, they just might own all of the relevant patents. This could make AR needlessly expensive for decades.
- sharemywin 10y ago
  except they seem like they're all business method or software patents which will much hard to enforce: At the time the Mayo case was decided, there was some uncertainty over whether it applied only to natural principles (laws of nature) or more generally to patent eligibility of all abstract ideas and general principles, including those involved in software patents. The Alice decision confirmed that the test was general. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_patent_debate https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_patent_debate
  - sharemywin 10y ago
    Federal Circuit has been invalidating software patents at an alarming rate ever since, all relying on the Alice decision. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/patent-eligibility-criteria-light-alice-concept-idea-fatih-ozluturk https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/patent-eligibility-criteria-l...
shepardrtc 10y ago
They've always been based in Florida. They have offices in the Bay Area and apparently they're building one in Seattle, too.
sprafa 10y ago

lossolo 10y ago

I saw some video from Magic Leap some time ago, some animated character got behind the chair in augmented vr. Aren't they just using infrared to get distance to object, then they are using ML to classify and distinct them all, then when they have sizes of object they calculate behind which element their character will be so they can position it good and make parts of it transparent while crossing under the chair?

jhallenworld 10y ago

I'm thinking that Hololens rev. 2 will be out before Magic Leap rev. 1 is out and will be cheaper. So unless Magic Leap is an order of magnitude better than Hololens, they have failed. Say what you will about Microsoft, at least they already have a platform on which this "new era of computing" can be based: Windows. That is to say, it makes tremendous more sense to evolve from what we have now into the "new era of computing", than to write an entire platform from scratch, which is what I assume Magic Leap is trying to do.

SparkyMcUnicorn 10y ago
Hololense = 1268 * 720 pixels per eye Magicleap = supposedly infinite (or they don't exist at all?) Hololens says they have 2.3 million “light points”. I don't know much about light points other than a few paragraphs, but I wonder how Magicleap actually measures light density and how/if it compares or correlates.
- bobsil1 10y ago
  MLeap is scanned, but they'll have a limit on the switching speed of the laser + color components.
  - smaddox 10y ago
    Diode lasers can easily amplitude modulate at 10s of MHz, which can provide more effective pixels than 4k displays. If they're still using the piezoelectric beam steering they demo'd a while back, then that will likely be their scanning speed limiter, and thus the pixel density limiter. Their most recent patents suggest they've moved on to something more advanced, though, so it's tough to say for sure. Regardless, GPUs will likely limit the render resolution for the first one or two products. Upscaling might be possible, though.
- white-flame 10y ago
  1920x1080 ~= 2 million pixels. Assuming an optical scanning system, you could give them the benefit of the doubt that they can route R, G, and B through a single light point during scanning. I presume a "light point" is some sort of shaped structure on their glass which allows the scanned light to escape to the eye when requested. And in theory, might be a place where they can do interference cancellation of incoming light to darken points. All their hype probably points to metamaterials-style shaping of light. Remember that pixels aren't rectangles (hence why scaling images larger always looks more blocky or blurry than native res), they're point samples. So a "light point" should be equivalent to a pixel in the simple case. Whether or not they can bend light between points to make it "infinite", who knows. Any of that is always going to be limited by the resolution that the GPU can crunch in time.

IanDrake 10y ago

These guys might just be the WebVan of AR. Building a campus before you've sold V1 of your product? That's idiotic. Don't get me wrong, this could be incredibly cool in a vacuum. But reality often has different needs. I hope I'm wrong.

bobsil1 10y ago
I think the factory is part of the campus. And they need a factory because the parts are custom.
- IanDrake 10y ago
  And WebVan needed a distribution network and warehouses. I'm not saying they're not making an awesome product. I'm saying it's possible not enough people will want to buy it in order to justify building a factory and campus. It's not my money though and I've never seen the product. This is obviously a HUGE gamble that will either be a raging success or will become a joke about the follies of venture capital (i.e. WebVan 2.0).
  - bobsil1 10y ago
    Some kind of AR will pretty clearly be a big wave (processing components shrinking, but input/output still human size, so they get virtualized). The funds need to make big bets, this one looked good: best tech from UW prof, a founder who's sold a hardware co for >$1B before. It depends very much on execution: polish, price, apps.

sharemywin 10y ago

This seems to me a lot like the segway.

spyder 10y ago

I believe Magic Leap has a new kind of display technology, but the article is pretty bullshit-sounding with statements like this: "Throw out your PC, your laptop and your mobile phone, because the computing power you need will be in your glasses, and they can make a display appear anywhere, at any size you like." Yeah sure, they not only made a new display tech but integrated the computing power of desktops or laptops into glasses. I wonder how they cool the GTX 1080 cards on your head...

BatFastard 10y ago
I had the same thoughts, but if its true! But might was well stay hopeful for as long as possible. Problem is that would require at least two huge leaps in technology one in display technology and one in compact computing power, probably more.
ajmarsh 10y ago
I assume the GTX 1080 lives in the cloud. We shall see I guess.
- simonebrunozzi 10y ago
  Can't. The bandwidth wouldn't be enough.
  - jerf 10y ago
    Bandwidth is not the problem, latency is. Bandwidth can be fixed by throwing more bandwidth at the problem. Cloud gaming has not done all that well; it's right at the edge of feasibility due to latency. VR moves it back off the edge to "unquestionably infeasible". If VR gaming were to take off and become a dominant paradigm it would make cloud gaming even harder to justify.
    - Bartweiss 10y ago
      Gaming and banking/trading are definitely the informative projects here. Pseudo-real-time gaming is possible, but only for regional servers. Live global gaming is off the table permanently unless known physics changes; speed of light delays are larger than human reaction times. Right now, the best we can do is predictive techniques and continental servers, which have barely enabled MMO shooters. VR gaming worsens the problem - 80ms delays in VR are nauseating and game-ruining. Global latency isn't a solvable problem via money or devotion.

qaq 10y ago

They need to merge with Palantir

votr 10y ago

I want to believe Magic Leap is going to deliver. With investments from tech companies AND banks AND movie studios, and with half-a-dozen R&D outposts all over the world, it's hard to believe these investors just bought into vaporware.

deleted 10y ago
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mey 10y ago
Having worked with VC's before, there isn't always a clear domain understanding of the problem they are investing in. Additionally, once funding snowballs, later investors can incorrectly assume due diligence has been taken care of by earlier investors. I would expect that we've seen what MagicLeap is targeting in both Google Glass and later Microsoft HoloLens. So conceptually the systems and optics are proven at some early stage. Instead of projecting into a lens that is then reflected into the eye, they claim they are projecting directly into the eye. Either way the optics should be similar. This means that as with any AR (instead of VR) system, they will not be able to project the absence of light in a brightly lit environment. (Creating shadows/darkness should be impossible)
- bobsil1 10y ago
  Probably similar to HoloLens, very different from Glass. There are ways to hard-occlude, e.g. LCD mask, but might be punted til a later version.

defen 10y ago

Magic Leap is starting to set off my Theranos detectors...

BipolarElsa 10y ago
The trajectory of a well-funded gimmick is always down.
davesque 10y ago
It's not setting off your Segway detectors?

giulianob 10y ago

The author did an AMA on Reddit where he answered a bunch of questions: https://redd.it/5azhtx https://redd.it/5azhtx

Cyph0n 10y ago

Sorry, but this article is way to fluffy. Big words, and not much to show for it. The way I see it, it's basically an ad for the author's upcoming book. Magic Leap itself does seem to be doing amazing stuff, given how much money has been pumped into it. At least, I hope that's the case!

aedocw 10y ago

I thought this analysis[1] of how it might work based on the patents was really illuminating, and made at least some of the hype seem deserved. [1]: http://gpuofthebrain.com/blog/2016/7/22/how-magic-leap-will-work http://gpuofthebrain.com/blog/2016/7/22/how-magic-leap-will-...

dblock 10y ago

I've tried the Hololens dev version. It's very cool, unlike anything else I've had on my head. Those who let me try it don't seem to be overly worried or impressed with Magic Leap, but there's no way of telling until we see both side-by-side.

bobsil1 10y ago
They're focused on enterprise, MLeap on consumer. MS also isn't a single-product startup.
yakz 10y ago
It's cool, but the fov is narrow, and the area of visible pixels changes significantly with the position and orientation of the device relative to your eyes. Reach up and slide it a little bit up or down on your nose and you gain/lose enough area that you can spend minutes adjusting knobs and fittings to find something that seems usefully minimal. It's not particularly comfortable in general. And, as a wireless standalone unit compared to a desktop computer, it renders relatively very low quality 3d graphics because of the need for high framerate stereoscopic output and the typical constraints of a several-years-ago smartphone.

bobsil1 10y ago

AR headsets already exist, are not vaporware, already are selling into enterprise markets (e.g. Atheer, Lumus). They're clunky and expensive. MLeap is the only one I know of which has raised the $ needed for consumer-level polish and price. Probably because of the mini fiber-scan display and diffraction zone plates for natural focus. The other major pieces (waveguide or holo lens, IR TOF camera, SLAM, eye tracking, voice) have been done before.

jonplackett 10y ago

Does anyone know if it works the same as the hololens in that it is purely additive light - it can only make the image brighter rather than being able to make black pixels. This severely limits the kind of thing hololens will ever be able to do - it certainly isn't going to be replacing any screens.

jonplackett 10y ago

lootsauce 10y ago

Seems like most people here are skeptical/dubious of ML. I don't blame them there is a lot of hype. But it is quite fascinating technology. If you look seriously at the detailed technical coverage on how the technology works [1] and watch the recent Stanford lecture by Brian Schowengerdt [2], Co-Founder of Magic Leap, then I think you will see why ML is actually quite special. Personally I am fascinated and optimistic about the potential represented by scanning fiber + waveguide display for AR and VR. I'm optimistic about the future of this tech platform far more than any other AR/VR tech out there mainly owing to form factor it affords (lightweight glasses) and the superior bio-compatibility of the light-field it produces (all day use). On principal its imagery is clearly light-years ahead of anything using a flat screen with lenses and its potential form factor could be surprisingly close to regular glasses. The image quality and form factor are huge part of why this tech could replace phone or a tv or a laptop. I am sure the first iterations will be cool but not perfect. I expect a progression much like that of the iPhone. It works, its awesome, then it keeps getting better and better and better. IMHO this really does look like a viable platform for the future of computing for the next 10-20 years. People still buy PCs but the laptop largely replaces most uses for it other than hard-core gaming. Similarly I could see the same effect happening with screens vs ML over time. I say all this with the caveat that the form factor really is much much closer to glasses than something like HoloLense. Here are couple things I have learned about the tech that kind of blew my mind: * The same tech used to display the light-field can also be used to capture images of they eye for eye tracking, no extra camera needed. It is conceivable that the same scanning fiber technology could be used to dramatically miniaturize the sensors needed for SLAM inputs as well. * The detail falloff of human vision from a small point in the center is huge. We largely piece together a detailed picture over time in our minds with quick eye movements. This means that good eye-tracking + foveated rendering largely mitigates concerns about achieving a very high perceived resolution with manageable IO. * I assumed this kind of display would only be able to produce semitransparent ghostly images. Not so. Apparently it can block incoming light from points where it is projecting. * It is not simple stereoscopy, the light hitting the eye is focusable at the distance the virtual object appears to exist in real space rather than at the surface of the waveguide. This is why it is so compatible with the human visual system and can be used all day as opposed to other tech. This has to do with how the visual system to point both eyes at an object in space is wired in sync with the system that focuses the lenses. No other system, to my knowledge, accommodates this linkage and thus causes strain. Watch the video to understand this more. [1] http://uploadvr.com/magic-leap-how-it-works/ http://uploadvr.com/magic-leap-how-it-works/ [2] https://talks.stanford.edu/brian-schowengerdt-human-sensory-systems-perception-and-immersive-digital-experiences/ https://talks.stanford.edu/brian-schowengerdt-human-sensory-...

fossuser 10y ago

I may regret this comment in the future, but Magic Leap represents the worst of tech to me. Extreme secrecy while at the same time pushing vapid press releases in the media without sharing any real information. Either collaborate and share or be secret and reveal, but this is the worst combination. If there was a way to short this company I would do it.

bananabill 10y ago

This is going to end up like that one episode of Angela Anaconda where they're all really excited about the new Jiggle Fruit but it ends up tasting bad and they don't like it.

nirav72 10y ago

I get this feeling that Magic Leap is marginally better than Micrsoft's Hololens. But after seeing the Hololens, they decided that they need more work to beat Microsft. Marginally better isn't going to cut it.

evilnig 10y ago

Next Theranos I'm calling it.

jheriko 10y ago

i'm hoping its real... but all that time and all the hype with no substance is confidence shaking. i mean, why would you not allay the obvious fears of investors and potential customers? there are also the deep technical problems which are widely acknowledged in the field and clearly not addressed. a top spec desktop machine struggles to keep up with your eyes movements /if they are known in advance/ - the idea that a pear of glasses coupled with /any/ peripheral, even one the size of your house, can contain the hardware to do this in real-time is quite far-fetched - even accounting for sensors with feedback and clever mechanical tricks. there is no mention of how to deal with occlusion. no amount of throwing light at your retina can solve that problem... you need something to intelligently block it out. the marketing hype images make this seem like a solved problem... maybe there is something that works, but i have no faith that magic leap is anything more than a scam targetting VCs. the same opinion i have grudgingly kept since i first saw anything of it... because its a cool idea and i want it. i hope these issues are publicly addressed so i can buy it early in confidence instead of waiting to see if its as good as the sales-pitch... which, sadly, there is no indication it will be - because none of the obvious issues have been addressed.

xorxornop 10y ago

So what makes this display tech any different (more special) from that in Hololens? Because it sounds very similar, if not identical..?

schnelle 10y ago
In a nutshell, Hololens has a fixed focal depth of 2m and objects are scaled proportionally to mimic distance. Magic Leap uses stacked optical elements that can be turned on/off (source of the name digital wave guide they use) and each plane is a different focal depth. So, by mimicking the way light would reach the eye normally, the ML results in more realistic objects in the world.

kriro 10y ago

Some sort of near eye light field display maybe? Funny company regardless with the hype updates and secrecy.

aaron695 10y ago

> Ask your virtual assistant to deliver a message to a coworker and it might walk out of your office, reappear beside your colleague’s desk via his or her own MR headset and deliver the message in person. Why do people buy into this junk. The easiest way is plain text. email/slack etc VR is useless for the office. Things are solved via text/speech, occasionally a graph helps but we all know they are mostly for show. A magical ability to make things 3D doesn't make work easier. > In one of its demos the Magic Leap team shows off a computer-generated “virtual interactive human,” life-size and surprisingly realistic. Abovitz and his team imagine virtual people (or animals or anything else) as digital assistants–think Siri on steroids How does a 3d Siri make the backend suddenly easier? The AI to analysis what you are saying? The AI to answer correctly? The tech to speak smoothly to you? The things that actually matter and work fine in 2d. A good computer game can costs 100's of millions. These are going to be even more expensive. Even gaming will take a while to kick off.

astannard 10y ago

I originally heard the projected images directly onto your retina, if that is the case I don't know how it would work with eye movements? Very interested to see what is underneath all the hype.

franciscop 10y ago

I just watched the Season 3 of Black Mirror, which gives a totally different perspective to this article

firstworldman 10y ago

The fact that Beeple was impressed with this is enough to get me excited about it. Granted, his reaction may have something to do with the ML team sitting right beside him as he demoed the product... so, cautiously optimistic then. It will be something cool. https://twitter.com/magicleap/status/752540648323026944 https://twitter.com/magicleap/status/752540648323026944