Magic Leap


You know what Augmented Reality is? No? Well, as they say: “A picture paints a thousand words”…


Astonishing, isn’t it? Well, as you might have seen, the video claims itself to be unedited… Who could believe that nonsense… Right?...

Let the 1400M dollars several companies (including some such as Google) have invested in the project disagree with any doubt. Yes, that video is real, and that technology is being developed right now. The company doing it is called “Magic Leap” (http://magicleap.com), and its team is working really hard to make that magic happen.

They think that present technology – “those rectangular boxes [we] spend the majority of [our] life staring into” – just keep us away from the really important, life things. So, what happens when you “give the body and the brain what they want”? “The shackles are off, the rectangular boxes are tossed”, and life and technology merge, both to be seen in completely new ways.

But we have seen Virtual Reality already. And Microsoft has already announced and showed their ‘HoloLens’, which are Augmented Reality too. What makes ‘Magic Leap’ so important?

On the one hand (I’ve to recognize), the hype – nothing has been seen yet, but 4 videos about their technology. BUT also, that the technology they say they use is different from any other. Other technologies – such as Oculus Rift and HoloLens – use stereoscopic 3D, i.e., a screen in front of you that lies to you to make your brain think you are seeing in 3D – which is not the most natural way to view things. 

Nevertheless, in Magic Leap they feel compelled to make their device totally respect the human eye, so that you could wear it like a regular pair of glasses, everywhere.

“We at Magic Leap believe these inputs [stereoscopic 3D] into the eye-brain system are incorrect - and can cause a spectrum of temporary and/or permanent neurologic deficits.”
– Rony Abovitz, Magic Leap C.E.O

This way, Augmented Reality could be present in any field of our lives – and without stopping being, well, reality.
In conclusion, I leave you with a final thought, and the hope that the world described will one day be achieved.

  • Q: In a world with Magic Leap, is there a need for physical screens? Laptops, smartphones or even smartwatches? 
  •    RONY: no :-)
 
More info:
Very good video about Magic Leap, shot at its HQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLkFWq_ipCc
Plausible uses (example of programming):
Questions of interest:
Spanish article about Magic Leap:
http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/04/26/tentaciones/1461667579_383174.html
Magic Leap’s YouTube Channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2E1x3l45YUO2eOhRv-A7lw

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