Microsoft files patent for new augmented reality project

Augmented Reality Glasses

Microsoft is the latest addition to technology companies working on developing head-mounted augmented reality devices. The company has recently filed a patent for a new AR headset. The company has been very selective about the information it is sharing regarding its new project, but the device may be used for next generation gaming platforms. Early this year, news arose of Microsoft working on the Xbox 720, the successor to the massively successful Xbox 360. Given the company’s latest patent filing, the possibility of a new Xbox console may not be…

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Microsoft Research’s Beamatron hints at the possible future of augmented reality

Beamatron

Developers from Microsoft Research, the development wing of Microsoft that focuses on emerging technologies, have been experimenting with a new system they call Beamatron. The system uses the Xbox 360 Kinect motion-capture camera to help generate digital images that are projected onto a physical surface using augmented reality. In this sense, the Beamatron system lives up to its name. Developers believe that the system could have significant implications for a variety of industries, especially communications, where the system could be used to facilitate holographic communications between people. Currently, the Beamatron…

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Alan Wake gets upgraded for the PC and takes on QR codes

Alan Wake QR Code in Game

Last week, the much anticipated mystery/action game “Alan Wake” made its debut on the PC. The game had originally been released for the Xbox 360 two years ago but remains a favorite for computer gaming enthusiasts. Developer Remedy Entertainment decided to bring the game to PC as a response for the overwhelming demand from fans to do so. The ported version of the game features upgraded graphics and some interface tweaks, but it also includes a number of Easter eggs that can be found hidden away within QR codes. The…

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Microsoft celebrates one year anniversary of the Kinect with a pop-up café in Hong Kong

Microsoft Kinect

In Hong Kong, Microsoft is celebrating the one year anniversary of the release of its popular Kinect device for the Xbox 360. The Kinect has become a widely used peripheral for the console and has garnered a major following in the technology community. The device makes use of sophisticated motion-tracking technologies that allow gamers to immerse themselves in games by using their body to control various aspects of their gameplay. Beyond the gaming industry, the Kinect has grown popular with augmented reality developers. Microsoft has opened a pop-up café on…

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