Magic Leap Releases Augmented Reality System

Augmented reality company Magic Leap has finally released to the public its first iteration of their AR headsets. The AR headset, dubbed The Magic Leap One Creator Edition, is currently on sale for the price of $2,295. As of now, Magic Leap One is only available in the cities of Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, and New York. Given its hefty price tag, the device is likely targeted for developers. A consumer version with a lower price tag is likely to be released in the future.

Augmented Reality(AR) is a technology where interactive holograms are superimposed on the real world. The Magic Leap One uses a number of sensors to map out the surrounding area and overlay holograms in its environment. The system can recognize real-world objects such as furniture and allows the holograms to interact with them. It also provides spatial audio by adjusting sound relative to the user’s location.

The Magic Leap One package includes Magic Leaps’ AR headset, a Lightpack computer, and a controller. The headsets allow the user to view interactive holograms in real time. The Lightpack computer is a small clip on PC that contains the system’s LuminOS and needs to be connected to the headset. The wireless controller is used to interact with the holograms and requires no external sensors.

Augmented reality technology has seen vast improvements over the past decade. While still in its infancy, companies such as Magic Leap and Microsoft are working to bring it into the mainstream. The technology can be an asset in fields such as science and engineering.