Introduction to Augmented Reality
It looked like an illusionist’s elaborate trick, however it was actually an illustration of Magic Leap’s second-generation augmented reality (AR) headset. A small group of individuals stood contained in the lobby area of the University of Miami Lakeside Village’s Expo Center, watching as a raging wildfire began to engulf the hilly terrain that suddenly appeared on a small table in front of them. This was no magician’s trick, but slightly a showcase of the most recent technology in AR.
How it Works
A chart showing barometric pressure, wind speed, and other environmental data then materialized together with a map that exposed the locations of wildfires which have raged the world over in the course of the past two years. The Magic Leap headset is a tool that mixes computer-generated content with the user’s real-world environment, creating an immersive experience. Dozens of guests, including University President Julio Frenk, sampled the device, experiencing a digital demo of how a Southern California wildfire rapidly spreads.
The Future of Work and Education
Magic Leap CEO Peggy Johnson explained how AR technology may help train employees in every field possible, from first responders who battle infernos to surgeons who perform delicate operations. “A surgeon will [perform] a knee surgery, and there’ll be the incision with a digital line right in front of the particular physical patient,” Johnson said. “At some point, we’ll look back and say, remember once we used to do surgeries without augmentation?” Johnson predicted that AR technology will eventually turn out to be as ubiquitous as cellphones, revolutionizing the best way we work and learn.
Real-World Applications
The University of Miami was the primary higher education institution to partner with Magic Leap, and students and school have been developing latest uses for the corporate’s devices. For example, a producing plant within the Midwest now outfits latest employees with AR headsets, training them to repair and maintain factory equipment in only three days. Last 12 months, surgeons on the University of California Davis Children’s Hospital used AR goggles to explore contained in the heads of conjoined twins, getting an augmented view of the intricate network of blood vessels that needed to be disentangled.
The Technology Behind Magic Leap
The Magic Leap headset is a fancy device that requires advanced technology to create an immersive experience. Johnson explained that the device might want to turn out to be smaller and lighter, with the electronics integrated right into the glasses. “That’s coming, but to get the fully immersive effect, we’re going to wish more integration of parts. But it should be here,” she said. The latest version of the Magic Leap headset has an improved horizontal and vertical field, billed as the most important within the industry.
Conclusion
The demonstration of the Magic Leap headset was a highlight of Johnson’s visit to the University of Miami. College of Engineering sophomore Marcos Morales was impressed with the brand new headset’s improved features and luxury. University President Julio Frenk praised Johnson for positioning Magic Leap to play an instrumental role in AR, saying that she has led the corporate to be a transformational leader in the longer term of labor, education, and every thing we do in our lives. As AR technology continues to advance, it should be exciting to see the impact it has on our every day lives.
