On Wednesday, November 1, the Curtis R. Priem Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) at Rensselaer Poytechnic Institute will offer a free daylong demonstration of the Microsoft HoloLens “mixed reality” platform, followed by an evening talk with Microsoft developer Kayla Kinnunen focused on the technology’s many possible applications. The demonstration will take place on the EMPAC Mezzanine from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and will allow guests to experiment with the wearable, interactive HoloLens technology. Kinnunen’s talk, titled "Microsoft HoloLens and the Future of Human-Computer Interaction," will begin at 7 p.m. in the EMPAC Theater.  

Microsoft’s HoloLens is the world’s first fully untethered, self-contained holographic computer. Wearing the headset, users scan their physical surroundings and use gestures to place and manipulate digital 3-D objects. Distinct from virtual-reality environments, the HoloLens creates a “mixed reality” where computer-generated elements are integrated into the human world. From the classroom to the operating room and into the performing arts, applications for the system are just starting to be explored.

Following the HoloLens demo, during which guests are invited to explore the system’s capabilities and imagine new applications, Kinnunen will discuss the future of human-computer interaction within these mixed-reality environments. Kinnunen leads a production team building HoloLens and Mixed Reality applications. She and her team generate content for the platform meant to reach a wide range of audiences and spur creativity and innovation in the new medium. This event will be an opportunity for audience members to help imagine the impact of devices like the HoloLens and provide feedback on their experience working in mixed reality.

For more information, visit empac.rpi.edu. For press inquiries, contact Josh Potter at pottej2@rpi.edu.