Microsoft has a new version of its augmented reality headset, which now detects where its users are looking and tracks the movements of their hands.
It said that HoloLens 2 wearers would find it easier to touch and otherwise interact with graphics superimposed over their real-world views.
Other improvements include filling more of a user’s view and automatically recognising who they are.
The firm is pitching the kit as being ready for use in business environments.
Many experts believe mixing together graphics and real-world views has greater potential than virtual reality, which removes the user from their immediate environment.
But apart from the smartphone game Pokemon Go and Snapchat-style photo filters, augmented reality has yet to find mainstream appeal.
The previous version of HoloLens was mainly targeted at developers. A rival AR headset-maker – Magic Leap – similarly markets its gear to software developers and other early adopters.
“With HoloLens 2, Microsoft has worked hard to improve both the resolution of the display and its field-of-view, resulting in a more immersive and believable experience.”
The event was timed for the eve of the Mobile World Congress trade show.
Microsoft said that HoloLens 2 works in a “more human way” than the first version thanks to the changes it has made.
These include making the the field-of-view more than double that of its predecessor.
Many users had expressed disappointment at how small a window graphics had been contained to, meaning that their experience had fallen short of what Microsoft’s promotional videos had suggested.
The firm said it had also improved the display’s resolution, which it described as being the equivalent of moving from a 720p high-definition image to a 2K one for each eye.
This means that the shift to a larger view should not mean it has become more fuzzy.
Microsoft has also introduced iris recognition, allowing the machine to identify its wearer and automatically log them into their account.
[soo-youtube-embed]
The company also acknowledged that some users of the original version had found it uncomfortable to wear for lengthy periods. It said a revamped fitting system should mean the kit now felt as if it was “floating” on workers’ heads.
