Last week, I was in Toronto for a special event held by Microsoft; I got a first look at their new venture into Mixed Reality. As part of the fourth Windows 10 update dubbed the Creators Update which is available as of today, Windows Mixed Reality is a tool meant to bring virtual reality and augmented reality together. Microsoft is attempting to blend the two worlds a means to simplify the experience of virtual reality and provide more content to users.
While at the event, I also got to try out a new headset designed by Acer, the new Mixed Reality motion controllers and experience some applications that you can use inside the virtual space. They included two games: a Halo inspired demo and a sample of the indie game Super Hot. I also watched some 3D video and got a guided tour of Machu Picchu in 3D. The full demo as a whole was excellent and resembled most of my previous experiences with virtual reality. Playing the games was obviously my favourite part, but I was very impressed by the virtual tour of Machu Picchu. In 2004, I visited Machu Picchu IRL and it is fascinating to see how accurately they can replicate the experience and add to the educational value through narration and infographics.
After my demo, I got the chance to speak with Amol Shah, PC Category Lead at Microsoft, to find out more about Mixed Reality and what it brings to the Windows platform. You can listen to the interview below: