Learn about Magic Leap: When virtual 3D images are projected directly into the eye

Magic Leap is an augmented reality startup. Their technology is so attractive that it received a massive investment of $ 450 million from big names like Google and Qualcomm.

Learn about Magic Leap

Basically, Magic Leap's headpiece will display a layer of information on real-life objects, you can walk around the object to see virtual images similar to Microsoft HoloLens. The notable point of the Magic Leap is that their technology is still very secretive, only a few people around the world have approached this company as a new investor who knows about how it works. as well as how the product works. In this article, let's find out why the Magic Leap is so attractive and potential.

Magic Leap will project images into your eyes

Magic Leap has announced that the image projection system they invented will work unlike anything ever on the market. This technology is called "Dynamic Digitally Lightfield Signal" , also called Digital Lightfield (short for digital light field). Digital Lightfield will project images directly from the source to the user's retina, while traditional projectors or screens will have to broadcast images to a certain surface and new light reflects back into the human eye. . In this way, Digital Lightfield can fool the brain and make our feelings more real. It is unclear whether HoloLens also uses this method as a Magic Leap.

Picture 1 of Learn about Magic Leap: When virtual 3D images are projected directly into the eye

How does Magic Leap do that?"The company simply said it was a combination of hardware, software, sensors, processors and a few other things." In more detail, they keep it a secret, as well as the way Coca Cola or Pepsi keeps it secret.

To see how realistic the Magic Leap is, invite you to take a look at this demo video. It was filmed "from the perspective of the Magic Leap" and not by any computer technique.

Magic Leap has the ability to replace the screen

By creating a device capable of projecting images directly into the human eye , we may not need to use the screen anymore because at this time the resolution and negativity are very close to reality. Meanwhile, the screen is limited by the number of pixels on the background, because of the distance between you and it will of course not be equal. According to Rony Abovitz, the founder and CEO of Magic Leap, over time, "your brain will no longer distinguish between the real and the virtual image." It relates to cognitive problems, and everything will get better during the process of using Magic Leap.

In addition, you no longer have to open this menu, run the other menu to do some routine operations. Magic Leap's software itself will change the object accordingly, for example, on your desk will display a virtual mail box, there is a virtual calendar on the wall, looking at the next secretary, there are virtual people, there is news new messages appear on the surface of the phone, something like that. Meanwhile, in the current technology world, each of these things must be a separate application that runs relatively independently in an environment limited by 4 screen borders.

Of course, it can only replace large screens such as TVs or computer monitors, but also to replace the smartphone screen while still providing the same convenience and mobility, it may take a while. time again. However, basically this technology platform is capable of doing that.

Application of Magic Leap

Instead of having to look at the 3D glasses or the screen / screen, you can now use the Magic Leap to directly see the floating objects in a large space. At that time, the feeling will be very real, not even if you see ghost movies, you are too scared to pee your pants. Imagine until you can see the Avengers in many ways, then stand leaning on the Hulk to see the picture of Loki, standing on the roof of the house looking down at Thor to beat the monsters. It was good to think about it!

Magic Leap can also be used for medical, retail, real estate and many other business areas that need practical experience. For example, a doctor may use Magic Leap to see a human bone diagram or see the 3D organ details of a patient before surgery. A company that sells mobile phones can give you a preview of the new phone model with Magic Leap so you can see what it looks like, what the top left and right look like.

Picture 2 of Learn about Magic Leap: When virtual 3D images are projected directly into the eye

In education, one can use the Magic Leap to show students what a shark looks like, how it is below and below, how many teeth it has, what it has in its throat without fear of being . eating meat like when going to practice. Students will also know about a feat, a certain historical figure through 3D images, even reviewing the battle from different angles.

Magic Leap can redefine the game industry

One of the biggest applications of Magic Leap is to play games . Imagine you can freely move around the house to kill the monsters hiding in the closet or under the table, or hiding behind the door outside the yard. The combination of real life objects and virtual objects will bring experience that we could only dream of before. Going back to the Magic Leap, it has a number of sensors that help identify hand movements. Thus, you can use your hand to hold a virtual gun or a sword to fight. Microsoft has recently performed HoloLens with similar capabilities.

Picture 3 of Learn about Magic Leap: When virtual 3D images are projected directly into the eye

Gaming with the Magic Leap's augmented reality (AR) technique will be different from virtual reality (VR, like the Oculus). AR will combine real life and cover a layer of virtual information, while VR will bring you into a virtual world completely, you will no longer be aware of the real world. Each will bring different benefits and experiences for each type of game, each application. With games that need to be moved, AR is beneficial that you will see the objects in real life, avoiding accidentally hitting you while running.

At the beginning, games, entertainment and communication tools will be the areas where the Magic Leap is most concentrated, then slowly open more things.

Magic Leap will run its own OS, the goal of becoming a mobile device

In order to bring the most realistic effect and lowest latency, Magic Leap said they are building a separate operating system to process images in real time. This operating system of course has its own software, and the SDK used to build the app for Magic Leap will soon be released for programmers. However, there will be no public beta that developers interested in Magic Leap will need to specifically ask.

It is unclear what the Magic Leap's device is, how small it is, but the company's CEO says they want to create a mobile computer, similar to HoloLens. Not sure if this means it can work independently without a computer or compact type like Google Glass. Either way, Magic Leap needs to become a device that can run on its own, so it will become popular. Only when the Magic Leap can run independently can it be carried with you every day, every hour without giving off any discomfort. Magic Leap is expected to produce millions of devices.

Not a research project, nor a work to show off the technology, so Magic Leap planned to produce millions of simple hardware. Most components are handled by the Magic Leap and they will be assembled in a factory located in South Florida, USA. And the time of launch is still not available.

Discuss the technology of Magic Leap

Before we finish, let's discuss a little more about the technology that Magic Leap uses. This information is not publicly available, it only appears in some patents of the Magic Leap found by MIT Technology. According to the patent, most devices can only display 2D flat images, and 3D monitors or virtual reality glasses like the Oculus Rift use two images at the same time to "trick" the brain. that we are watching a floating object.

In addition, this 3D image also has a certain optimal perspective. According to Gordon Wetzstein, Stanford University's head of computer imaging research, "if you leave that focus, you will feel unreal."

The patent of Magic Leap suggests another way: they describe a device capable of creating 3D effects using light rays, also known as "bright fields" , like the way our eyes Seeing things around. The way to create light rays will help you feel better about the depth of 3D objects no matter where you are. The bright school technology that had been used by Wetzstein himself before to create a readable or near-sighted human screen without glasses, NVIDIA used the bright field to show the information for a wearable device. OK.

Speaking of hardware, the patent says: "A wearable computer hardware, specifically kissing is an optical display system that integrates bright field technology". Another patent of Magic Leap refers to the use of optical fiber to transmit images to a wide array of curved lenses. Each lens in the array will create a small beam of light that goes straight into the human eye to represent a part of the image, and many lighters will create a complete 3D object. This curved lens part can be made semi-transparent so that users can see the real world in parallel with the virtual image.

To enhance the experience, multiple layers of lenses can be stacked on top of each other to create a sense of distance. However, the Magic Leap patent says that just one layer is enough, but that the glass must be made of "ferromagnetic water". Sony used to use this special material for their speaker system. For real-world recording, Magic Leap uses a combination of cameras, infrared sensors and an ultrasonic sensor to draw out the shape of objects around you.