Today see’s the start of Microsoft Ignite, its online virtual event which has started with an XR bang. Taking to AltspaceVR’s virtual stage was Microsoft Technical Fellow Alex Kipman to announce Microsoft Mesh, its new mixed-reality (MR) platform which aims to make shared holographic experiences effortless across multiple devices.
Showcasing Mesh by hosting the keynote in the social app, Kipman welcomed various speakers including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, director James Cameron, Niantic CEO John Hanke and Cirque du Soleil co-founder Guy Laliberté as viewers tuned in from around the world, in both VR and via other devices.
The platform is powered by Microsoft Azure, its cloud-computing service, benefiting from its enterprise-grade security and privacy features. The core focus of Microsoft Mesh is to enable multi-user XR, where companies and consumers can take a device with a Mesh-enabled application and swap ideas, learn or simply socialise. It’ll support 3D models for users to interact with, whilst a full suite of AI-powered tools will enable avatar creation. spatial rendering and more.
“This has been the dream for mixed reality, the idea from the very beginning,” said Kipman in a blog post. “You can actually feel like you’re in the same place with someone sharing content or you can teleport from different mixed reality devices and be present with people even when you’re not physically together.”
“Our part of this is the work of stitching the digital and physical worlds together, connecting the bits and atoms so these experiences can be possible using the Niantic platform,” Hanke said. “But social connections are really at the heart of everything we do, and Microsoft Mesh innovations just enrich that.”
Microsoft Mesh will work on HoloLens 2, Windows Mixed Reality, Oculus headsets, PCs, Macs and smartphones so its not restricted to one particular platform. While an official launch date has yet to be confirmed, a collaborative preview of the Microsoft Mesh app for HoloLens is available and access can be requested for a new version of Mesh enabled AltspaceVR. Eventually, Mesh will be integrated within Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Dynamics 365.
As further details are released for Microsoft Mesh, VRFocus will keep you updated.