Microsoft's HoloLens is in the hands of an increasing amount of developers, and we're starting to see their experiments hit the Windows Store. One of them is HoloMeasure and while not built for entertainment it does once again demonstrate that unlike virtual reality (VR) augmented reality can be super practical.
HoloMeasure is made by Sebastian's Apps and is powered by Unity. The app is very simple to use as is just scan the room revealing the live wireframe representation of your world. By using your gaze, you can set two points with an air-tap (or using the clicker), and it instantly tabulates the exact distance between those points.
Disclaimer: HoloLens can only record video at 720P. However, I'm quite confident the May update also introduces some software video stabilization, which is why it now looks smoother. However, if you know anything about SW stabilization you will know it does this by cropping the video dynamically reducing the overall resolution. As a result, this video is not quite 720P. Please keep in mind that wearing the HoloLens is very different than what you see regarding the quality of the experience. It's a lot of processing to do holograms and record video at the same time, after all!
Additional options include an array of voice commands such as "inches" or "meters" or "Metric" and "Imperial". You can have a few measurements projected at a single time and to get rid of them, you simply blurt out "Clear."
Obviously, this could be practical when working on a project, looking for an apartment, or just doing simple house modifications where you need the distance of something. Indeed, this app won't change the world, but it is exciting to see how HoloLens could be used in situations where using a physical tape measure may not be practical (think of those astronauts!).
See HoloMeasure in the Windows Store (HoloLens only!)
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