NASA brings Microsoft HoloLens to space to help astronauts

[GoodBytes]

Project Sidekick is the name of the project from NASA, which involves using the Microsoft HoloLens, which NASA help developed in part with Microsoft, to help astronauts in space.

This weekend, NASA will send a pair of HoloLens devices to the International Space Station (ISS) as part of a resupply trip for the space station orbiting Earth.

The idea is to allow NASA engineers to directly help astronauts in spaceship repairs and troubleshooting, using Skype.

The ground engineer and scientists can point, highlight in 3D space on a Skype video chat call with the astronauts, and the astronauts sees these augmented arrows/highlights and so on, augmented to its environment, to better understand what to do, and be able help repair and troubleshooting issues.

 

Astronauts aboard the ISS will use HoloLens in a few ways. There is a "Remote Expert Mode," where ground operators can use Skype to see what a crew member sees in real time. The operator can then make notes and draw right in the astronaut's field of view. There's also a "Procedure Mode," which lays animated holographic drawings over whatever the crew member is interacting with. To make all this happen, NASA and Microsoft co-developed a program called Sidekick.

Sidekick won't immediately become a part of the day-to-day routine on the ISS. Astronauts will use these first two devices to test the hardware and software, and a second set of HoloLens glasses will be delivered "on a future mission," according to NASA.

HoloLens will not yet be part of a daily usage basis just yet, however. NASA will use it for testing first, and see how it helps, and if it works well in real life, outside of test labs.

HoloLens is a Microsoft augmented virtual reality glasses, which runs without the need of a computer or device. It is fully independent. All sensors, cameras, wifi, battery and processor is all included inside the glasses.

Source: http://www.theverge.com/2015/6/25/8846619/nasa-hololens-space-microsoft

Added interesting video:

Thanks @CommandMan7

[Wander Away]

...

The idea is to allow NASA engineers to directly help astronauts in spaceship repairs and troubleshooting, using Skype.

...

USING SKYPE?

[GoodBytes]

USING SKYPE?

Yes. What is wrong with Skype?

[Diederik_Gr]

USING SKYPE?

What i was thinking as well, seems weird for NASA to use Skype on something like this. It is all for testing though, so they may not have an alternative yet.

[Master Disaster]

Fuck Oculus, fuck Vive, fuck VR. It's nothing more than a fad which will go the same way as 3D did, nowhere.

I'm calling it right now, the more I see of Hololens the more I honestly believe it will change the world forever given time. It has so many applications and once they get the headset shrunk down there's nothing to stop it. Everyone will have a headset and everywhere you go there will be holograms projected, schools, shops, work, there's literally no where it won't have some use (maybe prison and while your taking a shit).

[GoodBytes]

I'm calling it right now, the more I see of Hololens the more I honestly believe it will change the world forever given time. It has so many applications and once they get the headset shrunk down there's nothing to stop it. Everyone will have a headset and everywhere you go there will be holograms projected, schools, shops, work, there's literally no where it won't have some use (maybe prison and while your taking a shit).

Actually HoloLens has a lot of issues due to current technological limitations, but over time, with multiple iteration they can be solved.

Some of the problems is performance in drawing, performance in sensor speed, battery life, and how much it can display limitations.

[theninja35]

Yes. What is wrong with Skype?

"Houston, we've got a problem."

"What sorry I can't hear you."

"We have a-"

"I can't hear you."

"WE HAVE A-"

*you have been disconnected from the chat*

[GoodBytes]

"Houston, we've got a problem."

"What sorry I can't hear you."

"We have a-"

"I can't hear you."

"WE HAVE A-"

*you have been disconnected from the chat*

It is not Microsoft problem for you poor internet service provider service.

I have many video calls with Skype out of the country and I got great connection. No 1080p video chat, mostly due to the receiver end internet, but works very well, and so is for most people.

[Master Disaster]

Actually HoloLens has a lot of issues due to current technological limitations, but over time, with multiple iteration they can be solved.Some of the problems is performance in drawing, performance in sensor speed, battery life, and how much it can display limitations.

Oh yeah, I'm talking 20 to 30 years in the future. For now it's a great concept but nothing more. Here's hoping MS can replicate what they did with Windows for Hololens.

[CommandMan7]

Interesting. I'm a high school student who does competitive robotics (FIRST), and while at the world championship this year one of the speakers was Dave Lavery, NASA's Executive for Solar System Exploration (he oversees stuff like the mars rover) and he talked about how Hololens will change NASA and the world, and specifically robotics. Here's a video of the speech he gave, and the OP @GoodBytes may want to include this in the original post. His speech starts at 4:50, and the video should start at 4:50 when you click on it. Edit: You will have to go to 4:50 on your own or click on the URL itself, because the full size URL doesn't support specific timestamps, and the forum doesn't recognize shortened youtube links.

 

 

https://youtu.be/WPHEgMFoJFA?t=4m50s

[GoodBytes]

-snip-

Thanks. Added!

[evilarceus]

That's fucking awesome. Just thought: what if you could use HoloLens to do things with your PC? Like turn it on/off, Skype somebody, and possibly have a HUD on your HoloLens for supported games.

 

idk, a man can dream