A cheap iPhone augmented reality device called Holokit X is an intriguing experiment that demonstrates the current limits of Apple’s augmented reality technology.
Apple has spent years studying and creating augmented reality. The 2017 release of the iOS interface ARKit serves as the finest evidence of these efforts. Over the past few years, the development environment has undergone continuous expansion and enhancement with new features; it is currently in its sixth iteration.
Hardware-wise, Apple is experimenting with AR technologies, as evidenced by the LIDAR scanner that was unveiled in 2020 alongside the iPhone 12 Pro. As Apple’s FloorPlan demonstrates, the depth sensor is responsible for the 3D spatial representation in AR applications, which is a fundamental prerequisite for believable augmented reality.
Early in 2023, the business is expected to introduce a mixed reality headset that, like the iPhone and iPad, uses cameras to collect the world and then projects it onto opaque displays where it can be enhanced with augmented reality (AR) components. Apple has already established the crucial software foundations for such a gadget with ARKit.
Using the iPhone as a headset’s AR hub
A technological test conducted by Silicon Valley developer Botao Amber Hu demonstrates this. His business Holo Interactive created a plastic head mount and a set of optics that can fit a modern iPhone. With the help of Apple’s ARKit, the cradle and smartphone transform into a low-cost augmented reality headgear. The only electronic component in the plastic holder is an NFC sensor; the iPhone provides all other functionality.
The iPhone display is used to reflect the AR projections into view. The user’s field of view is 60 degrees, and they can concurrently see stereoscopic augmented reality objects while looking through glass.
The iPhone camera and ARKit provide spatial tracking for the AR headset.
Local multiplayer augmented reality games and a spectator view are made possible by the iOS technology AirDrop:
When onlookers hold their iPhone or iPad over the scene, the AR features are immediately placed.
Additionally, hand tracking is supported, and if necessary, an Apple Watch transforms into a basic motion controller.
Spatial sound is provided through Apple’s 3D audio technology and associated headphones.
iPhone AR headset is available now
A smartphone mount for augmented or virtual reality is not a novel concept. Holokit X stands out for its clever use of Apple’s augmented reality technologies. The prototype therefore demonstrates what would be theoretically conceivable if Apple merged all augmented reality (AR) components from recent years into a single headgear.
The vision is “bright, vivid, and fairly sharp,” according to a hands-on by technology magazine Wired, and the headset is surprisingly easy to wear, even with genuine glasses.
Orders for the Holokit X can be made on the official website for $129 and Amazon. Except for the iPhone Mini and iPhone SE, it works with all recent iPhone models. Although Holo Interactive does not mandate a depth camera, Pro models with LIDAR scanners are preferred.
The software is still being developed even though the hardware is complete. At the end of November, the group of about 10 developers hopes to launch the Holokit app on the App Store. Additional AR experiences ought to be included by then.
