Microsoft Offers $500k Bonus To HoloLens App Developers

Microsoft is looking to ramp up development efforts for its HoloLens headset by offering major grants to developers and researchers working with the technology.

The computing giant has sent out a request for academic research proposals for projects that will show off the power of its ‘mixed reality’ device.

Winners will receive one of five $100,000 grants to work on their research project, as well as a pair of HoloLens headsets for testing.

Goals

“The primary goal of this request for proposals is to better understand the role and possible applications for holographic computing in society,” a Microsoft statement announcing the project said.

“Additional goals are to stimulate and advance academic research in mixed reality and encourage applications of holograms for novel purposes.”

“Microsoft believes that mixed reality can be used to create new experiences that will contribute to advances in productivity, collaboration, and innovation.”

Submissions are now open until September 5; however any proposals need to come from accredited universities or non-profit research institutes within the United States. The funding only last for one year, Microsoft says, after which the teams will need to find other methods of funding.

An official release date for the consumer version of HoloLens has not yet been revealed by Microsoft, aside from a general statement that it will be released “for the Windows 10 era”.

The company has signed up a range of intriguing partners to work with the device, including NASA, which announced a new project last month that should have seen HoloLens heading in to space.

The Sidekick project would have had astronauts on the International Space Station (ISS) using HoloLens as a virtual aid when working, but unfortunately the two devices sent up were lost after the SpaceX delivery rocket exploded shortly after impact.

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