About two weeks ago, at Microsoft’s annual Ignite Conference, they introduced the Mesh, which is basically a new mixed reality device that is going to shape how people socialize and work online. Microsoft wants Mesh to start making other tech companies adapt to this kind of technology, and it wants it to recreate all of the work tools, such as online documents or video calls.
Microsoft says that the end goal of Mesh “will enable geographically distributed teams to have more collaborative meetings, conduct virtual design sessions, assist others, learn together, and host virtual social meetups. People will initially be able to express themselves as virtual avatars in these shared virtual experiences and over time use holoportation to project themselves as their most lifelike, photorealistic selves.”
Microsoft says that the Mesh is run by the Azure cloud platform, and Mesh is made to be able to run on all types of devices, and not just the Microsoft Hololens. Mesh can be run on VR goggles, smartphones, PCs, tablets, and more.
One of the best parts of Mesh is that it lets you work with 3D physical models without having to be on a computer (if you are using the Hololens). This basically means that you don’t have to be in the same room as the people who are interested, which is especially important during a pandemic, where big groups of people aren’t safe.
The 3D models show up as AR rendering in a shared virtual space, and they can be any size that the demonstrator wants. “This sounds really cool,” says Colin Hill, a junior at Lakewood High School.
Microsoft is working on adding support for Mesh-enabled apps for future versions, and they might be planning on integrating it with Microsoft Teams and Dynamic 365, but nothing has officially been said yet.
