Skip to main content
Tech Radar TechRadar the technology experts
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
RSS
Asia
flag of Singapore
Singapore
Europe
flag of Danmark
Danmark
flag of Suomi
Suomi
flag of Norge
Norge
flag of Sverige
Sverige
flag of UK
UK
flag of Italia
Italia
flag of Nederland
Nederland
flag of België (Nederlands)
België (Nederlands)
flag of France
France
flag of Deutschland
Deutschland
flag of España
España
North America
flag of US (English)
US (English)
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of México
México
Australasia
flag of Australia
Australia
flag of New Zealand
New Zealand
  • Phones
  • Computing
  • TVs
  • AI
  • Streaming
  • Health
  • Audio
  • VPN
  • More
    • Cameras
    • Home
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Opinion
    • How to
    • Versus
    • Deals
    • Coupons
    • Best
Tech Radar Pro
Tech Radar Gaming
Trending
  • Nintendo Switch 2
  • ChatGPT
  • Best laptop
  • Best VPN
  • NYT Wordle today
  1. Tech

5 things Hololens does that even Iron Man can appreciate

News
By Nick Pino published 8 May 2015

Tony Stark has set the bar sky-high for augmented reality

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Welcome to the future

Welcome to the future

Imagine a world where impressive, immersive eye-candy doesn't stop as soon as you step away from your computer screen. A place where smartphones exist but they're actually considered low-tech compared to the augmented reality-powered goggles you wear from dawn until dusk.

This is the world Avengers' Iron Man, aka Tony Stark, lives in, but more and more his world and our world are converging.

The one technology getting us closer to Iron Man-status? Microsoft HoloLens.

Of course, as exciting as it is, HoloLens can't quite help us live like Tony Stark yet. Microsoft has shown off some nifty use cases for HoloLens, but the reality of the AR viewer is that it's still a work in progress.

So instead of taking this feature as a hard-and-fast "HoloLens is the future, right now!," treat it as a side-by-side comparison of all the eye-candy from the Iron Man and Avengers movies and the best HoloLens demos that left me drooling and buying a ticket on Microsoft's hype train.

So, how is HoloLens going to make us into Iron Man? Here's five ways.

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
By controlling a robot remotely

By controlling a robot remotely

When Microsoft rolled out a two-bit robot as part of its developer conference keynote last week, I had my doubts. How was a rolling stick, encased in LEDs and seemingly useless sensors going to change engineering?

Then, before I could ponder it any further, the robot sprouted a head and said, "Holo World." The head, of course, was a virtual one, only capable of being seen by the presenter wearing the HoloLens.

Using only touch gestures to plot movement paths and adjust settings using a somewhat basic interface that, most likely, would make Tony cringe if he ever saw it, the presenter moved the animated robot around the stage to the audience's delight.

Now, admittedly, a small, motorized stick with sensors isn't as cool as the Iron Man suit, but the idea of controlling a robot using Microsoft's new visor is actually pretty rad.

What did it look like in Iron Man?

Tony Stark controls Iron Man

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
By diagnosing a problem with a human body

By diagnosing a problem with a human body

Evolution has done wonders for the human body. From a highly specialized brain to the feedback mechanisms that dictate the release of hormones and start chemical reactions, the human body is no stranger to enhancements.

That said, at the end of the day we're still bags of meat - systematically flawed and bound by an expiration date. It's good, then, that technology has come a long ways in the past few hundred years and now allows us to diagnose more diseases more readily than ever before.

Microsoft may have shown us the future of the healthcare field at Build when presenters pulled up an anatomically detailed human figures they said could help medical students learn by seeing where organs are, how they function and visualizing broken bones.

Again, not as cool as when Tony Stark pulled up a real-time version of the gold and crimson suit, but still very cool.

What did it look like in Iron Man?

Tony Stark Hologram Iron Man

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
By designing a vehicle

By designing a vehicle

Manufacturing is tricky. Parts need to come together in exactly the right way to produce a working, efficient and ultimately safe product.

The HoloLens demonstrated its ability to help automotive engineers cobble together the motorcycles of the future using augmented reality.

The finished result, a neon-green bike clearly inbound for Neo from The Matrix, may not be the pinnacle of eye-catching design, but it does make for a cool demo for engineers tired of seeing their designs on a computer screen.

What did it look like in Iron Man?

Tony Stark designing a car

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
By making international video calls

By making international video calls

Even the best entrepreneur/playboy/engineer needs to make a phone call every once in a while to keep business afloat.

Using the Windows 10 Universal Skype app, the HoloLens can connect you with friends, family and even potential business partners from around the world while beaming their faces onto any surface in your house.

Whether you use the technology to talk face-to-face with an arch-nemesis hacker who's sworn vengeance against you and your entire corporation, or simply to wish Mom a happy Mother's Day, however, is up to you.

What did it look like in Iron Man?

Tony Stark phone call

OK, imagine this, but as a hologram.
Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
By creating a three-dimensional map

By creating a three-dimensional map

OK, so recreating a map in Minecraft may not have the same kind of impact that saving the city from a gang of auto-piloted kill-droids has, but it's still pretty nifty.

Microsoft clearly set out to show how HoloLens can apply to nearly every field, from enterprise to entertainment. For gamers, we see this in the form of Mojang's loveable, moddable and all-around-brain-building open-world game, Minecraft.

Using the HoloLens you'll be able to walk around the map, creating structures and terraforming the land however you see fit.

Overall, it feels a bit rudimentary to use an insanely powerful machine to display a game as simplistic as Minecraft, but this is only a small window of what gaming could look like with a truly powerful AR device.

What did it look like in Iron Man?

Iron Man 3D Map

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
TOPICS
Microsoft
Nick Pino
Nick Pino
Social Links Navigation

Nick Pino is Managing Editor, TV and AV for TechRadar's sister site, Tom's Guide. Previously, he was the Senior Editor of Home Entertainment at TechRadar, covering TVs, headphones, speakers, video games, VR and streaming devices. He's also written for GamesRadar+, Official Xbox Magazine, PC Gamer and other outlets over the last decade, and he has a degree in computer science he's not using if anyone wants it.

Read more
The Meta Quest 3 and controllers on their charging station which is itself on a wooden desk next to a lamp
Forget Android XR, I've got my eyes on Vivo's new Meta Quest 3 competitor as it could be the most important VR headset of 2025
Hamish wearing the Snap Spectacles
I experienced Snap’s new multiplayer AR and I’m completely sold on an AR glasses filled future
The RayNeo Air 3S glasses, Google's Android XR glasses and the Xreal one glasses being worn by three different models.
There's no need to wait for Google's Android XR smart glasses – here are two amazing AR glasses I’ve tested that you can try now
Microsoft HoloLens US Army IVAS headset
Farewell HoloLens - Microsoft officially quits wearable headset technology, hands over billion-dollar DoD contract to Anduril
Spectacles 5 developers
Here’s how Snapchat Spectacles are being used in the real world right now - and you might be surprised
The Xreal Air 2 glasses on a violet background featuring the TechRadar logo
The best smart glasses 2025: the top AI and AR glasses you can find
Latest in Tech
A Symfonisk lamp speaker next to a GTA VI character on a motorbike, and the new Windows Surface tablet.
ICYMI: the week's 7 biggest tech stories, from GTA 6's beautiful new trailer to Sony's WH-1000XM6 headphones teaser
10 Lego big builds - one of each F1 team's car at 1:1 scale
10 Lego cars just raced the F1 Miami Grand Prix track – here's how they were built
A still of a woman pointing a gun from Grand Theft Auto 6, next to three Nothing CMF Phone 2 Pro phones, next to some Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses
ICYMI: the 8 biggest tech stories of the week, from ChatGPT's shopping upgrade to GTA 6 delays
Collage of tech in the Amazon weekend sale, including a Fire TV, MacBook, iPad, AirPods, Bose headphones, Pixel phone and Galaxy Watch
Amazon just launched a massive weekend sale – here are the 23 best deals I'd buy from $19.99
Gazelle
What are you waiting for? Get 10% off at Gazelle with our link
JBL Flip 7, Samsung Odyssey OLED G81SF, and Retro-Bit Sega Saturn Wireless Pro Controller on blue, pink, and purple background, with Reviews Recap written in top-right corner
5 blistering reviews of the week: Cutting-edge monitor tech, a throwback for Sega Saturn fans, and one of the best portable Bluetooth speakers around
Latest in News
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
The latest Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge leak shows off the phone's design – and a potential price
Quordle on a smartphone held in a hand
Quordle hints and answers for Monday, May 12 (game #1204)
NYT Connections homescreen on a phone, on a purple background
NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, May 12 (game #701)
NYT Strands homescreen on a mobile phone screen, on a light blue background
NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, May 12 (game #435)
Whoop 5.0
If you're already subscribed to Whoop, you can now get a free upgrade to the latest devices after a user backlash
Sony Xperia 1 VI
A huge Sony Xperia 1 VII leak hints at the design, colors, and features of the upcoming flagship
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. 1
    Weirdest smart office gadgets that actually boost productivity
  2. 2
    Philips Hue bulb types explained: choose the right lights for your home
  3. 3
    The latest Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge leak shows off the phone's design – and a potential price
  4. 4
    The iPhone 16 Pro Max has changed the way I think about fast charging
  5. 5
    Quordle hints and answers for Monday, May 12 (game #1204)

TechRadar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Web notifications
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...