Microsoft India announced on Wednesday it had released the HoloLens 2 for sale in the country, allowing Indian companies to purchase the innovative mixed reality (MR) solution three years after its launch.
The head-mounted display (HMD) merges real and digital content in real-time, where workers can communicate remotely, work on diagnostics or schematics, receive remote assistance, and update on the latest training modules across most industries such as healthcare, education, and manufacturing.
Apollo Hospitals, a major healthcare provider across India, adopted the HoloLens 2 along with data on patient health vitals to create 3D visuals of their hearts to detect current and predict future incidences.
The Chennai-based enterprise opened an AI-backed Cardiovascular Disease Risk Score application programme interface (API) designed for predicting subsequent patient incidences over seven years with the digital twins.
Speaking on the HoloLens 2, Dr Sathya Sriram, Chief Executive of Preventative Health at Apollo Hospitals, said,
“By providing this immersive mixed reality experience and explaining the cause and effect of one’s lifestyle, we hope that the conversation between the doctor and patient is now much more personalized, meaningful and impactful”
Rajiv Sodhi, Chief Operating Officer for Microsoft India, added that the world was in “a new era of computing” of three-dimensional, spatial computing, where the HoloLens 2 allowed businesses and workforces to accelerate their business processes with greater outcomes.
He continued, stating,
“HoloLens 2 helps businesses and their employees complete crucial tasks faster, safer, and more efficiently, and creates new ways to connect with customers and partners. It also addresses specific local industry challenges by enabling capabilities that help companies become more competitive and innovative at scale”
The devices are available for purchase via authorised resellers Softline and Team Computer, with trade enquires managed by distributor Redington India, according to Microsoft India.
Benefits of Microsoft HoloLens
The news comes after Redmond, Washington-based firm commissioned an impact study on the benefits of MR in global markets, which found a 177 percent return on investment (ROI) over three years and major boosts to safety and skills training.
The report also noted a recorded $11.9 million in payback benefits compared to $4.3 million in total overhead costs, fuelled by improved customer and training outcomes.
Additional benefits of HoloLens 2 and MR included reducing system downtime, increases in worker accuracy, productivity, and skill-building for manufacturers and automakers. Healthcare experts could also train and conduct remote consultations with clients with the device, the report read.
Businesses and industries can also tackle future challenges with the emerging technology, close skills gaps, streamline and optimise operations, among others, by integrating HoloLens 2 devices with Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform in business workflows and independent service vendors (ISVs).
Empowering Teams with HoloLens 2 Solutions
The news comes after numerous organisations, enterprises, and institutions have tapped the HoloLens 2 for improving processes and increasing learner engagement.
The National University of Singapore’s Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine launched a programme last week for training medical and nursing students via its Project Polaris immersive platform.
In the United Kingdom, Theorem Solutions unveiled its Theorem-XR data solution, which integrates 3D computer-aided designs (CAD) across HoloLens 2 headsets and provides further support for Microsoft’s Azure Remote Rendering platform.
US tech giant Hewlett-Packard (HP) also partnered with Microsoft in November last year for an HoloLens 2-based service that provides device users with troubleshooting support for industrial printing issues using remote experts.
