HoloLens - How to setup HoloLens Development on Windows?

by Vijaya Malla

Following material is from Microsoft HoloLens website.

Microsoft HoloLens is the first fully self-contained, holographic computer, enabling you to interact with high‑definition holograms in your world.

A new era of mixed reality.

Windows Holographic enables a world of mixed reality – where devices work together – regardless of whether they are developed for virtual reality, augmented reality, or anything in-between. Windows Holographic will help expand the Windows ecosystem far beyond the PC.

See Alex Kipman take the stage at TED. At TED 2016, Alex invited the audience to explore what’s possible when holograms enter the real world, and how HoloLens and holographic technology will continue our journey to create meaningful connections.

Alex Kipman TED Talk

So the main question is "How do I get involved in this Wonder !?"

I have set up my Windows Machine (Win 10, running on Macbook Pro on Parallels) to get ready for some HoloLens development. Below are the steps I followed.

A BIG Thank You to Vamsi Prattipati, who borrowed me his HoloLens for sample pictures

Step 1: Head over to Unity and search for "Microsoft Hololens" because the software to develop on HoloLens is different than the traditional Unity. Don't worry here is the link : Unity for HoloLens

Step 2: Scroll down to the Download Section

Download and Install either 64-bit or 32-bit versions on #1 and then Install the UWP Runtime on #2. You may choose to download offline documentation on #3 if needed.

Step 3: I installed 64-bit Unity Editor for HoloLens, screens as below (obv screens: next,I Agree, pick a folder, check out the green bar graphic and FINISH )

Step 4: Install UWP Runtime (Same type of steps as above, please use your commonsense). Screens below

Step 5: Run Unity (Screens as below) Basically its a 4 step process, as mentioned on the upper right corner. SignIn, License, Survey, Thank You

Sign-In - Just login with your Unity Account Survey - HMMMMMMM.. didn't have time for this at this moment, I skipped. License - Pick a License, I picked the Personal Edition Thank You - You know what 'Namesthe' Click on "Start Using Unity" button to create your first Unity (HoloLens) Project.

Step 6: Create Your FIRST Unity HoloLens Project - Enter Project Name and Location to save the Project - I left the Project type to 3D (Its HoloLens right!) - Turned OFF the Analytics (more information follows..) - Click "Create Project"

This is how the app looks when you are done so far with the screens

  • Now thats a blank Unity 3D Project.
  • We don't have any thing to show in the view port. We need assets to render.
  • we can either download assets from the Unity Asset Store or can import one if you have any.
  • We are going to import an Asset from the Asset Store.
  • Click on "Asset Store" tab right above the center screen and search for an Asset. For this Demo I have searched for "Cartoon Car Free" and found the following
  • Click on "Download" and it shall download the asset to your project. (as below)
  • click on "Import" to import to your project, you might have to select a folder under the project. In this case I have created a folder called "Assets" under the main project folder and saved this asset in there.

This is how the Project structure should look like.

Step 7: Set-up the Environment

  • In the previous step we have downloaded an Asset and imported to our project.
  • in this step, we are going to set up the scene, which is what the user sees and which is where the assets are placed and manipulated etc.. etc..;
  • on the Upper Left corner, you will see an empty Scene Window. Which will be empty by default. We have add a Camera and a Light Source to it as below.
  • these scene resources can be found under "Game Object" Menu, (shown below)
  • Now you will see an updated Unity work space with Assets (left bottom corner), Scene (left upper corner) and some stuff within the main window as below
  • Since we are working on HoloLens and the main Limitation and the Main Advantage in setting up the scene is to make the background BLACK
  • As we are working with Light and the Projection on our eyes, the limitation is to show Black color, the dark places will be transparent.
  • So if we can make the whole scene Black, then when we project it through HoloLens the black color is transparent and thus we can see our surroundings.
  • As marked in the image above, look to your right side on the image and set the Camera Properties (Clear Flag and Background) as below

DONE : Setting up for HoloLens Development on Windows Machine.

NEXT: Build and Deploy to Visual Studio (2015 Update 2) and Then over to HOLOLENS and Much More....

Thank you

Vijaya Malla

@vijayamalla