Imagine you work on machinery and need a second opinion from an expert about a part of that machine that has let you down. You put your augmented reality headset on, make a quick call, and get a second pair of eyes on what you’re looking at in seconds. No need to hold a smartphone with a camera or ask an employee to physically come to your location. Well this futuristic scenario is what Mira does, and much more.
Apple has just acquired an augmented reality startup called Mira, in a deal reported by The Verge. An acquisition that comes just after Apple announced its own headset, the Vision Pro.
The deal was announced by Mira CEO Ben Taft via a post on his private Instagram account, which read “Excited for Mira’s next chapter, at Apple :)” chapter of Mira, at Apple). The post also said that Apple had onboarded at least 11 Mira employees into its workforce as part of the acquisition.
One of Mira’s AR headsets at work. Mira
A “screen that does not prevent the user from seeing the real world”
The reach of Mira’s Augmented Reality technology goes beyond the industrial sector. Use cases include military contracts with the United States Air Force and, according to The Verge, contracts with Nintendo World for its Mario Kart rides at Universal Studios in Los Angeles and Japan. The rides would use AR headsets made by Mira.
The Los Angeles-based startup also focuses on manufacturing, catering, mining, and chemicals.
Like Apple’s Vision Pro, Mira’s AR headset features a “screen that doesn’t block the user from seeing the real world.” It is also compatible with personal protective equipment (PPE), such as hard hats.
Source: “ZDNet.com”