Latest news with #HoloLens
Forbes
6 days ago
- Business
- Forbes
Revolutionizing Eye Tracking With Event-Based Sensing
HoloLens 2, a AR headset designed by Microsoft, exhibited during the Mobile World Congress, on ... More February 28, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Joan Cros/NurPhoto via Getty Images) The Integrated Visual Augmentation System (IVAS) was a $22B project awarded to Microsoft in 2018 to develop Augmented Reality (AR) headsets for the US Army. As part of the funding, Microsoft was on contract to deliver 120,000 units of its HoloLens equipped headsets, but discontinued its production in 2024. In early 2025, Anduril Industries, a defense-tech startup, announced it would takeover the program. Anduril specializes in AI driven hardware technologies with a mission of 'Transforming US & allied military capabilities with advanced technology'. Palmer Luckey is CEO of Anduril. Funded by a suite of notable venture capital investors, it boasts a range of defense products spanning terrestrial, air, underwater and outer space defense capabilities. Palmer Luckey developed Oculus, a leading AR/VR platform, and sold it to Facebook (now Meta) in 2014. He left Meta in 2017 and started Anduril. Meta has evolved the Oculus platform into the Meta Quest headset family. Equipped with inward facing sensors, it enables eye tracking features which have various advantages. Meta is active in research on eye-tracking using event-based cameras from Prophesee. Use of event based cameras (versus conventional frame based cameras) provide significant benefits in speed, sampling rate, accuracy, background and noise rejection. It also dramatically reduces size, weight and heat generation, critical features for user comfort and battery life as commercial and military deployments of these headsets accelerate. Going full circle, Anduril and Meta recently announced a collaboration to work together to build to extended reality (XR) devices for the U.S. military. This effort will leverage the IVAS program that Anduril assumed charge of in early 2025. Mark Zuckerberg and Palmer Luckey finally see eye to eye! Prophesee, a pioneer and market leader of event-based neuromorphic vision technology recently announced a collaboration with Tobii, the global leader in eye tracking and attention computing. The goal is to deliver a next-generation event-based eye tracking solution tailored for AR/VR and smart eyewear applications. Given the discussion above on the fusion of IVAS, Meta and Anduril capabilities for AR/VR headsets, this is an exciting development. Event based sensing asynchronously reads out only the pixels which record intensity changes above a user defined threshold, resulting in lower latency, power, compute, storage and thermal management requirements. Prophesee ('predicting and seeing where the action is'), based in France, uses its event-based cameras for industrial automation, AR/VR, security, healthcare and AoT™ (Autonomy of Things) applications. Founded in 2014, the company closed its C round funding of $50M in October 2022. To date, it has raised $127M. Prophesee's focus is on providing its sensor chips, SDK (Software Development Kit) and camera reference designs to end users like Tobii and others who develop imaging systems for various applications. It's next generation MetaVision GenX 320 QVGA sensor (320 x 320 pixels, 6 μm pixel pitch, 4 mm x 3 mm footprint) is designed for eye tracking in gaming and wearable AR/VR headsets. Figure 1 highlights some of the capabilities: Figure 1: Metavision GenX 320 QVGA Sensor Capabilities Luca Verra is the CEO of Prophesee. A key initiative underway is the development of an even leaner event sensing chip than the MetaVision QVGA for smart glass applications. Reducing the pixel pitch by 50% (< 3 um) realizes a 5X reduction in the chip area. While the MetaVision sensor consumes ~25 mW of power at a system level (includes the sensing readout, signal pre-processing and a 900 um wavelength LED), the dedicated chip for smart glasses aims to reduce power consumption by > 10X, and provide data speeds approaching 1 KHz (similar to that reported in the Meta paper above). Compared to this, a CMOS based framed camera solution consumes ~250 mW (not compatible with smart glass applications) and data speeds of ~120 Hz. Data speeds are important in eye tracking since it provides finer resolution, important for various psychological aspects like emotional state, intent and interest. Mr. Verra is excited about the collaboration with Tobii: "Event-based vision is a perfect match for the growing demand for low-power, always-on sensing in next-generation wearable devices. This partnership builds on a strong foundation of collaboration between our teams and expands our joint capabilities into the eye-tracking space. With Tobii's proven leadership in eye tracking, combined with our experience in event-based sensing, we aim to set a new standard for what's possible in AR/VR and smart eyewear.' Tobii, founded ~ 20 years ago, is headquartered in Sweden, and bills itself as a leader in eye tracking (delivered the world's first remote eye tracker). It serves thousands of enterprises, universities, and research institutes around the world, and is a pioneer in attention computing (Figure 2) which it defines as 'technology that understands human attention and intent'. Listed on the Swedish NASDAQ, it has 600 employees and annual revenues of ~$90M. Figure 2: Factors Going Into Attention Computing Using Eyeball Tracking Tobii uses machine learning, artificial intelligence, and advanced signal processing to decode head and eye movements, translate microscopic gestures into accurate gaze signals, and generate insights to reveal what captures a person's attention and interpret intent. Applications fall into four broad verticals: 1) Consumer research and user experience: transitions the market research process from a formal survey-based one (in which questions posed to respondents invariably create bias) to a emotional one in which subtle cues gained from eye tracking like gaze, pose and presence can provide valuable information to modify products and packaging. The data can be gathered in formal or informal settings (like when customers shop and are looking at alternate products). 2) Developmental psychology and healthcare research: Eye tracking data offers valuable insights into human behavior and cognitive processes, making it a versatile technology across a wide range of research domains like psychology, medical diagnostics and education. 3) Consumer technologies in gaming and wearables: System-on-chip solutions for eye tracking provide seamless interactions between users and their devices in wearables, smart glasses and AR/VR headsets. Sony is one of Tobii's customers (Sony PlayStation product lines). 4) Automotive, driver monitoring systems (DMS): Tobii Autosense enables OEMs to build for tomorrow, pushing the boundaries of what's possible, and achieve true in-cabin differentiation and safety monitoring. Tobii's hardware comprises a suite of wearable eye trackers. Software integration and ensuring that the devices work robustly across all populations (age, skin color, eye color, illumination conditions, vibrations, facial and eye-makeup, etc.) are critical challenges. To date, the company has sold a few million units. According to CEO Anand Srivasta, the eye tracking solutions market is in its infancy. He expects this number to grow as the adoption of this technology accelerates, especially in the consumer wearables, industrial productivity and DMS markets. Event based sensing can deliver significant disruptions in certain verticals where low size, weight, power consumption and heat generation are critical (wearables) and high data rates can enhance the eye tracking resolution to provide more insights into consumer intent and emotion. Other applications may continue to use framed CMOS cameras (when full images are needed, like in DMS). He expects the collaboration with Prophesee to 'complement to our existing camera technologies, giving our customers even more options and flexibility when designing their products. Smart eyewear is one of the most demanding segments for eye tracking—requiring ultra-low power, high performance, and seamless integration into a standard glasses form factor." As technology accelerates, data generation volume increases exponentially. In many cases, most of this data is useless, non-eventful and non-actionable. Attempting to analyze all of it slows down decision making and insights, and risks missing events that are important. Event based sensing has a significant role to play in lowering compute, storage and thermal management costs, providing higher actionable data rates and opening up new markets and technological acceptance.
Business Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Microsoft to cut 6,000 workers across the company
[NEW YORK] Microsoft said it will cut 6,000 workers across the company in an effort to reduce management layers. The planned terminations will amount to less than 3 per cent of the total headcount and occur across geographies, employee levels and include LinkedIn, a spokesperson said. 'We continue to implement organisational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace,' the spokesperson said. Microsoft, which employed 228,000 people in June 2024, deploys periodic layoffs, often to reorient its headcount towards priority areas. The company laid off 10,000 people in January 2023, including personnel at the HoloLens augmented reality headset unit and other hardware projects. About 2,000 workers will be impacted at Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, according to a state filing on Tuesday (May 13). The terminations are expected to commence on Jul 13. The company has been under pressure in recent years to keep a lid on costs amid massive spending on the data centres that power artificial intelligence (AI) services and the Azure cloud-computing unit. Microsoft has said it's on track to spend about US$80 billion this fiscal year on the server farms. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up CNBC reported the layoffs earlier. Last year, chief executive officer Satya Nadella said AI was helping the company save on labour costs. The theme came up again on Tuesday during a JP Morgan conference, when Microsoft finance executive Bill Duff said the company is 'saving hundreds of millions of US dollars a year' by using AI for customer support and reducing the need for human interaction. Duff said Microsoft is deploying AI across multiple divisions to help personnel analyse deals for compliance issues, write marketing materials and other tasks. The company routinely reorients its workforce away from legacy products and towards growth initiatives, Duff said. Late last month, Microsoft told workers it's planning to use third-party firms to handle more sales of software to small and midsize customers. It also restructured some technical teams earlier last month. Several other tech companies have also announced layoffs this year. Meta Platforms said in January that it planned to ax about 5 per cent of staff via performance-based terminations and would hire new people to fill those roles. The following month, Bloomberg reported that Salesforce was cutting more than 1,000 positions, in large part to make room for new AI-focused positions. BLOOMBERG
Business Times
14-05-2025
- Business
- Business Times
Microsoft is cutting thousands of employees across the company
[NEW YORK] Microsoft said it will cut 6,000 workers across the company in an effort to reduce management layers. The planned terminations will amount to less than 3 per cent of the total headcount and occur across geographies, employee levels and include LinkedIn, a spokesperson said. 'We continue to implement organisational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace,' the spokesperson said. Microsoft, which employed 228,000 people in June 2024, deploys periodic layoffs, often to reorient its headcount towards priority areas. The company laid off 10,000 people in January 2023, including personnel at the HoloLens augmented reality headset unit and other hardware projects. About 2,000 workers will be impacted at Microsoft's headquarters in Redmond, Washington, according to a state filing on Tuesday (May 13). The terminations are expected to commence on Jul 13. The company has been under pressure in recent years to keep a lid on costs amid massive spending on the data centres that power artificial intelligence (AI) services and the Azure cloud-computing unit. Microsoft has said it's on track to spend about US$80 billion this fiscal year on the server farms. BT in your inbox Start and end each day with the latest news stories and analyses delivered straight to your inbox. Sign Up Sign Up CNBC reported the layoffs earlier. Last year, chief executive officer Satya Nadella said AI was helping the company save on labour costs. The theme came up again on Tuesday during a JP Morgan conference, when Microsoft finance executive Bill Duff said the company is 'saving hundreds of millions of US dollars a year' by using AI for customer support and reducing the need for human interaction. Duff said Microsoft is deploying AI across multiple divisions to help personnel analyse deals for compliance issues, write marketing materials and other tasks. The company routinely reorients its workforce away from legacy products and towards growth initiatives, Duff said. Late last month, Microsoft told workers it's planning to use third-party firms to handle more sales of software to small and midsize customers. It also restructured some technical teams earlier last month. Several other tech companies have also announced layoffs this year. Meta Platforms said in January that it planned to ax about 5 per cent of staff via performance-based terminations and would hire new people to fill those roles. The following month, Bloomberg reported that Salesforce was cutting more than 1,000 positions, in large part to make room for new AI-focused positions. BLOOMBERG
India.com
14-05-2025
- Business
- India.com
Bad news for employees of this IT company as 6000 employees sacked due to…, not Ratan Tata's TCS, Narayana Murthy's Infosys, Google, Wipro, name is…
Bad news for employees of this IT company as 6000 employees sacked due to..., not Ratan Tata's TCS, Narayana Murthy's Infosys, Google, Wipro, name is... Microsoft has revealed plans to lay off around 6,000 employees worldwide as part of a broader effort to simplify its internal structure and cut down on layers of management. These layoffs will impact less than 3 per cent of its total workforce and will include roles from different teams, levels, and regions including LinkedIn. According to a company representative, this decision is part of Microsoft's ongoing efforts to stay agile and competitive in a fast-changing business environment. 'We're making necessary changes within the organization to help the company stay strong and ready for what lies ahead,' the spokesperson explained. Microsoft job cuts in 2024 In 2024, Microsoft cut about 6,000 jobs as part of a strategic realignment to better focus on its core business priorities. With a global workforce of approximately 228,000 employees as of June, these layoffs will affect fewer than 3 per cent of the company's total headcount. The roles being eliminated span various teams and regions including LinkedIn. This is not the first time Microsoft has made such changes. In January 2023, the company cut around 10,000 jobs, affecting employees in divisions like HoloLens and other hardware-related projects. The latest round of layoffs comes as the tech giant ramps up investment in artificial intelligence and cloud computing. In fact, Microsoft is set to spend nearly USD 80 billion this fiscal year to expand its data center infrastructure, which powers services like Azure and its growing portfolio of AI tools. As the fiscal year draws to a close in June, Microsoft has already started reorganizing some internal teams. This includes shifting sales responsibilities for small and medium-sized businesses to external partners and making changes in several technical departments. Microsoft's move is part of a wider trend in the tech industry, where companies are adjusting their workforce and operations in response to changing market demands and rising costs. Earlier this year, Meta announced plans to cut 5 per cent of its staff through performance-based exits, and Salesforce let go of more than 1,000 employees to make room for new roles focused on artificial intelligence.
Mint
13-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Layoffs news: Microsoft confirms 6,000 job reductions across departments, including LinkedIn
Microsoft has announced plans to cut approximately 6,000 roles across its global workforce, citing efforts to streamline its organisational structure and reduce layers of management. The job reductions will affect fewer than three per cent of the company's total staff and will span various departments, levels, and regions — including LinkedIn. A company spokesperson stated the move is part of ongoing adjustments designed to keep Microsoft competitive in an increasingly dynamic market landscape. "We continue to implement organisational changes necessary to best position the company for success in a dynamic marketplace," the spokesperson said. The technology giant, which had a global headcount of 228,000 as of June 2024, regularly undertakes strategic layoffs to refocus on key business areas. This latest round of cuts follows a broader trend across the tech industry, where companies are recalibrating amid shifting demands and rising operational costs. Microsoft last implemented significant job cuts in January 2023, when around 10,000 employees were let go — impacting teams working on HoloLens, its augmented reality headset, and other hardware divisions. The current restructuring comes amid a surge in expenditure on artificial intelligence infrastructure and cloud services. Microsoft has committed to spending roughly $80 billion this fiscal year on data centres to support Azure and AI-driven offerings — a figure highlighting the scale of its ambitions in the space. In line with fiscal year-end practices — which concludes in June — the company has already begun reconfiguring some internal teams. Recent changes include transferring sales responsibilities for small and medium-sized business clients to third-party firms, alongside adjustments in several technical units. This wave of job cuts mirrors a wider trend in the technology sector. Earlier this year, Meta said it would reduce its workforce by five per cent through performance-related exits, while Salesforce made over 1,000 positions redundant to pivot towards new AI-oriented roles. (With inputs from Bloomberg)
