Innogy Innovation Hub and Innsbruck University of Applied Sciences (MCI) are investing in the augmented reality startup Holo-Light. The size of the investment is unknown.
Holo-Light Based in Ismaning near Munich and in Tyrol, the company develops augmented and mixed reality solutions for the business world. Founded in 2015, its customers include BMW, Festo, and BASF. Now, the RWE subsidiary Innogy and the Innsbruck-based MCI University of Applied Sciences are investing in the company. Florian Haspinger (CEO) and Michael Oberlechner (CFO) say:
"Holo-Light's goal is to pave the way for a new way of communicating, learning, and interacting, and to create a long-term breeding ground for future-oriented technologies. We believe we are best positioned to fulfill this task through our merger with the Innogy Innovation Hub and the MCI and look forward to further growth opportunities."
Input device for holograms
Holo-Light and MCI have been collaborating since spring 2017. Together with the MCI's Technology & Life Sciences departments, the company is developing the "Holo-Stylus," a pen-shaped input device for head-mounted displays. This device is designed to enable more precise work with digital content in 3D. The device is expected to be commercially available in series production starting in 2019.
MCI research directors say about the current step Michael Kraxner and Rector Andreas Altmann :
"Holo-Light has brought MCI on board as a technology and innovation driver. We gladly accept this invitation and will make our contribution to further advancing exciting future technologies with high market potential."
Patrick Elftmann from the Innogy Innovation Hub says that mixed reality enables new ways of communication. This offers opportunities to accelerate workflows and facilitate knowledge transfer:
"For example, in a power plant environment, critical information such as switching systems and machine data can be displayed in augmented reality. This technology also allows for additional assistance measures. The virtual display of experts, who can often be hundreds of kilometers away, can be a decisive time saver, for example, in the maintenance of wind turbines."
