Microsoft Adds AI to HoloLens Silicon

The next version of Microsoft’s HoloLens may be better at navigating reality than the current version of the mixed-reality headset, thanks to a new coprocessor the company announced Sunday. The second version of HoloLens’ custom multiprocessor — called a “holographic processing unit,” or HPU — will incorporate artificial intelligence technology, Harry Shum, executive vice president of the Artificial Intelligence and Research Group, said at the annual CVPR computer vision event. The new HPU will enable HoloLens to do the kind of deep learning processing that typically is done only in the cloud.