Microsoft partners with Lowe's to bring AI and HoloLens into home design

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At Microsoft Ignite today Microsoft announced a partnership with home improvement company Lowe’s to use Microsoft technologies to make the arduous task of settling on a design for your next project much easier.

Using HoloLens, Lowe’s is providing customers in select pilot stores with a new way to experience home improvement. Lowe’s is using HoloLens to demonstrate a variety of design options for kitchen cabinetry, countertops, appliances and features like backsplashes, in a visually-rich and interactive way. Lowe’s customers will be able to experience a holographic representation of a completely new kitchen, adjust finishes and options instantly, and share their designs easily online.

The holographic details are rich and allow users to even see the differences between shiny chrome appliances versus matte brushed aluminum options. Customers can completely change the look and feel of that space – including adjusting the size and shape of an island, and viewing virtual design options against physical counter stools.  A miniature hologram kitchen allows for a bird’s eye perspective of the kitchen. In-store designers, spouses or friends can view what the customer is seeing – and changing in real time – through a hand-held Surface tablet.

Microsoft also showed a demo of their Cognitive Services AI deducing what style of kitchen would best suite buyers from their collection of Pinterest pictures, and showing customers what items in Lowe’s catalogue would best fit their tastes. It is not know when this feature will become available.

Lowe’s is piloting its HoloLens-powered kitchen remodel demonstration in-store, in the greater Seattle area this month. From there, Lowe’s will begin piloting in-store in Raleigh, North Carolina.