Innovation in west Broward

In 2015, Magic Leap opened a new headquarters in Plantation amid fanfare from employees from South Florida, elsewhere around the U.S. and overseas.

But outsiders said they were mystified by what the future would entail as Magic Leap kept a tight lid on what it was developing.

Magic Leap did offer some clues, applying for nearly 100 patents that gave clues to its potential products: a compact scannable technology, a method for surgery using augmented reality; a method for modifying a sporting event using augmented reality; a system for generating virtual rooms; and many more.

In 2017, it unveiled its first product: The Magic Leap One: Creator Edition. It was a “wearable computer” that combined the company’s “Digital Lightfield” technology, visual perception and machine learning. The product was designed to let users interact with digital content in the real world. It was aimed at the “creator community,” including developers in the entertainment industry who could use the device to create content.

The product came with a headset, computing pack and controller.

A year after its introduction, the company posted the price: $2,295 for a notebook-sized computer “that could create digital experiences like people have seen in movies such as “Harry Potter” and “Blade Runner.”’

“This is a joyful moment for all of our employees, and we look forward to working with a diverse and forward-thinking set of developers, artists, creators, and businesses right here in Florida and everywhere,” Abovitz declared.

But according to published reports, 6,000 devices were sold, well short of the founder’s goal of 100,000.

In the meantime, the company entered into a variety of business partnerships with companies including JetBlue, AT&T and the real estate service arm of French international bank, BNP Paribas.