Now that we got the default HoloLens app template running successfully in the emulator, the next step is to get a project in Unity to do the same. Although you can certainly use DirectX and Direct3D to build HoloLens apps, Unity offers a much more approachable environment for unseasoned 3D developers like myself, especially with all the helpful resources available online.
This video uses the sample Hololens project provided at Build to render a hologram in the emulator, and the Xbox One controller to navigate around it.
