As holographic technology becomes more widespread, innovative industries are using 3D holograms in a variety of practical, creative and entertaining ways.
Image by LuchezarS via Flickr
The use of holographic technology in a variety of industries is becoming more commonplace. The field of 3D holography has been steadily advancing with news of breakthroughs seeming to come with greater frequency. As the price of technology falls, computing power increases along with the demand for new forms of media; holographic technology is really starting to come into its own.
Industries as diverse as medicine, architecture, automotive design, music, entertainment, and even theme parks have all continued to drive the development of 3D holography with amazing results. It is predicted that holographic technology in the display industry alone will earn a staggering $3.57 billion by 2020.
3D Superstars
HatsuneMiku is a teenage Japanese superstar who has performed on stage with Lady Gaga, had tracks penned for her by Pharrell and was a featured musical guest on The Late Show with David Letterman. The most interesting thing about HatsuneMiku is that she is a holographic anime creation, who has been programmed to sing and dance. Hundreds of thousands of adoring fans the world over love her just as much as any ‘real’ pop singer and up to 20,000 people at a time pay to see her perform live in concert.
Both Michael Jackson and rapper Tupac Shakur have been digitally resurrected to perform as holograms on stage before amazed and appreciative live audiences.
Medical Marvels
In the field of medicine, 3D holography is growing in leaps and bounds and there is every reason to believe the trend will only continue. The use of holography in medical imaging has seen rapid advancements with a number of companies providing technologies that are truly incredible.
Holography allows for a scan of a patient’s heart to be rendered into 3D and projected in real time, as if floating in the air before the surgeon, where it can be then be closely explored. The surgeon can more easily visualise the exact procedure needed and make allowances for specific anomalies unique to the patient.
Life-size 3D holographic projections like those by Activ8hologramevents.com are also used by anatomy students to learn the various systems of the human body. These images are projected from a large table top and can be walked around and examined by virtually peeling back layer upon layer to explore the many intricacies of anatomical structure and abolishing the need for dissecting expensive cadavers.
Tradeshows
3D holograms are becoming regular features at trade and auto shows like the BMW 4k film shoot in Portugal. A well-executed holographic display can generate a genuine buzz as it is a relatively unique and cutting edge method of launching and presenting a new product. There is also the advantage, especially for auto manufacturers, of avoiding the expense and inconvenience involved in transporting heavy equipment to a venue in order to put it on display.
Holographic Telepresence
Holographic Telepresence is collaboration between Cisco and Musion that blends videoconferencing with 3D holographics. At the moment it is only used at large conference and expositions but there are plans to make access to the technology more widespread. In 2014, Indian Prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi used Telepresence technology to campaign for the upcoming elections. It is said the technology enabled him to appear in over 120 venues simultaneously to deliver his campaign speeches. Uses have included allowing guest lecturers at universities to teach from a distance and special celebrity appearances at award shows.
Engineering and Architecture
Using 3D holograms to display architectural models and engineering prototypes is a logical progression away from current technology which is limited by the size of the 2D screen the images are displayed upon. 3D holograms are able to give viewers a more true to life experience and certain design features can be easily explored just by changing ones position and distance from the hologram.
The future of 3D holography is only limited by the imagination and will soon be a part of everyday life. Finally, 3D holograms are able to step off the screen, allowing people to view and interact with them as if they were material objects within the same room. Gone is the need for clunky glasses and viewing headsets. Today’s holograms are not bound by the limitations inherent in 2D screens and optical apparel and it seems the world is a much more interesting place because of it.
