Arizona University testing usable 3D Holograms

[Kyler]

For all you Star Wars & Star Trek fans, 3D Hologram techology is taking another step forward with the help of Arizona University Optics Departments.

"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope."

Princess Leia's famous plea might be the only place a hologram exists to many people. However, researchers from the University of Arizona report in the Nov. 4 issue of scientific journal Nature that they're making holographic technology a reality.

In a partnership with Nitto Denko Technical Corporation in Oceanside, Calif., a team from the university's College of Optical Sciences has created three-dimensional telepresence, a full-color, 3D display updated in almost real-time, viewable from all sides, without a pair of glasses.

"Holographic telepresence means we can record a three-dimensional image in one location and show it in another location, in real-time, anywhere in the world," Nasser Peyghambarian, one of the study's lead researchers, said in a statement.

There are many possibilities for practical application of these holograms, medical purposes, remote video conferencing, manufacturing, or entertainment. "Surgeons at different locations around the world can observe in 3D, in real time, and participate in the surgical procedure," the authors said.

A prototype device uses a 10-inch screen, but the team said it is currently testing a 17-inch version, recording with several cameras. The more cameras in use, the better the image quality.

"At the heart of the system is a screen made from a novel photorefractive material, capable of refreshing holograms every two seconds, making it the first to achieve a speed that can be described as quasi-real-time," said Pierre-Alexandre Blanche, an assistant research professor at the college and lead author.

Information is then encoded on a "fast-pulsed laser beam"; each laser pulse then records a "hogel," or three-dimensional version of a pixel. At this point it can last a few minutes, or a few seconds. A major milestone for this project is something known as parallax. "As you move your head left and right or up and down, you see different perspectives. This makes for a very life-like image. Humans are used to seeing things in 3D," Peyghambarian said.

Researchers still have a ways to go before this technology can actually be used, but it could theoretically allow a real-time 360-degree hologram to be projected anywhere in the world. While we might not see a projection like that of Princess Leia begging for Alderaan's fate any time soon, researchers are getting closer.

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2372118,00.asp

[Skgoa]

Wow, its pretty hilarious how much this ISN'T like what we see in Trek and Wars, AT ALL.
Wake me when they manage a 25 Hz refresh rate and a decent image quality...

[Kyler]

That's what they are working on, but still the technology is finally move forward. Look how much computers have changed in 20 years, imagine how much 3D holographics will change. Plus I think this is the stuff the accessible to public, I have heard some heresay from people who have work with the DoD that they 3D holographic battlemaps.

[Skgoa]

Oh this is a great step forward indeed. My post was motivated more by the outragious claims these kinds of articles make. I remember one of the first stories about eyefinity stating that "now the holodeck is real!!".

[Themightytom]

I wonder how long it'll be before someone uses it for porn.

[spartasman]

I wonder how long it'll be before someone uses it for porn.

I would be surprised if that wasn't one of the FIRST things that it is used for.

[Solauren]

The question of course is, will this work with recorded images/movies, as well?

And how long until we can start making 3-D Holographic video games?

[Eleas]

I wonder how long it'll be before someone uses it for porn.

Already being done.

The question of course is, will this work with recorded images/movies, as well?

Absolutely, in the understanding that you'll need specialized "3d cameras" that take pictures from several angles. Additional algorithms will then compute an approximation of the depth field.

And how long until we can start making 3-D Holographic video games?

Apparently, Crysis 2 is being built around that capability right now.