What exactly is a hologram? If you’ve ever heard of the phrase before, chances are you’re familiar with it even if you don’t know exactly what it means. A hologram is essentially an image that appears to be three-dimensional, but still remains flat on the surface in which it exists. For example, if you were to shine light through a piece of glass, and the light passed through an image on the other side of the glass, the image would appear to be 3D in nature, even though it was flat on the glass itself.
An Introduction to Holograms.
The term hologram is derived from two Greek words, which together literally mean whole writing. Holograms are considered images that are self-illuminating; a sense of depth is created by projecting light and manipulating it in a variety of ways to reconstruct an image. The holographic principle was introduced by Dennis Gabor in 1947; he won a Nobel Prize for his contribution to holography.
The Basics of a Hologram
The word hologram comes from a combination of two Greek words: holos, meaning whole, and gramma, meaning message. When used in reference to technology or physics, it refers to a three-dimensional image created by a laser that has been split into two separate beams. The technique was invented in 1947 by an English researcher named Dennis Gabor.
How Do We Create These Images?
The Hologram 360 effect is created using an array of high-powered lasers and projectors. These lasers create an individual laser spot for each pixel in your image. When you stand in front of a hologram, these spots form a 3D pattern that your brain perceives as a single, life-size holographic image. No glasses required! Check out our other video to learn more about how we create it!
How Are They Viewed?
Viewing holograms requires a viewer, typically a pair of glasses or goggles with two lenses. While viewing a hologram, you can walk around it and see it from different angles. How far away can you be and still view it? There are lots of variables to consider in order to make an accurate prediction—the size of your hologram, how bright it is, how well-lit your room is.
When Can We Get Our Hands on Them?
The Oculus Rift is a virtual reality headset that’s getting lots of buzz at this year’s CES, but it won’t be hitting shelves until later in 2014. And Sony recently unveiled a prototype of its own VR goggles, codenamed Project Morpheus. While those are both likely going to be expensive, we might not have to wait much longer for some cheaper alternatives.
Earlier in June, Microsoft announced their new HoloLens headset, which creates what they call a mixed reality experience. What exactly does that mean, and when can we get our hands on them? Mixed reality is often described as a combination of augmented and virtual reality; using holographic technology to create an interactive overlay on our everyday world. Augmented reality relies on projecting graphics into real-world spaces for enhanced experience (think: Pokémon Go). Virtual reality transports you to entirely different environments.
Invented in 1962 by Nobel Prize–winning physicist Dennis Gabor, holograms are incredibly advanced pieces of technology. Despite only having been used commercially since 2005, they’ve already become an intrinsic part of our popular culture—and they’re poised to be a game-changer in how we interact with computers and information. What is it about holograms that makes them so captivating, and when can we get our hands on them?
The Future of Holograms
Bigger, better and more interactive than ever before, holograms give an entirely new dimension to home entertainment. The future of technology is putting us in a world where we can no longer tell what’s real and what’s not; it may also be able to show us how our surroundings will change in ways that are visible only through a type of technology that until now has been reserved for science fiction.
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