The Revolutionary Potential of Hologram Technology for Events and Beyond
May 13, 2022 Ayushi Tiwari
As the events space continues to evolve, holographic technology is gaining rapid momentum, presenting a new opportunity of delivering exceptional event experiences, be it a live, virtual, or hybrid event. In today’s prevalent remote culture, instead of using live streaming and showing remote participants, hologram technology can be used to replicate a person’s 3D image in real-time on stage or in any meeting room.
Remote work has not just drastically changed work culture, but also the way we see technology. Holographic display technology (just like Big Data) will be widely implemented by various businesses, conferences, and events in the coming years. Although the technology is still in a nascent stage, it could be instrumental in helping event planners and speakers save travel cost and time, and, in a way, reduce carbon footprint of events, while keeping the experience phenomenal. However, this technology remains rather expensive - a seven-foot PORTL epic machine that lets you beam a 3-D image of yourself anywhere in the world costs around $60,000 USD.
Holograms on stage
Holograms in events are a viable option for event professionals who wish to invite high-profile speakers to their event but at the same time have tight budgets and other related constraints to manage (such as arranging for travel, stay, and public safety).
Recently, Chris Gardner the international best-selling author of The Pursuit of Happyness made headlines after he appeared at the ALHI Executive Exchange in California through hologram technology. Gardner's life-size image was projected in high-definition, real-time and it looked like he was present in the room. His voice sounded ultra-clear as well. He could “beam in” from anywhere for single or multiple conferences simultaneously.
The PORTL technology is best suited for industries like events, hospitality, or others that rely on meetings and conferences. Speakers from around the world can participate in an event remotely without having to spend hours and days traveling to the venue. Presenters only have to reach a capture studio where they can get recorded and then their real-time, or pre-recorded talk can be transmitted through the studio to the event stage. The event stage will display a “Holo Presence” which is a 3D image of the presenter.
How can holograms revolutionize the world around us?
It is indeed fascinating how holograms work and what all they can do. Let us take a look at some of the implementations of this technology.
1. Military mapping
Holographic images can be utilized by the military for mapping and geographic intelligence to find out an enemy’s location. A fully graphic holographic image can be used to improve the reconnaissance, which basically means ‘checking out a situation before taking any action’.
Recently, an American company delivered 13,000 computerized 3D images and designs for the American army. These designs contained three-dimensional terrain of every corner of their enemy’s position. Therefore, we can say that this technology could be of great help when it comes to tracking the enemy’s exact place of hiding.
2. Education
In the field of education, holographic technology is again very useful as it enables students to view, understand, and visualize study concepts in a better way. This is vital especially today when hybrid learning is getting widely embraced.
The advantages can be summarized as:
- It can be used for in-depth learning as the images can be viewed from all angles
- It can be easily combined with other related technologies like virtual reality
- It does not require any projection screen and enhances the experience manyfold
3. Medical training
Holographic technology can be revolutionary in the medical field too, as it can be used as a tool for training students and surgeons, and better visualizing patient data. We already know how various medical systems such as MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging), ultrasound, and CT scanning generate complex data sets in the form of 2D images. With holographic technology, we can get colorful 3D images for better comprehension.
Interestingly, a company in Scotland has been utilizing holographic technology from quite some time to produce 3D images for medical training and display purposes. Students and doctors can simply study them and make evaluations without being required to use any 3D glasses. So far, the company has successfully created 3D holographic images of the liver, brain, lungs, skeleton, heart, nerves, and muscles.
A great deal of research and work around hologram technology is being carried out in studios and labs around the world. Its potential to empower various industry verticals is indeed impressive. Holographic display technology is changing lives and at the same time stimulating creativity, offering a better understanding of the world around us and, for events, making remote participation more impactful.
