Researchers from the Public University of Navarra claim to have developed holograms that users can directly manipulate with their hands, similar to what is shown in fan-favourite sci-fi shows and movies like Iron Man or Star Trek.
Officially known as Volumetric Displays and nicknamed FlexiVol, these images can be manipulated by grabbing and dragging virtual 3D objects, similar to the tapping and dragging on touchscreens used on devices like smartphones and tablets.
Focused on creating a hologram that users could safely interact with, the researchers used elastics instead of a more rigid plane. The elastics are aligned parallel to each other with slits in between them, allowing for hands to pass through and interact with the image.
Modern hologram devices use an oscillating plane to create the illusion of a 3D image. These use a fan-like device to oscillate the image, but these aren’t interactable for obvious reasons. Others use oscillating mirrors to get a more freestanding 3D image. Considering these use a rigid plane to generate the image, most of the time, they are kept behind glass and need a mouse to interact with them indirectly.
In a video published by the university, the team demonstrated the interactive hologram’s use for tasks such as a virtual pet, menu selection, mapping and navigation, and 3D design. They also showed off more entertainment-based uses, like a shark reaching up to bite the user’s hand.
Based on the video, some uses I can see for the device would be in air travel (imagine being able to physically see your seat before you buy?), architecture (the 3D map feature would greatly help land surveyors), and exhibits that could show interactive displays for iconic films and television series.
Source: Gizmodo
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