It's no longer science fiction. We're one step closer to holograms. IO2 Technology has completed a working prototype called the Heliodisplay, which can project TV, video, and computer images into thin air. About the size of a breadbox, the unit can project a flat image with a diagonal measurement of 27 inches. Its creators expect to expand this to 150 inches soon. Also, these images are interactive. Viewers can use their hands to move a cursor to select and drag items around the image.
The company isn't revealing the secrets behind this proprietary technology, but it will say that it operates by modifying the properties of air within a localized environment. The Heliodisplay takes in air, ejects it, and then illuminates it using a technique where the photons and air produce the image. There is no harmful gas or liquid, and nothing needs to be refilled.
While the Heliograph projects a 2D image, images will appear 3D at ranges of more than a few feet because of the lack of a physical depth reference. These images can be viewed from a total angle of 150°. Also, viewers on opposite sides of the device will be able to view the same image or different images. Image translucence is adjustable.
For further information, go to www.io2technology.com.
