A Hologram, by definition, is a three-dimensional image formed by the interference of light beams from a laser or other coherent light source.
Largely considered to be a fad in the past, today I will blog about how this technology is becoming anything but.
Holograms are on the cusp of breaking into a lot of realms of civilization. Their technological capability should not be undervalued.
Medical Field
For training purposes in the medical field, simulation is everything. The thought process is, obviously, to better train the individual through simulations before conducting a procedure on an actual human being.
Enter holograms and “Mixed Reality” training sites.
Cambridge University Hospitals has recently opened a state-of-the-art mixed reality training center to enhance their student’s training.
At its core, what this means is that students practice on life-like holographic scenarios, with the first developed by the team on common respiratory conditions and emergencies.
The project is named HoloScenarios.
"Mixed reality is increasingly recognized as a useful method of simulator training,” the Cambridge team explains. “As institutions scale procurement, the demand for platforms that offer utility and ease of mixed reality learning management is rapidly expanding."
As of now, we are still a bit away from operating virtually from AR/VR on an actual patient.
The first step, though, is to get down pat the training of medical professionals in a virtual setting. Holograms can be a great aide in this regard. There are many elements that go into mixed reality training, however. How a room is set up, what tools are utilized, the visibility of not only the projected patients but also other professionals in the room.
The technology is young but almost certainly will become increasingly more prevalent in the years to come within the medical field.
The Workplace
Recently, Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg sat down on the Joe Rogan Podcast.
The Metaverse is something that is being pushed big-time these days. It is a hypothetical iteration of the Internet as a single, universal, and immersive virtual world that is facilitated by the use of virtual reality and augmented reality headsets.
On the podcast, Mark Zuckerberg made note of how the metaverse could play into remote work in the near future.
Since Covid, remote work has become an option that many employers offer (and even encourage) to their employees.
One argument against remote work is the human interpersonal interaction that is lost.
But imagine being able to work remotely while still feeling a connection between employees making it feel like you are physically in the office? This could be made possible through the implementation of your hologram being active in the metaverse while you work from home.
Advertising
I recently wrote a blog post about QR codes and how they could change the game in advertising.
Holograms could, too.
While still in their infancy in the U.S., AR and VR concerts are a popular trend in Asia. The U.S. is catching on, with prominent artists turning to Augmented reality-based concerts.
While you might argue this isn’t the same as being at a concert physically in-person, the fact that top artists are experimenting doing such a thing speaks volumes to the place holograms potentially hold in our future.
As noted, holograms are just in their beginning stages. While AR & VR are similar, they do not create the full affect that holograms would. Rolling Stone: “While both AR and VR may sample from a holographic dataset coupled with motion tracking, the technology does not visually present a hologram to users who are still only seeing images on flat, 2D displays.”
Entertainers and brands are constantly looking to market themselves and their products in new and compelling ways. QR codes are one of those ways.
But how cool would holograms be? The visual of a life-like figure reaching out to you from the tv would almost certainly grab an individual’s attention.
Holograms of real people and objects have the potential to alter the way content and media are consumed, in my opinion.
Imagine bringing back legends like the Beatles, or Elvis, to come to life right in front of you.
Sure, it may not be the same as witnessing their true greatness when they were alive. But I would argue that many people would tune in to see their hologram concert.
The advertisement sector of holograms even allows those deceased public figures to come back into play should their estate holders allow.
The possibilities are endless.
Recently
Just this week, famed boxer Manny Pacquiao was not present for his boxing face off.
But his hologram was. With his opponent being there in person, Pacquiao’s hologram was able to react to his opponent as they stood next to one another as if he was there in real life.
Something tells me that we might start seeing more of this type of thing in entertainment and sports.
Sure, nothing beats the real physical thing. Zooming into a press conference just doesn’t cut it. But holograming in? That is an entirely different ballgame.
Think of the convenience factor for an athlete or celebrity attending a press conference. No travel is needed. Life is simplified.
It was the first time the technology has ever been used to promote a combat sports event, and it appeared to have achieved its objective by drawing eyes towards the fight in an otherwise non-eventful press event.
Summary
The power of holograms is only in its beginning stages. Yet, with the few examples detailed above in this blog, you can see the allure of them.
Holograms are versatile. They can help promote sport, advertise, aid in the workplace and medical field… the possibilities are endless (cliché, I know).
Here’s betting it won’t be long before you interact with a hologram on some level yourself.
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