Holographic avatars are digital representations of people or characters that can be projected in three dimensions using light and sound. People use them for various purposes, such as entertainment, education, communication, and medical imaging. Holographic avatars have been around for decades, but recent advances in artificial intelligence, computer vision, and display technologies have made them more realistic, interactive, and accessible.
What are holographic avatars?
A hologram is a three-dimensional image that appears to float in space. It is created by interfering with two beams of coherent light, such as lasers, on a photosensitive material. The resulting pattern of light and dark areas encodes the shape and colour of the recorder object. When another beam of light illuminates the hologram from the same angle as the original beams, it reconstructs the image of the object.
An avatar is a graphical representation of a person or an entity in a virtual environment. It can be customized to reflect one’s appearance, personality, or preferences. Avatars can be controlled by humans or by artificial intelligence agents.
A holographic avatar is a combination of both concepts: it is an avatar in the form of a hologram. Holographic avatars can have different levels of realism and interactivity depending on how they are created and displayed.
How are holographic avatars created?
There are different methods to create holographic avatars depending on the desired level of realism and interactivity.
One method is to use scanning devices to capture the shape and appearance of a person or an object in 3D. This data can then be processed and stored digitally as a point cloud or a mesh model. Next, we can project the model as a hologram using various display technologies, such as spatial light modulators (SLMs), digital micromirror devices (DMDs), or liquid crystal displays (LCDs).
Another method is to use computer vision techniques to generate 3D models from 2D images or videos using stereo cameras, depth sensors, or photogrammetry software to estimate the depth and geometry of each pixel in an image or video frame. Alternatively, machine learning algorithms can infer 3D shapes from 2D images using generative adversarial networks (GANs) or variational autoencoders (VAEs).
A third method is to use artificial intelligence techniques to create synthetic 3D models from scratch or based on existing data. For this purpose, we can use deep neural networks (DNNs) or tensor networks (TNs) to learn how to generate realistic 3D shapes and textures from latent variables or input parameters.
What are some applications of holographic avatars?
Holographic avatars have many potential applications across different domains and industries.
One application is entertainment. Holographic avatars create immersive experiences for gaming, movies, concerts, sports events, theme parks, and museums:
- ARHT Media launched a 3D display system that allows celebrities to appear as lifelike holograms at multiple locations simultaneously;
- Microsoft unveiled its Mesh platform that enables users to interact with each other as realistic holograms across mixed-reality devices;
- Disney Research developed an animatronic robot that mimics the facial expressions of human actors using projection mapping.
Another application is education. Holographic avatars enhance learning outcomes for students and teachers:
- MIT researchers developed a method called tensor holography that could enable the creation of holograms for virtual reality, 3D printing, medical imaging, and more – and it can run on a smartphone;
- IEEE researchers proposed a system that projects a 3D realistic avatar that mimics human body motion using multiple cameras;
- OpenMind researchers suggested that metaverse technologies, such as holograms and avatars, could enable new forms of collaboration, innovation, and socialization.
The third application is communication. Holographic avatars improve remote interactions between people across distances:
- Facebook announced its Horizon Workrooms app that allows users to join virtual meetings as customizable avatars using Oculus Quest headsets;
- Zoom introduced its Immersive View feature that places participants in shared virtual backgrounds during video calls;
- Battlestar Wiki described how holobands allow users to create and control their avatars in cyberspace.
The fourth is marketing and direct sales. Holographic avatars can attract customers’ attention and showcase products or services engagingly.
Conclusion
Holographic avatars are not just a fantasy anymore. They are becoming part of our reality. As technology evolves, so will our ways of interacting with each other through these digital representations. Holographic avatars may change how we communicate, learn, work, play, and express ourselves in the future.
