Heliodisplay In Production

David writes "News of a 3D display that projects an interactive image into thin air, the Heliodisplay, is not exactly fresh. What is new however, is that this once far-fetched conceptual object is now real, working and being sold. For those of you who have forgotten, the Heliodisplay from company IO2Tech projects into the air (without a need for special screen) images fed to it from a variety of sources. In a way, it's a working version of R2D2s holographic projection system." A similar product, the Pocket Beamer was previously covered on Slashdot.

Comments

R2 the pimp

[bigwavejas]

"In a way, it's a working version of R2D2s holographic projection system.

The only difference is R2 didn't have a 22" Free-space multimedia display/projector protruding from his chest.

...but if it shot out from his groin, that'd damn sure impress C3PO.

The pocket beamer?

[lpangelrob]

Is that you, or are you just projecting yourself to be happy to see me?

Damn that was quick.

[MrCopilot]

Karma, its not just for whoring anymore.

http://mirrordot.org/stories/0e4768d9cefb72835cc26 04c911d6919/index.html

Nifty Display though. Cost anyone?

What's this going to do?

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm not interested until I can have sex with it

Re:Slashdot Effect in 3D!

[ShadeARG]

I wonder if there is a mod_slashdot around that will serve a 503 if it detects a few Slashdot referrers in a short period of time. That would be a smart way to save bandwidth. It would be nicer if it would automatically coral cache itself and then serve a redirect though.

I hope Six Flags...

[Blitzenn]

I hope places like Six Flags latch onto this stuff. (I did get to see it before the site went down). The projected image looks much more solid than I would have guessed it would be. That's good news. Maybe now Rollercoasters and such can have a whole new level of fear and excitement added to them. Imagine hurtling down that drop at 120mph, right toward what appears to be a solid wall, no coaster tracks veering off to one side to ease your mind. Or perhaps a person standing in front of your car as you careen toward it. Maybe (holographic) people flying out of the car ahead of you as you careen around a bend. Such cool and nasty fearful things we could do to scare the pants of people now.

Patent Application

[Anm]

Here is the related patent application:
    http://appft1.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=P TO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PG01&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2F srchnum.html&r=1&f=G&l=1&s1='20040001182'.PGNR.&OS =DN/20040001182&RS=DN/20040001182

As I understand it, it condenses moisture in the surrounding air, and atomizes it into a tightly controlled 3D screen for lasers to project onto. Sounds like a next generation fog screen, plus interactivity.

Still wish I could see the video. And if they were this close to launch, and already patented, why wasn't it at SIGGraph?

Anm

Not 3D, 2D

[saddino]

In a way, it's a working version of R2D2s holographic projection system.

This is simply 2D projection onto a moving air stream, so "in a way" it's nothing like a hologrpahic projection system.

From their site: Although the HelioDisplay uses lasers, the images are not holographic

It is pretty nifty though.

Re:Practicality

[bcattwoo]

Having been about the radiology dept of the local hospital and having a few visits to the "turn your head and cough" clinic, thanks to a broken clavicle, I can think of a pretty good use.

Hmmm.. If they are making you "turn your head and cough" for a broken clavicle, you may want to go to another clinic!

Never mind...

[jpellino]

I'd asked how it was going to make an image with nothing to reflect off of - and it doesn't.
It's a fog screen - a really neat one that concentrates condensate out of the ambient air, but a fog screen nontheless. No pot of water, no Disney lagoon.
According to the patent, it relies on cold air condensate blown up in a laminar layer.
Good thing - had it relied on blowing *hot* air, they'd have been denied due to prior art from SCO.