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Researchers Create Life-sized 3D Hologram For Videoconferencing

Posted by timothy on from the perfect-for-the-basement dept.

yyzmcleod writes with this excerpt: "A research team at Queen's University has created a human-scale 3D hologram pod that allows people in different locations to videoconference as if they are standing in front of each other. Called TeleHuman, the technology is the creation of professor Roel Vertegaal, director of the Human Media Lab, and his graduate team at the Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario. Similar to the Star Trek holodeck, participants can walk around the 3D hologram of the remote person they're talking to and view them from all sides. More importantly, the system captures 3D visual cues that 2D video miss, such as head orientation, gaze and overall body posture."

13 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. cue up every stupid star wars reference available. by MickyTheIdiot · · Score: 5, Funny

    What is thy bidding, my master?

  2. not much of a hologram by jellomizer · · Score: 4, Insightful

    More of a circular display. Cool, but not yet practical.

    --
    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
    1. Re:not much of a hologram by Andrzej · · Score: 5, Informative

      Indeed. Here's the relevant research paper: http://www.hml.queensu.ca/files/TeleHuman%20CRC.pdf . Nothing to do with holography, just a cylindrical screen projecting an image from a standard stereoscopic projector.

    2. Re:not much of a hologram by nurb432 · · Score: 2

      Sort of like the term 'hacker' the term 'hologram' has been perverted by the ignorant. Most people wouldn't know a real hologram if it bit them in the ass.

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      ---- Booth was a patriot ----
    3. Re:not much of a hologram by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      To be fair, if it bites them in the ass, it's not a real hologram, it's obviously a telepresence bot.

  3. So does this mean.... by Nidi62 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    We can now teleconference with Tupac?

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    1. Re:So does this mean.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Tupac (a rapper of some notoriety who died in the most authentic way possible, ensuring he will be long remembered by those who glorify crime) was recently "revived" in "hologram" form for a concert with Snoop Dogg, another rapper, which is to say a computer-generated image (or possibly worked-over footage, it's not clear from publically available info) of him was projected on stage using a Pepper's Ghost rig, with a voice actor doing his talking and either a voice actor rapping or a recording (again, not clear which).

      So now people who are into rap and don't know what a hologram is (a (not)surprisingly large intersection, those two sets!) associate hologram with dead thugs, and would take GP's statement seriously. I assume/hope GP actually meant it as a joke, but you never know with rap fans.

  4. Re:cue up every stupid star wars reference availab by Nidi62 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Would hate to be the technician that has to clean the equipment every night though

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  5. Re:Solution looking for a problem by ColdWetDog · · Score: 2

    but one has to wonder what the best market for this kind of live 3D videoconferecing would be - perhaps getting feedback on your golf swing or dance steps by a remote coach?

    I'm thinking a different kind of dance step here.

    Hint: What social phenomena has tended to drive consumer electronics like VHS tapes, DVDs and the Internet?

    --
    Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
  6. I have a bad feeling about this. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's no hologram. It's a French pissoir!

  7. Re:Solution looking for a problem by Nidi62 · · Score: 2

    Hint: What social phenomena has tended to drive consumer electronics like VHS tapes, DVDs and the Internet?

    Piracy?

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  8. Should fit in an R2 unit by Subm · · Score: 2

    If it fits in an R2 unit it should be helpful. It could be our only hope. Or a new hope, at least.

    You have to make sure it doesn't skip too much. You might break your screwdriver getting it to play.

  9. Shenanigans! by jtownatpunk.net · · Score: 3, Funny

    That, sir, is no holodeck! Where am I supposed to put my penis?