Are Holograms Set to Become the Next Big Trend?

We’ve seen a lot of news stories lately about emerging technology such as the metaverse, where we’re submerged in a virtual universe. However, another way to approach the blending of our physical and digital lives is achieved through the use of holograms, so how could this work in some of the key industries where it could make a huge difference?

The Potential for Holograms in the Entertainment Industry

One of the most obvious possible uses for this type of technology is in the entertainment business, where augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) have already been tried in a variety of ways. From board games where the virtual pieces and characters come alive to live performances from artists who aren’t currently on the stage, this is a great type of technology for making many kinds of entertainment more immersive and enjoyable.

It’s relatively easy to imagine how holographic technology could be used in other ways in the future. At the moment, online casinos are an example of an industry that’s becoming ever more immersive. With varied themes, slick graphics, and sound effects, each of these games takes you into a unique setting. Currently, you can play some online slot games by choosing a theme and looking at the established classics or new releases, but in the future, this choice could extend to presentation styles such as those with VR or AR.

What about watching movies and TV shows that are projected into our lives like those famous scenes from Star Wars? We could also view our favourite sports in this way and feel that we’ve been transported into the stadium or arena and can move around to watch from different angles. This would allow us to watch anything and immediately feel that we’re immersed in the action, or switch back to conventional viewing when it suits us.

Making Driving Safer

One of the more unexpected ideas for hologram images has recently been revealed by an automotive tech company called Envisics. They recently completed their Series C funding round, which followed on from an initial funding round earlier this year. This company has been working on holographic technology which is used in Augmented Reality Head-Up Displays in cars. This market is expected to grow at an impressive rate in the next few years, with a rise from 1.6 million units sold in 2022 to over 19 million by 2032 among the predictions.

This works by letting drivers see a selection of important information in front of them. With the emphasis on a clear, uncluttered display, information including distances, speeds and potential dangers ahead can all be shown in the form of holograms in front of the driver, while enhancing the view regardless of the weather conditions.

BMW, Mazda and Jaguar are among the car companies spending huge amounts of money on finding their own ways of adding AR to the driving experience. This generally falls into several categories, including safety, terrain mapping and parking assistance. The possibility of marketing being included in the in-car holographic display could prove lucrative but needs to be integrated carefully to avoid potential distractions.

Mercedes-Benz took a different approach, creating a holographic prism on the streets of Berlin to raise awareness of blind spots. Described as the world’s first digital outdoor prism, this display told a 360-degree story that showed passersby how the Active Blind Spot Assist included on their E-Class vehicles could help avoid dangerous moments.

A New Way of Working and Carrying Out Meetings

The move towards working from home or from remote locations has changed how we think about carrying out our meetings and interacting with our colleagues. Many people now rarely see their colleagues in real-life settings, which has led to an explosion in the use of virtual conferencing technology like Zoom and Skype. However, these tools still don’t fully replicate the experience of being in the same room as everyone else.

The Webex Hologram tool by Cisco is one of the earliest examples of how hologram technology can be used in meetings, with users able to pass objects back and forward. By using a special headset, the participants can feel that they’re truly interacting in the same room, while an augmented reality display gives the chance to share figures, updates and important documents.

Could this become a new way of working together, collaborating on projects and running training sessions? At the moment, it provides interesting potential for more realistic meetings but hasn’t yet been adopted on a widespread basis. With a great deal of debate over the question of whether home workers should return to the office or not, this could provide a potential solution to keep everyone happy.

To Raise Awareness of Global Issues

Holograms could also provide a clever way of letting us see some of the most pressing global issues in a more immersive way wherever we are, helping us to feel an immediate connection with matters that could otherwise feel rather distant. Some examples of how this can work have already been tried with diverse subjects.

Twycross Zoo in the UK has created a holographic display designed to bring to life some of the animals that are currently classed as being in danger of extinction. Richard Sands is the conservation education manager at the zoo and he said that the world is currently in the “midst of a mass extinction crisis” that sees many species of animals and plants at risk of disappearing. Their holograms are based on Javan rhinos and African elephants, which are two of the animals most at risk just now.

In 2018, the WWF used similar technology to send a holographic elephant running through the streets of London, as an attention-grabbing way of raising awareness on the subject of animal trafficking and the effects of the trade in ivory products.

These are just a few of the potential uses for holograms that could appear in our lives in the next few years. As with any type of emerging technology, there could also be some surprising new uses that haven’t yet been mentioned and that change the way we carry out different aspects of our lives.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes.