Heliodisplays

[nightwheel]

Sound like somthing out of a Sci-Fi movie. But it's actualy real. A company called IO2 Technology released such a device. The device displays images and videos in mid-air. Imagine playing Gears of War or surfing the ben heck forum on the thing. The only catch is you have to have $23,000 to be able to buy one. IO2 Technology site: http://www.io2technology.com/

Pics of it in action:

[Ecksem Diem]

:: looks at image of Earth floating in mid-air, can't help but think of Death Star ::

Awesome. Awesome to the max. But how's the resolution on that thing? Is it fully operational?

[nightwheel]

:: looks at image of Earth floating in mid-air, can't help but think of Death Star ::

Awesome. Awesome to the max. But how's the resolution on that thing? Is it fully operational?

720p HD compatible or all SVGA or higher resolution. And it fully operational. But if your were to get one. I would sugest that you get the M30i model. But you would have to have $23,000 to get it. More about it here: http://www.io2technology.com/salesinquiry . They have a video of it in action you can download if ya want at the bottom of this page: http://www.io2technology.com/technology/images.htm .

[teraflop122]

So...instead of getting a bright, beautiful flat image on a $3000 plasma screen, you get a blurry, flat image on a $23000 machine...

-or did no one else figure out that it isn't 3D? It isn't a "hologram" as we know it. This is a flat image projected on a "surface" of turbulant air or mist emitted by the slit you see underneath (looks kinda like an old, thin speaker). You end up with a blurry image, distorted by the slightest movement of air. Did I mention you can't look directly into it? If you try to view it head-on, you will either A) look into the projection light source, or B) block it with your head.

I think I'll pass.

[Sir Games-A-Lot]

So...instead of getting a bright, beautiful flat image on a $3000 plasma screen, you get a blurry, flat image on a $23000 machine...

-or did no one else figure out that it isn't 3D? It isn't a "hologram" as we know it. This is a flat image projected on a "surface" of turbulant air or mist emitted by the slit you see underneath (looks kinda like an old, thin speaker). You end up with a blurry image, distorted by the slightest movement of air. Did I mention you can't look directly into it? If you try to view it head-on, you will either A) look into the projection light source, or B) block it with your head.

I think I'll pass.

But, it is exciting where this technology might go now that it's been realized, think about laptops with no more floppy, fragile LCDs, super compact handhelds, and any other application where portability is currently impaired by screen sizes.

[theelk]

So...instead of getting a bright, beautiful flat image on a $3000 plasma screen, you get a blurry, flat image on a $23000 machine...

-or did no one else figure out that it isn't 3D? It isn't a "hologram" as we know it. This is a flat image projected on a "surface" of turbulant air or mist emitted by the slit you see underneath (looks kinda like an old, thin speaker). You end up with a blurry image, distorted by the slightest movement of air. Did I mention you can't look directly into it? If you try to view it head-on, you will either A) look into the projection light source, or B) block it with your head.

I think I'll pass.

Looks like it's out of a movie though, right? Put one of these on my kitchen table, and I wouldn't mind watching the news on it. I think they hold great promise for the future.

[Charlie]

$23,000

Even though that's way out of my range, considering what this is it sort of seems cheap.

Sort of.

[teraflop122]

Sort of.

Its a mist-er with a projector behind it.

This does rank high on the useless-cool-stuff meter, though, and I agree that it could lead to more useful technologies. This is at least one solution to the "what are holograms projected on" question.

There has always been a question as to how we make directional light like a laser suddenly radiate in all direction once it reaches the location of the "pixel" in free space, without having the laser intercept a solid surface of some kind.

One idea was to shine two lasers through a gas contained in a large glass chamber. The energy of the lasers at the point of intersection was high enough to make the gas glow, forming a dot. However you needed a big clear chamber to hold the gas, and the technology never got far past a couple dozen red pixels forming the outline of a crude 3D shape. Then again, a gust of air couldn't disturb the image.

[Kyo]

Best. Thing. EVER.

Seriously, I want one.

[DK]

You could bodge one together from a projector and a smoke machine.

[Bibin]

I'm going to get a smoke machine now, and use my homebuilt (low-res) projector.