Holus is a holographic product that is produced and distributed by H+Technology. The concept was first developed in 2013, before funding via Kickstarter meant the product could be taken to market. The product uses a similar technology that saw both Michael Jackson and Tupac Shakur perform as holograms. The purpose of Holus is to simulate holographic experiences and is technically different from typical hologram stickers found on credit cards and currency notes.
Contents
The Holus product differs from other hologram technologies, as it is a tabletop glass box that can be used in the home and is pitched by H+ Technology as an affordable device. It has been likened to the glass box used by R2-D2 in the Star Wars films.
The product received positive media coverage from media houses such as the BBC and TechCrunch following its Kickstarter campaign.
Initial design
Holus began as an innovative design idea, developed in late 2013 by a team in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It was stated at the time of the Kickstarter campaign that the design of Holus was aimed at making isolated content easy to share in a group of people. An information medium device was then planned, without the need for any glasses or wearables. It was quoted as an aim to bring "social campfire experiences" into a physical environment while also experiencing digital content.
During an 18-month period, the product was adapted and changed in order to ensure it was affordable, the correct size and weight and also energy efficient. Steps were also taken to ensure that it adapted to current technologies. Eco friendly materials and features were also added, such as an Ambient_light sensor, which means the display source is based on ambient light.
Shortly before H+ Tech began looking for funding for the device, Holus won a number of awards for its design. This included he Vancouver User Experience Award in the non-profit category for partnering up with Ronald McDonald House to build Magic Room and the Peoples Choice Award to achieve excellence in joy, elegance, and creativity.
Its first major coverage came from a review by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in early 2015. At the time, the technology was demonstrated to bring animals to life within the 3D glass box. The product was referred to in the review as roughly the "size of a microwave". The concept went on to win two awards at the NextBC awards in Canada in early 2015.
Product launch
In order to build mass versions of the product, a Kickstarter campaign was launched in order to take the idea to market. It used a similar technology to the optical illusion known as Pepper's ghost. This drew criticism from some during its Kickstarter campaign. It launched its Kickstarter campaign in June 2015 and generated twice its target of $40,000 within the first 48 hours.
The technology is similar to the technology used to display the music artists Tupac Shakur and Michael Jackson. Since then the technology has advanced, with a number of startups entering the market. One of these was H+ Technology, who first began working on the technology in early 2013. The aim of the product at the time has remained the same until today, to produce 3D technology that can be used in the home on a tabletop.
Other reviews likened it to the technology used in the Star Wars films when the character R2-D2 projected a hologram call on a small platform.
Features
Unlike many 3D type projectors Holus doesn't simply project the image into a 3D model. The focus of Holus' strategy and technology is to turn 2D images and digital content into presentable 3D images. It does this using a tabletop glass box and has additional features that allow the user to interact with the 3D image.
Additionally, it comes with unique features such as relative position tracking and dynamic stitching. These are software algorithms that provide a seamless 360-degree viewing experience. The position tracking algorithm is also used to perform dynamic perspective correction. Which means, a correct perspective of given digital content is rendered based on user position.
Moreover, all these features and algorithms are provided as a part of SDKs to allow developers to build their own holographic experiences.
The main advertised features of the device are to allow its users to play video games and also bring normally still work to life, such as homework or reports. The technology also allows 2D video calls to be turned into 3D, allowing the user to see "mini-me" versions of the person they are video calling. Users are able to control the images displayed on the device using their smartphones, via WiFi or bluetooth.
Holus is available in two versions, Pro and Home. The home version is from a technical perspective very similar to the pro, however the pro is larger and comes with an SDK license. The PRO version of Holus also comes with an additional HDMI port apart from MHL and Lightning cable, which allows developers and designers to connect their computing devices such as laptops, desktops, Xbox or PlayStation; whereas, Home version comes with built in MHL cable supporting Android devices and Lighting Cable supporting iOS devices.
Technical
The 3D glass box has a coated Plexiglas prism inside it, which is where the projected images appear. This then allows you to see virtual characters (such as people or animals) from different viewpoints. Four images are then beamed onto the prism, to create an object on the walls of the prism to form a single image.
The positions of users are tracked when the user smartphone is paired with Holus using either WiFi or Bluetooth. These algorithms digitally generate views for 360-degree viewing angles to provide a smoother experience when a user moves from one position to another around Holus.
During early 2015, the technology was demonstrated at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. It allowed viewers of the product to play a 3D dice game. The Pro version of the device comes with an SDK license, which allows 3rd party apps to be developed. The device also supports game engines such as Unity and Unreal.
Research and development
Due to the technology being in its infancy, the media has covered the R&D of the product and its potential. Spatial light modulators have been mentioned as one potential development on future versions of Holus. The University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University have both assisted with the research work of such displays.