The FlexiVol volumetric display does away with rigid diffusers in favor of elastic ones that can be touched and handled safely. (Image credit: Public University of Navarra)
Scientists from the Public University of Navarra (UPNA) have developed FlexiVol – a volumetric display that produces 3D objects that can be touched and manipulated while floating in mid-air. In a recent paper uploaded to the HAL open archive, the scientists detail how three-dimensional holograms could be grabbed and poked using elastic materials as a key component of their volumetric display.
“What we see in movies and call holograms are typically volumetric displays,” states Dr. Elodie Bouzbib, lead author of the paper. “They are graphics that appear in mid-air and can be viewed from various angles without having to wear virtual reality headsets: in the scientific community, they are called true-3D graphics. They are especially interesting because they allow for a ‘come-and-interact’ type of action, meaning the user simply approaches a device and can begin using it.”
Their achievement goes beyond existing volumetric displays from companies such as Voxon Photonics and Brightvox Inc., which use high-speed rotating LED arrays to produce 3D images. Being able to grab those 3D images has always been the work of science fiction, that is, until now.
The breakthrough is part of the InteVol project, led by UPNA and funded by the European Research Council (ERC). Traditional volumetric displays function by projecting images onto a fast-moving surface known as a diffuser, which oscillates at high speed, up to 2,880 images per second. Because of that speed, the human eye sees those images as 3D models that seemingly float in mid-air. Touching those models, however, can cause damage to the viewer’s hands, as those diffusers are rigid, acting like fan blades.
To get around those challenges, the scientists swapped those rigid sheets for elastic ones balanced between safety and visual clarity. However, even the elastic versions come with their own challenges, as elastic deforms at high speeds and thus requires image corrections. The scientists have yet to release the details of how they produced those elastic sheets; however they do offer some practical applications for their display, including use as an educational tool and in museums, where visitors can interact with displays.
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