Videoconferencing is common place, and with cell phones we have been using it for years. However it’s limited to 2D. What if we could have 3D conferencing instead? Researchers from the University of Arizona aim to bring 3D conferencing in holographic form in only a few years. The team led by Professor Nasser Peyghambarian of UA’s photonics and lasers lab, have developed this new holographic technology using a screen made from a novel photorefractive material that is capable of a 2 second refresh rate. This makes it the first holographic real time imaging system. The prototype uses a 10 inch screen and cameras at different angles to capture an image which is then encoded onto a pulsed laser beam. That beam is then conjoined with another laser as a reference point. After this process the laser is then written into the photorefractive polymer. Each laser pulse records a holopixel, which is a 3D version of a regular pixel. When the process is complete you transmit the image to another laser system using the same 10 inch screen. The result is a near real-time holographic 3D image. This system would be of enormous importance to doctors all over the world who could observe surgery in real time and at different angles. And perhaps it would benefit on-line dating services as well, as you could really get an in-depth view of the person you’re about to meet.
Eavesdropper