Is it because it's May the Fourth (be with you)?: Video shows off first 3D hologram communicator like the one in Star Wars



Six foot glass tubes contain 'holograms' for 3D teleconferencing

Like 3D communicator in Star Wars

Created using 3D cameras, 3D projectors and convex mirrors

'Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope,' says Princess Leia via a 3D hologram in Star Wars - and that technology has come a step closer to reality today.



A human-sized 3D video-conferencing pod h as been unveiled on May 4th - known as 'Star Wars Day' because of its similarity to the phrase 'May the force be with you.'

'Why Skype when you can talk to a life-size 3D holographic image of another person? says professor Roel Vertegaal.



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The 'telehuman' pod creates a convincing 3D 'human' inside the glass tube, using a 3D projector and a specially shaped pane of glass

'Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope,' says Princess Leia via a 3D hologram in Star Wars - and that technology has come a step closer to reality today

The technology Dr. Vertegaal and researchers at the Queen's Human Media Lab have developed is called TeleHuman - and while it's bulky, it works.



All you need is a six-foot tall glass tube with a convex mirror inside, and a 3D projector.



Two people simply stand in front of their own life-size cylindrical pods and talks to a 3D hologram-like images of each other.



Cameras capture and track 3D video and convert it into the life-size image - although for the full effect you need several 3D cameras to capture both back and front of each sspeaker.

Since the 3D video image is visible 360 degrees around the Pod, the person can walk around it to see the other person's side or back.



While the technology may seem like it comes from a galaxy far, far away, it's not as complicated as most would think. Dr. Vertegaal and his team used mostly existing hardware – including a 3D projector, a 6-foot tall translucent acrylic cylinder and a convex mirror.

How the 'telehuman' creates a convincing 'hologram', using a 3D projector onto a specially shaped pane of glass



The researchers used the same Pod to create another application called BodiPod, which presents an interactive 3D anatomy model of the human body.



The model can be explored 360 degrees around the model through gestures and speech interactions.

