- Image by sbisson via Flickr
For many people, their earliest memory of seeing a holographic image came during their first viewing of the first Star Wars movie that hit theaters. And while that was always a “gee whiz” technology that whet the senses with its potential, holographics haven’t come any closer to widespread use or availability than to be seen in more movies. At least that was the case until recently. Now, Light Blue Optics out of Cambridge, England has come up with something called Light Touch. And it does more than just flash an image somewhere for viewing. It’s interactive, making use of the fact that computer users of today are constantly in-putting and retrieving data.
This is the first wave of holographic laser projection technology, and it might just start the ball rolling so that holographics will become more widely available. Many consider holographics to be one of the Holy Grails of the computer world. Taking up virtually no space and usable just about anywhere, they signify the ultimate in efficiency. As for the Light Touch, it projects a reasonably high quality image, presently capable of WVGA resolution. For anyone who has become accustomed to high definition resolution, this will be a step back in quality. But that retreat will be overshadowed by the “wow” factor. And, just like every other technology that has ever existed, the quality will improve over time.
As for what is presently available, picture yourself on an airplane. Space is tight, but with a bit of clever maneuvering, you drop down the tray and place your Light Touch in the appropriate position. Suddenly, you’ve got a portable screen projected onto the space where your lunch was residing just a few minutes before. Further, it’s interactive, just as touch pads have taught you to expect and demand. Presently available in a 10-inch size, this marks a clear breakthrough into the future!
