As researchers developed the world’s first interactive hologram, science fiction became a reality, and users could touch, grab and manipulate these holograms with their exposed hands.
A team at the Public University of Spain (UPNA) has created a groundbreaking volume display system that allows people to reach out to interact with them naturally through floating 3D images – without special gloves or virtual reality headsets.
“What we see in movies and in holograms is usually volumetric displays,” said Dr. Elodie Bouzbib, the first author of the work. “These graphics appear in the air and can be viewed from various angles without wearing virtual reality glasses. They are called True-3D graphics.”
The innovation will be presented at the prestigious CHI 2025 conference in Yokohama next month, and it overcomes the basic limitations of existing volume displays – they are out of reach.
“Business prototypes of volumetric displays already exist, such as those from Voxon Photonics or Brightvox Inc., but none of them can interact directly with the hologram,” the team noted.
Lead researcher Asier Marzo explains what revolutionized their system: “The ability to insert our hands to grab and drag virtual objects.” He added: “We are used to interact directly with the phone, where we press a button or drag documents directly on the screen with our fingers – which is natural and intuitive for humans. The project allows us to use this natural interaction with 3D graphics to leverage the innate ability of 3D vision and manipulation.”
The technology works by projecting 2,880 images per second onto a fast oscillating paper called a diffuser. Due to the ongoing existence of vision – making the film frame look like continuous motion, these high-speed projections create the fantasy of a complete 3D object floating in the air.
The rigid diffusers used by previous volume displays may damage or cause damage upon contact. “The problem is that the diffuser is usually rigid, and if it comes into contact with our hands when it is oscillating, it can damage or cause damage.”
The UPNA team’s breakthrough came from replacing the rigid component with elastic materials after extensive testing of the best optical and mechanical properties. Bouzbib added that this seemingly simple change presents significant technical challenges because “elastic material deforms and requires image correction.”
Potential applications go far beyond entertainment. “Having three-dimensional graphics that can be manipulated directly has applications in education, such as visualization and assembly of various parts of the engine. In addition, multiple users can collaborate without the need for virtual reality headsets,” the research team explained.
Public spaces may particularly benefit from this technology. “These displays may be particularly useful in museums, for example, visitors can simply interact with content,” the team noted.
The study is part of the Intevol project led by Upna and is funded by the European Research Council (ERC), which supports the most prestigious research within the EU.
As screens continue to dominate our work, learning and entertainment activities, this technology is an important step towards a more natural and intuitive way of interacting with digital information, bringing us closer to the seamless integration of the digital and physical worlds that have long been formed in science fiction.
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