What is a Hologram?
A hologram technology is where a real world object or a series of objects (a video) is represented in a 3D space with the help of 3D light fields. In other words, think of a normal projector. With it, we show an enhanced 2D image or a video on a screen using lights. This is a lot like that but instead in here, the output is 3D.
Hologram technology was shown in lots of movies especially in sci-fi. If you are a marvel cinematic universe fan then you have seen a lot of holograms especially in Iron Man movies. Also if you have watched Spiderman Far from Home (2019) then you realize that the villain in that movie (Mysterio) uses highly advanced hologram technology to create holograms of monsters and were managed to fool everyone with it.
How to create a Hologram?
There are lots of ways to create holograms. There are advanced ways to do that but luckily, you can create an awesome hologram at home. There are videos on how to make a hologram at home on YouTube. All you need are a couple of small transparent plastic pieces and a smart phone or a tab. First you have to make a little pyramid using four transparent plastic pieces and then you can play a 3D hologram video on your smartphone after putting the plastic pyramid on your phone screen and it will give you magnificent holograms.
Early stages of Hologram Technology
Dennis Gabor from Hungarian was the one who invented the hologram technology in 1948. But he didn’t manage to practically do it. He theoretically explained this phenomenon and how it could be achieved. He is considered the father of hologram. Then in 1960, Theodore H. Maiman made a device that amplifies light with radiation and this became a powerful source for holograms. But the idea of a hologram was first introduced by Jules Verne back in the 1893.
Types of Holograms
Different people categorize holograms into different types. But basically, it can be categorized into 3 types. Those are reflection holograms, transmission holograms and hybrid holograms (which is not a combination of the previous two types).
Reflection Holograms
These kind of holograms are the once that are most common in galleries. In this, a true three dimensional image is shown near the true image’s surface. The hologram is generated by a spot white light held in a specific angle and a distance on the viewer’s side of the hologram. This process is kind of similar to a process of a projector. These kinds of holograms have multiple colors also.
Transmission Holograms
This method is cost effective if mass produced. These kind of holograms are typically viewed with laser lights. These lasers are directed from behind the hologram and the image is transmitted to the observer’s side. In this type of hologram, the virtual image can be very clear and perfect.
Hybrid Holograms
There’s no real object in this kind of holograms. The interface is computerized and is generated by computer algorithms. Nowadays, the mathematics of the hologram process is well understood. So basically, there are 3 essentials for a hologram. They are the light source, the hologram and the image. If two of them are predetermined, then we can compute the third one. So we can calculate the perfect angle and the light density for the perfect hologram for the perfect source.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Hologram
Text- There are a lot of advantages we can have with hologram technology. Basically it’s very cost effective and has a very high storage capacity. Also we can combine it with other modern technologies with ease. Also the viability of objects (depth) are increased way more than before so we can make proper holograms than before.
But there are also disadvantages too. When a hologram is presented, if the system gets interfered at least a bit, then the whole process can get destroyed. Also since hologram devices are huge (proper hologram devices not smart phone generated ones) there will always be packaging and alignment issues throughout the process. Also, for a hologram to be sharp and deep, the room must be darker. So it will be practically very hard to create a proper hologram in a bright room.
Future of Hologram Technology
Hologram technology has a very bright future. Since this can be combined with multiple other technologies, hologram technology has the potential to grow exponentially. This can be used to create improved training sessions, designing and 3D visualizations for business cultures.
Also holograms can be used in military for proper mapping and planning. Also this can be used for ultra-realistic military training sessions. Also it doesn’t take a lot of capacity to store holographic information. Since the technology is rapidly improving and storage technology is also at a peak, we can store holographic information without any issue.
Not only that, this technology can be used for medical purposes. This can be used to represent patient’s data on a very realistic platform so the doctors and medical students would be able to understand them with ease. For MRI scans and ultra sound scans, this methodology can be implemented to get very detailed results.
Also for security reasons, hologram can be a huge advantage. This can be implemented to credit cards (your credit card will have a unique hologram). This hologram would be very hard to forge (nearly impossible) so a fraud would never occur. This security measure is already implemented for the new 5 pound bill in the UK. There is a big ben and it changes colors when you tilt the note.
Art is another field that experiments a lot with holography technology. Modern artists try to create futuristic art through hologram technology. These are not the only applications that holograms can be associated. There’s so much more. And with our modern technology is improving by the second, holography technology will also advance.
