I am quite sure that many of you out there who watched Star Wars for the first time back in 1977 (as well as the other two Star Wars movies after that) were suitably impressed by the kind of special effects that went into the creation of the movie. Well, while there were many sets of special effects done, one of them stood out in a very particular manner – that is, it boasted holographic chess characters going at each other’s throats. Fast forward to today, and we might soon be within reach of such special effects, thanks to efforts by companies such as Stanley Electric Co.
Using a micro-mirror, Stanley Electric as well as Japan’s National Institute of Information Communications Technology worked on the principle of the method. Their combined efforts have resulted in the ability to converge images from a couple of different reflectors (mirrors), doing so in mid-air in order to create the hologram effect. It is hoped that future gaming consoles will be able to take advantage of such a feature – what a future that would be, making 3D graphics feel pretty much like a dinosaur then. Other practical applications would be to see it function as a HUD (Head-Up Display) for vehicles.
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