True 3D display doesn’t need a screen to display images

Could the idea of Star Wars style 3D holographic messages beamed out from R2D2 turn into a reality? Well, this new True 3D technology from Japan seems to suggest that it can. Based on a technology developed by AIST and Keio University back in 2006, this new projection system can be used to show pictures without the use of a screen.

The system works by focusing laser light to produce plasma excitation from the oxygen and nitrogen in the air, which allows it to display images mid-air. Since the images are in mid-air, it is also possible to create 3D objects that can be viewed as though they were real, floating 3D objects.

At the moment the system creates about 50,000 dots per second, and has a frame rate of 10-15 FPS but researchers are working to bring it up to 24-30 FPS. At the moment, images are only monochromatic (green) but colored images can be created with the use of additional red and blue lasers. Check out the video demonstration:

George Wong
Categories: Concepts
Tags: Japan