Displaying vivid 3D objects without a screen may sound impossible, but that's the goal of holographic technology.
And now the magic has come to Asia, as a "creative talk" event held today in Beijing utilized the holographic technology to enable a talk between a person on stage and another at a different location.
The remote person was projected on the stage, and talked to the host like he was actually there.
In addition to talking remotely, the event also featured artistic shows for the 60 attendees, involving art, advertising and entertainment.
"Doing interactive creative talks using this kind of holographic technology is a first in Asia," said Rick Garson, founder of VX Entertainment, the company providing the hologram tech.
"We are going to bring new heights to assisting the creative industries," he added.
Behind the stage
Garson refused to reveal the secret behind the holograms, but allowed a CGTN reporter to see the backstage of the show.
Although the projected person claimed he was in London, he was actually standing in a green screen studio just meters from the stage.
An event staff member told CGTN this was just a local demonstration. But the same tech can be applied to remote locations across the globe.
Garson said he can project a person from China to the US without noticeable latency, so the projected person can have real-time interaction with people in the target location.
The CGTN reporter found that the device used to take the holographic video was a single lens reflex camera. So the projected content was a 2D video stream.
The staff said the real magic lies in the low-latency streaming tech.
Holograms in China
Compared to VR and AR, which are hot topics among investors worldwide, holograms may sound a bit "outdated" or "not so promising".
But many companies in China have dived into this premature business.
A Beijing-based company, named FUTURUS, has claimed they created "the world's only colorful media-free holographic display". But the company is still a start-up and doesn't have many products in-market yet.
Back in 2003, when Hong Kong's famous rock band Beyond celebrated its 10th birthday, band members used holographic technology to create a virtual projection of their deceased leader Wong Ka-kui.
A home-made "pyramid" holographic device was also a hit in China, when the Japanese virtual idol Hatsune Miku landed in Beijing for a holographic concert.
