A hologram that you can hear and feel
Posted: Mon Feb 03, 2025 4:12 am
Scientists are developing a device that can create futuristic holograms using ultrasonic waves.
Researchers are one step closer to holographic 3D projections that not only look and sound good, but are also capable of physical interaction. Thanks to them, the difference between the real and virtual worlds will become even less noticeable. Because virtual reality is already actively used for entertainment and education.
Scientists from Sasak University have created a device that can create 3D objects that can interact with their surroundings. It's not some incredible gadget that brings "living" holograms like the ones you might see in Star Wars to life, but it's a first step in that direction.
The device uses a 3D field of ultrasonic waves that holds a 2 mm uruguay number data foam ball in the air. This ball moves at a speed of about 32 km/h, due to which every tenth second it describes the contour of the selected object. The demo version of the device can create simple animations - for example, an image of a butterfly flapping its wings, or the globe. The researchers' task is to make the animation not only visible, but also touchable.
A team of scientists from Sussex have been trying to move objects using sound waves since 2015. The hardest part is getting the ball to move fast enough for its motion to merge into a single image. The researchers succeeded - at speeds of 32 km/h, our brain stops noticing the ball's movement and perceives the full image.
The movement is highlighted in different colors thanks to the LEDs built into the device, whose light is reflected on the ball in flight. The resulting 3D images can be viewed from any angle. Animations can make sounds - they are also helped by supersonic waves. The vibration of the ball can be adjusted so that sound waves are emitted that can be distinguished by the human ear.
The pressure applied to the ball to control it can be used to create tactile sensations. So far, the device can only create primitive images. But if the researchers use more balls that move even faster, they may be able to create more complex and interactive 3D objects.
The current software keeps the tiny balls from colliding with each other in flight, but it can't yet illuminate multiple balls at once. However, the invention has huge potential for future displays where you can interact with digital images.
Researchers are one step closer to holographic 3D projections that not only look and sound good, but are also capable of physical interaction. Thanks to them, the difference between the real and virtual worlds will become even less noticeable. Because virtual reality is already actively used for entertainment and education.
Scientists from Sasak University have created a device that can create 3D objects that can interact with their surroundings. It's not some incredible gadget that brings "living" holograms like the ones you might see in Star Wars to life, but it's a first step in that direction.
The device uses a 3D field of ultrasonic waves that holds a 2 mm uruguay number data foam ball in the air. This ball moves at a speed of about 32 km/h, due to which every tenth second it describes the contour of the selected object. The demo version of the device can create simple animations - for example, an image of a butterfly flapping its wings, or the globe. The researchers' task is to make the animation not only visible, but also touchable.
A team of scientists from Sussex have been trying to move objects using sound waves since 2015. The hardest part is getting the ball to move fast enough for its motion to merge into a single image. The researchers succeeded - at speeds of 32 km/h, our brain stops noticing the ball's movement and perceives the full image.
The movement is highlighted in different colors thanks to the LEDs built into the device, whose light is reflected on the ball in flight. The resulting 3D images can be viewed from any angle. Animations can make sounds - they are also helped by supersonic waves. The vibration of the ball can be adjusted so that sound waves are emitted that can be distinguished by the human ear.
The pressure applied to the ball to control it can be used to create tactile sensations. So far, the device can only create primitive images. But if the researchers use more balls that move even faster, they may be able to create more complex and interactive 3D objects.
The current software keeps the tiny balls from colliding with each other in flight, but it can't yet illuminate multiple balls at once. However, the invention has huge potential for future displays where you can interact with digital images.