Heliodisplay

Working of Heliodisplay

The Heliodisplay transforms water into a unique screen of fine vapour, suspended in mid-air to create a nearly invisible screen into which any image can be projected. The display can create a true 3D hologram effect when the right content is used. Heliodisplay images are not holographic although they are free-space, employing a rear projection system in which images are captured onto a nearly invisible plane of transformed air.

Introduction

In late 2003, a small company from the San Francisco Bay Area demonstrated a unique revolutionary display technology. The (then) prototype device projected an image in thin air just above it, creating an illusion of a floating hologram, reminiscent of the famous scene from 'Star Wars' in which R2-D2 projects a hologram of Princess Leia.

Displaying an image using conventional projectors requires a non-transparent medium, typically screens, walls, or even water, but air, which is transparent, cannot be used. A more recent development is the FogScreen, which creates an image in midair by employing a large, non-turbulent airflow to protect the dry fog generated within from turbulence. The result is a thin, stable sheet of fog, sandwiched between two layers of air, on which an image can be projected and even walked through.

Volumetric displays

While head-worn displays attempt to create the appearance of virtual objects within some work space, volumetric dis¬plays actually create the 3D image of a surface within a volume. The surface can be viewed from arbitrary viewpoints with proper eye accommodation since each point of light has a real origin in 3D. Tracking of the viewer is not necessary.

Abstract

The Heliodisplay is a free-space display developed by IO2 technologies. A projector is focused onto a layer of mist in mid-air, resulting in a two-dimensional display that appears to float. This is similar in principle to the cinematic technique of rear projection. As dark areas of the image may appear invisible, the image may be more realistic than on a projection screen, although it is still not volumetric. Looking directly at the display, one would also be looking into the projector's light source.

Dual-sided projection

To accentuate the sensation that these virtual objects actually exist in the physical world, the dual-sided capabilities of the FogScreen are used to show both the front and back of the objects, so that viewing the scene from opposite sides will present a consistent perception.

Virtual Forest

Virtual Forest was modified to be used with the FogScreen to show how a first person style interfaces would feel, and to show off some advanced real-time rendering techniques on the novel display. A user can navigate the forest by using a tracked wireless joystick to control their velocity and direction. Different buttons also allow the user to look around and change the direction of the sunlight.

Applications

Proposed applications for the real-world Heliodisplay include:

• Advertising and Promotion, e.g.: trade shows; in-store displays; museum, movie and casino displays; theme parks.

Conclusion

Since 2003, IO2 Technology, the California-based company Dyner founded to commercialize his invention, began selling his device under the brand name Heliodisplay M2 for just under $20,000, out of reach of most consumers.