Today’s post is a guest post by Michelle Patterson. Michelle is a writer/editor living in the San Francisco area with expertise in video and online gaming. She and her boyfriend, Oscar, have three flat-screen TVs in their living room where they rule the MMOG world.
Imagine a world where Marilyn Monroe sings “Happy Birthday to You,” or you can watch Elvis perform atop the Colosseum. Picture one of Michael Bay and his beloved Transformers descending upon your dinner table, now that’s dinner and a show! The bridge between fantasy and reality is thickening, with many new technologies on the verge of crossing. At the forefront of this digital evolution forges holographic technology. While most are familiar with the famous Princess Leia hologram sequence in the original Star Wars, those fantastical images could quickly become a reality. The Apple Incorporation and production studios are racing to bring that fantasy to your fingertips, raising eyebrows and dropping jaws.
An Ethical Dilemma Arising?
The tech world is waiting with bated breath to see where this technology will take us. Tech nerds and hip-hop fans alike jumped with fascinated joy when Tupac Shakur was resurrected on stage at this year’s Coachella. Gasps shook the audience as the long-dead star rose into the limelight in holographic form. He danced, he rapped, and his sculpted abs rippled as only a resurrected icon’s could. Studios are scrambling to bring beloved celebrities back to life, sparking debates about the morality of utilizing posthumous holograms. Marilyn Monroe’s estate has already sued a digital hologram studio for planning on using her likeness, and Elvis Presley impersonators are collaborating with another to re-craft the King in all his former glory. Some think it’s a fantastic way to pay homage to beloved icons, while others feel it’s a disrespectful ruse driven solely by profit.
The Innovative iTitan
Now, Apple has been scurrying to slap a patent on a three-dimensional display system that would create a holographic effect without any equipment or glasses. Apple is renown for their ability to innovate and dominate the technological world. But Apple has taken a step back from the TV tech world the past few years, sitting, poised and ready to pounce on the ultimate game changing technology. The holographic patents work by recognizing human faces and eye movement, then beaming light from different angles to accommodate the visual field of each viewer. This could be the answer to the lagging sales in 3-D movies and television, as there is no need for awkward goggles and eye strain, and many of the re-imaging demands would be reduced.
Let the Coolness Factor Win
Unlike current image-popping 3-D technology, Apple’s new patents would bestow images upon us that are completely realistic. The theoretical holographic tablet being designed would be able to identify observers uniquely by their height, shoulder width, and other defining traits. The digital projectors would then have the ability to adjust different aspects depending on the viewer. In other words, this technology would be a dream come true for Michael Bay. It would allow you and the friends to run around the city alongside Michael Bay and the Ninja Turtles, fighting crime one katana at a time, except it could allow each one of you to play up close and personal with your favorite turtle; Donatello could theoretically join you at the dinner table for a delicious round of pizza. You could finally see what your living room looks like transformed into a sewer, without having to worry about clean up! This technology also promises much in the world of business transactions- letting colleagues meet in person from across the world- making Skype look like a Gutenberg press.
With this technology, Apple could help single handedly in a whole new era in virtual reality. While it might be wrought with lawsuits and hiccups, it seems like the wheels have already been set in motion.
@_@ Hell yeah!