What is Holographic Technology

So, what is a hologram? Simply put, holograms are three-dimensional images generated by interfering beams of light that reflect real, physical objects. Unlike conventional 3D projections, holograms can be seen with the naked eye. There are two ways to create holograms: via computer - with augmented reality glasses, and physical - for optical displays.

Holography or hologram technology is the next stage of photographic technique that records the light scattered from an object, and then projects it as a three-dimensional (3D) object that can be seen without any special equipment. Various kinds of holograms have evolved starting from transmission holograms, rainbow holograms to the recent 3D holograms. The interesting fact about 3D holograms is that it allows seemingly real objects or animations to appear to float in mid-air or stand on a nearby surface. Moreover, it is visible from all sides which means a user can walk around the display, enabling the realistic-looking image to form. (Workman 2013)

The technology behind holograms

While holograms might sound very technologically advanced and beyond the reach of normal users, in reality the process involved with creating holograms is not overly complex.

1: You make a hologram by reflecting a laser beam off the object you want to capture.

2: Split the laser beam into two separate halves by shining it through a half-mirror (a piece of glass coated with a thin layer of silver so half the laser light is reflected and half passes through—sometimes called a semi-silvered mirror).

3: One half of the beam bounces off a mirror, hits the object, and reflects onto the photographic plate inside which the hologram will be created.

4: This is called the object beam. The other half of the beam bounces off another mirror and hits the same photographic plate. This is called the reference beam. A hologram forms where the two beams meet up in the plate. (Woodford 2022)

How do Holograms work?

Every point in a hologram catches light waves that travel from every point in the object. That means wherever you look at a hologram you see exactly how light would have arrived at that point if you'd been looking at the real object. As you move your head around, the holographic image appears to change just as the image of a real object changes. That's why holograms appear to be three-dimensional.

We can think of holography is a photographic technique that records the light scattered from objects and creates a 3D recreation of them using a laser. The laser beam separates into two parts: a reference beam and an object beam. The reference beam is directed to the recording medium, whereas the object beam is directed at and reflected off the object onto the recording medium. For a hologram to be created, these two beams need to coordinate while in motion.

Holographic images preserve the depth and parallax, among ‌other properties, of the original object. This is effective in conveying complex technical concepts that are otherwise difficult to understand. Holograms can be both single-frame images or multiple projections in an animated sequence. (Pandey 2022)