Holographic Computer Generated Images Robert L Baker Auburn University Department of Computer Science & Software Engineering rlb0003@auburn.edu ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION The advancement of Computer Aided Design (CAD) technology over the past few years has revolutionized the drafting and engineering design fields However, CAD technology is still limited to 2-D computer screens Holographic Computer Generated Images (HCGI) represents the next major evolution of CAD – transforming computer images into real size or scaled modeled 3-D bodies emanating into open space But, where is this technology today? This paper examines some fundamental concepts of HGCI and attempts to answer the question Holographic images are in the words of Mr Spock “fascinating” These ghost-like images captivate our imagination The general concept of a holographic image is illustrated in Figure An image has been transformed into a 3-D model that emanates into space Author Keywords Projection, image, 2-D, 3-D ACM Classification Keywords H.5.2 User Interface, Prototyping There are a myriad of possible uses for holographic imaging – engineering design, medical, and education just to name a few This paper tends to focus more on the CAD aspect as it relates to engineering design Holographic History The holographic concept is older than expected British scientist Dennis Gabor first devised the theory in 1947 He was working on a project to improve the existing electron microscope [1] Dr Gabor later received the Nobel Prize for physics in 1971 for his work However, it was until the advent of laser technology in 1960 that made holographic imaging practical Russian physicist Yuri Denisyuk produced the first reflection hologram in 1962 [2] Emmett Leith and Juris Upatnieks of the University of Michigan conducted research based on Gabor’s work They developed the first laser transmission hologram of a 3-D object in 1964 [3] Permission to make digital or hard copies of all or part of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear this notice and the full citation on the first page To copy otherwise, or republish, to post on servers or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee CHI 2009, April 4–9, 2009, Boston, Massachusetts, USA Copyright 2009 ACM 978-1-60558-246-7/09/04 $5.00 Central character from Gene Roddenberry’s 1960s television series “Star Trek” Figure Holographic Image Stephen Benton of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was mesmerized by his first glimpse of a hologram in 1964 He went on to invent rainbow holography in 1968 This process allowed a hologram to be viewed by common white light [4] [5] A gradual shift began occurring in the 1970s Holography started moving from the science labs into the art and media fields Victor Koman and colleagues of the All-Union Cinema and Photographic Research Institute U.S.S.R., developed a prototype for a projected holographic movie in 1976 [5] National Geographic Magazine used holographic images on their publications in the 1980s [5] Figure is a representative example Figure Example Holographic Image on National Geographic Cover CAD History Ivan Sutherland of MIT2 as part of a doctoral thesis developed the first CAD software, Sketchpad, in 1963 [6] Large aerospace and automotive companies, given the nature of computing resources in this era, were the early users of CAD applications Personal computers first debuted in the early 1980s CAD applications began a slow migration from the main frame to the PC Autodesk was founded in 1982 and demonstrated the first PC based CAD package, AutoCAD Release 1, in November of that year [6] PC hardware (both UNIX and Intel based) has made exponential strides since the 1980s CAD packages have followed suite Figure is a representative example of a CAD image used in the automotive industry to evaluate crashes Massachusetts Institute of Technology angle The image seen by the observer is the result of the light reflected by the hologram Color has recently been added to this concept To the human eye, the observed image is an exact copy of the original object [8] Transmission These holograms differ from the reflection in that laser light (typically the same wavelength use to make the image) is required for viewing The light source is projected from behind the hologram The image is seen on the observer’s side [8] Hybrid Holograms There is a group type between reflection and transmission referred to as hybrids Embossed Figure CAD Image Example FUNDAMENTALS OF HOLOGRAPHIC PHYSICS Generation of a holographic image requires a coherent light source – one in which the waves are in phase and of a single wavelength [7] The laser is an example The lack of a coherent light source was one of the major obstacles that Dr Gabor faced A point source of light (reference beam) encounters the light beam arriving from an object (object beam) The two light sources are of the same fixed wavelength An interference pattern results Recording the interference pattern in either a 2-D or 3-D medium produces a hologram [8] Figure illustrates the concept Holograms of this nature are typically produced in very high volume at low costs Credit card applications are an example A photosensitive material called photoresist is imprinted with the original hologram Once developed, the material contains a series of grooves on its surface Layers of nickel are then deposited and subsequently peeled off producing a metallic shim More shims can be duplicated from the first one The shim is then pressed onto Mylar like material under high heat and pressure [8] Integral The holograms are produced from a series of photographs Many discrete views are recorded because the original object is scanned with a camera Each view is displayed on a LCD screen that is illuminated with laser light The laser acts as an object beam to record the image onto the recording media The next view is processed and recorded onto adjacent media The process continues until all views are captured In the final product, the eyes see different images from the recordings The result is a stereoscopic image Interferometry Interferometry provides a means to measure microscopic changes on an object by recording two images on the changing object The images produce an interference pattern that contains the vector displacement representing the changes [8] Figure Representative Holographic Image Generation [8] Categories of Holograms There are two fundamental categories of holograms – reflection and transmission Reflection This type of hologram is true 3-D These holograms are common in art galleries A spot of white incandescent light illuminates the hologram The light is located on the viewer’s side of the hologram at a known distance and Multichannel Changing the viewing angle of the light on a hologram produces different scenes There is considerable potential in this concept for computer memories [8] Computer Generaged Mathematical theory relating to holograms is well understood Holography basically requires a light source, a hologram, and the image The third element can be calculated if any two are known [8] Commercial Kits Holographic technology has become available and relatively inexpensive to the general pubic There are scientific supply houses that provide complete kits and instructions [9] Other Wave Sources The use of lasers is perhaps the most common means of producing holographic images However, other wave sources are possible These sources include electromagnetic, acoustic, and gravitational The basic generational concepts remain the same [10] HOLOGRAPHIC PROJECTORS Holographic images on magazine covers and credit cards are still limited to a 2-D device However, the concept shown in Figure illustrates an image projected into open space Is this technology commercially available today for CAD applications? The answer is both yes and no Figure illustrates Figure Grocery Store Advertising [11] Touchable Holograms Researchers at the University of Tokyo have taken holography to a whole new level They have succeeded in combining holographic projection, remote sensing, and ultrasound to produce touchable holograms [12] Figure illustrates This technology was debuted at the SIGGRAPH conference in New Orleans in 2009 Limitations The technology shown in Figures 4, 5, and is intriguing, but there are limitations As an example, consider the specifications for the Holo 40 Diamond projector shown in Table Figure Illustration of Commercially Available Holographic Technology [11] As shown in Figure 4, a major fast food chain is using holographic imaging for advertising purposes The same technology is used by some grocery stores as shown in Figure Figure Touchable Holographs Holo 40 Diamond Field of Vision 60 degrees Image Size Up to 18” Provision Company of Chatsworth, CA 91311 HOLOGRAPHIC TRAINING AND SPECIAL SERVICES Viewing Distance 2’ to 10’ Focal Length Up to 3’ Screen Size (Diagonal) 40” Width x High x Depth 36 ½” X 31” X 23” Weight 125 lbs Table Specifications for the Holo 40 Diamond [13] Size The image size in Table is limited to only 18 inches This size is good for hamburgers and toothpaste, but CAD applications often deal with much larger designs There are major obstacles to overcome if size is to be increased Field of Vision and Viewing Distance The values shown in Table would suffice for an individual draftsperson at a workstation However, if an audience is attempting to review the design, these values may prove too constrictive Functional There is major functional difference between the holographic projector and a CAD application The products shown in Figures and already exist The holographic projection is generated from these entities The most fundamental purpose of a CAD application is to create a design that does not yet exist The design is then turned into a physical entity through machining, construction, assembly, or fabrication Thus, a “marriage” of holographic and CAD technologies is necessary if CAD holography is to be viable A Japanese company filed a patent in 1990 for a CAD holography system, but little information was given [14] Both private companies and universities have recognized the need for CAD and holographic interaction research [15] [16] Portability The projector’s size and weight indicated in Table does not lend itself well to portable applications Portability significantly enhances CAD station performance MARKET POTENTIALS CAD and holographic technologies are well matured One report several years ago indicated that the industrial holographic market in the United States alone was over 1.3 billion dollars [17] A more recent report estimates the word market at 2.4 billion US dollars [18] An older report placed the worldwide CAD market at 3.7 billion US dollars [19] The increased demand for holography technology has resulted in formal classes at the university level and specialized services by the commercial sector [20] [21] CONCLUSIONS The following conclusions are presented based upon the research: (1) The combination of a CAD system and holographic projector for commercial purposes does not seem to exist at this time (2) There are many obstacles to overcome before a CAD and holographic system is feasible These include size, weight, and the ability to generate larger images (3) The market demand and financial incentive is clearly present for such a hybrid system (4) Significant advances in both CAD and holography technology has been accomplished The merger of these technologies is anticipated However, a time table is difficult to predict (5) Fundamental holography technology is available to the general public at relatively low cost REFERENCES Leydoig “Dennis Gabor” IEEE Global History Network 14 October 2008 Web 11 November 2009 http://www.ieeeghn.org/wiki/index.php/Dennis_Gabor Saxby, Grahm “Yuri Denisyuk Biography, (1927 – 2006)” n.d Web 11 November 2009 http://arts.jrank.org/pages/10392/Yuri-Denisyuk.html “Emmett Leith Visionary Imaging” EECS News University of Michigan Spring/Sumer 2006 Web 11 November 2009 http://www.eecs.umich.edu/eecs/about/EECSNews/EEC SNewsSS06.pdf “Holography pioneer Stephen Benton dies at 61” MIT News Massachusetts Institute of Technology 12 November 2003 Web 11 November 2009 http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2003/benton.html “History and Development of Holography” n.d Web 11 November 2009 http://www.cartage.org.lb/en/themes/Arts/photography/sp ecialphot/holograph/history/history.htm “CAD software – history of CAD CAM” n.d W 11 November 2009 http://www.cadazz.com/cad-softwarehistory.htm "holography." 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