Over the last quarter to half century, there have been many inventions and new technology that seem to bring to life concepts portrayed in the movies. One bit of technology that still seems to be years away though is the ability to project a 3D holographic image in thin air. This type of capability is probably most famously known from Star Wars movies where R2-D2 was able to display a prerecorded message to Luke Skywalker up to large, dedicated displays for tracking an ongoing battle. In newly released patent filings, Samsung claims they have the technology that will break the barrier between the extremely limited images produced today and what science fiction has portrayed as possible one day (or a long time ago).
In the patent filings, Samsung outlines a new “spatial light modulator” that the company claims will reduce or eliminate “the limited viewing angle and low resolution of current holographic technologies.” According to Samsung, the spatial light modulator is combined with a micro-lens array that sits on a flat surface, like a smartphone screen, to focus a light beam producing an image in mid-air.
Current technology for holographic or “3D” images requires the viewer to look at a 2D surface and effectively relies on optical illusions to produce the 3D effect. That requirement also introduces limits to the viewing angle to see the 3D image. Some work has been done to produce a 3D image floating in the air using lasers to trap dust and project light, but the hardware needed for this requires a set of machinery and is nowhere close to being mobile.
Skeptics have already indicated they think Samsung's patent is unrealistic (to put it nicely) and no one should get excited about it. Keep in mind, we are on the verge of having folding smartphones from Samsung, so the company is willing to spend a long time to reach a goal.
source: Tom's Guide
