HOLOGRAMS
NEW TECHNOLOGY
THE NATURAL EVOLUTION OF THE VIDEO CALL? COVID-19 HAS DRIVEN AN INCREASED SHIFT TO ONLINE COMMUNICATION, WITH MANY PEOPLE AND BUSINESSES PERMANENTLY CHANGING THE WAY THEY CONNECT. WITH UK RESEARCH SHOWING A LEVEL OF DISSATISFACTION WITH VIDEO CALLS, HOLOGRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY MAY BE THE NEXT EVOLUTIONARY STEP FOR COMMUNICATIONS. In April this year, Virgin Media’s futuristic, UK-based ‘Two Hearts Pizzeria’ hosted the world’s first holographic dinner. The pizzeria’s two venues, located at London’s Southbank and Edinburgh’s Castle Street, offered loved ones living almost 650km apart, the chance to reunite after a year of pandemic restrictions.
Holographic technology The cutting-edge technology involves projecting life-size 3D holograms, enabling people to see, hear and interact with each other in real-time, as though they were seated together at the same table. The experience makes people feel that they are together in-person, with the live hologram seamlessly appearing opposite them, enabling eye contact without staring at a screen.
A glimpse of the future. Photo source: Virgin Media
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It seems that the unique dining experience offers a glimpse of a not-so-distant future. Dr James Bellini, Futurologist and tech forecaster, has predicted that hologram technology will become commonplace in UK homes by 2030. “Advancements in technology and lightning-speed broadband mean that pioneering forms of connectivity, such as holograms, are now viable options for when we want to feel closer to those we’re not physically able to be with. With technology moving as quickly as it is now, it wouldn’t be strange for holograms to be commonplace in UK households by the turn of the decade.” Virgin Media’s initiative followed their research findings that “half (50%) of Brits are ‘bored’ of video calls with
63% saying they don’t give them the level of interaction they want. Nearly a third (31%) of Brits say they’d prefer to keep in touch via hologram as it would help them feel closer (23%) and more connected (24%).”
What does this mean for contractors? While the UK experience has focused on loved ones separated by the pandemic, the technology’s potential has far-reaching implications. Dr Bellini has noted, “Holograms can enhance our lives by removing barriers to human connection, be that screens or distance. A more frequent use of the tech could revolutionise the workplace, our social lives and events, travel and leisure or dining experiences. Having a 3D life-size, real-time connection with someone via hologram opens up a world of possibility.” Australia has a way to go before its telecommunications infrastructure can support mainstream access to holographic technology. Despite this, the technology’s availability poses interesting questions, and potentially significant opportunities, for the next generation of electrical and communications contractors who will be essential to its implementation. Now is the time for contractors to look to the future and think about how they can position their business to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving world.
June 2021
