Holographic Projector Chip Called the 'Quantum Photonic Imager'

A new start-up named Ostendo, based in California has claimed success with what they call a 'Quantum Photonic Imager'. Ostendo, which primarily develops so-called solid-state lighting systems, demonstrated this to the Wall Street Journal. The company has 115 employees, received $120 million in funding and has numerous patents to its name. The bulk of the funding comes from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).

Ostendo's founder, Dr. El-Ghoroury has worked on this technology for approximately a decade. He claims that two versions of this chip will be produced subsequently. The first of whom can project imagery of 48-inches (122 cm) onto a wall at a resolution of a mesmerizing 5000 PPI. The chips are comprised of a wafer of laser-emitting diodes and combine image image processing and light projection to do this. Already an impressive feat, especially considering the fact that the chip is the size of a Tic Tac (.5 cm^3). It is said to be ready for use in smartphones in the summer of 2015.

However, the second version of this will be even more amazing. As a matter of fact, this version which will start production only months after the previously mentioned version, will border on mind-blowing. It is said to be able to project floating images in thin air, without illusions like the Pepper's Ghost hologram that could be observed at Coachella in 2012. I quote from the Wall Street Journal:

During a recent test reviewed by The Wall Street Journal, Ostendo showed a working prototype: a set of six chips laid together that beamed a 3-D image of green dice spinning in the air. The image and motion appeared consistent, irrespective of the position of the viewer.

This implies that the journalists were looking at Star-Wars-esque holograms as technologies like the conventional holographic image and even the Voxiebox have blind angles. Unfortunately, this cannot be neither confirmed nor denied. The consumer should be able to buy them at approximately $30 a piece, if the production version achieves that price point.

I would also like to point out that this is my first true topic on Above Top Secret and that all feedback is appreciated. In the future I hope that I will be able to keep this forum up-to-date with fascinating breakthroughs in science. I'm going to major in physics and have had a fascination for science since the age of twelve. Sources for my article are the Wall Street Journal and Geek.com.

If DARPA's money went into this, you can bet we've had this technology for a long, long time.

a reply to: MystikMushroom

Yeah, exactly. I've been talking about that with a pal today. A small company appears out of nothing, gets millions from DARPA and then releases something groundbreaking as holographic technology. Probably just a front to let some techology bleed through to the civilians.

originally posted by: loremipsum
a reply to: MystikMushroom

Yeah, exactly. I've been talking about that with a pal today. A small company appears out of nothing, gets millions from DARPA and then releases something groundbreaking as holographic technology. Probably just a front to let some techology bleed through to the civilians.

It's economically efficient. Wait until you upgrade your toys, then pull the old parts out and sell them separately as downgraded products. Slap some labels on them, like "breakthrough" and "revolutionary", and no one is the wiser. Recycle and reuse.

Interesting. Very.

Difficult to figure out how it would work though, if the set up is exactly as described.
It would mean those six chips were each projecting a beam which was phased to precisely interfere with the other beams in order to produce the image. Add motion to it and it becomes...impressive...to say the least.

I think the WSJ description is leaving something out.

So if these guys aren't leading us on, is it fair to say this will be the first practical hologram technology available to the consumer market? If so that is pretty damn amazing, I wasn't expecting something like this to be available for quite some time.

a reply to: loremipsum

Now we are talking conspiracy.



Good call.

Wouldn't this require a series of cameras at the other end to supply the 3D image? I'm thinking of the case where it is used for say video calls. Both parties would have to be surrounded by cameras.

a reply to: grey580

That would be an example of video with a low sampling rate. Not a high level of technology.

a reply to: grey580

Aaah... My favorite kind of talk. Just imagine the strategic possibilities, for example the deception in close-combat. Just like almost every technology, it can be used for good and evil. This is no exception.

Cool. Soon we'll be able to watch porn and home video of cat's being cute from any angle.

Is there a video at the Wall Street Journal site? If there is, I can't seem to access it.

The only things that I've scene so far that could project 3D images involved using a focused infrared laser beam to ionize points in the air (while an interesting exercise, not very practical for real life) and another one that focused laser beams into tanks of water.

originally posted by: MystikMushroom
If DARPA's money went into this, you can bet we've had this technology for a long, long time.

And thats the peoples money right, so when a product is made from the investment of the people it can be guaranteed to be affordable right, because without the people it wouldnt be made, or are least all the people get stock in the company? I dont get why private companies get public money to work on creating a product which they then sell back to some of the public for extreme profit, is my point.

a reply to: Junkheap

Yes pal, there is a video. Take a look at this link. It ought to work. Play the first video on your right. If not, don't hesitate to message me. The video isn't very revealing, though.

originally posted by: loremipsum

The first of whom can project imagery of 48-inches (122 cm) onto a wall at a resolution of a mesmerizing 5000 PPI. The chips are comprised of a wafer of laser-emitting diodes and combine image image processing and light projection to do this. Already an impressive feat, especially considering the fact that the chip is the size of a Tic Tac (.5 cm^3). It is said to be ready for use in smartphones in the summer of 2015.

I do not care how amazing these chips are - it is not going to give light magic properties.

If this is to be taken seriously, let us hear about the optics and the medium (smoke, vapor, glass?) onto which the hologram will be displayed!

a reply to: DupontDeux

Actually, this is where their invention comes in. Who would've thought that photonic molecules could be created? I'd say: give them more time and see what they've made.

And also, the point is that the hologram isn't projected onto anything. It's either a hologram in thin air, a hologram when you look into it or plainly doesn't work at all. There is no projection medium, at least not according to WSJ or the releases of Ostendo.