Tupac’s ‘hologram’-like appearance at Coachella may have hit the headlines in 2012, but new technology from Radical Media suggests that virtual versions of your favourite celebrities could soon become commonplace in the world of visitor attractions.
The transmedia company has joined forced with Uncorporeal to work on the volumetric capture of A-list stars to create augmented reality performances, followed by full-on virtual reality performances.
This could potentially mean attending to a virtual lecture or buying tickets to a see a performance from a virtual version of music or film stars at a visitor attraction or cinema (and crucially avoiding the mad rush of people trying to touch said stars) could become a part of everyday life in the future.
The technology behind the ‘hologram’-esque creations involves encircling a green screen stage with 48 cameras to create the effect – which works in any AR or VR format (including headsets), and also can be used for 2D video.
As with most technology involving celebrities, certain copyright issues come into play. RadicalMedia says that it is still negotiating deals, but hopes to unleash its AR celebrities to the world within the next year. Although given the price of current hardware, it remains to be seen what quality the recreations will be.