27.05.08
Telepresence meets Star Wars
Australian telecommunications company Telstra has used holographic techniques to beam its Chief Technology Officer, Dr Hugh Bradlow, live into Adelaide from Melbourne to talk at a major function.
Dr Bradlow addressed and interacted with the audience for around 15 minutes before conducting a real time media conference.
The system used a high definition camera to caption the image of Dr Bradlow, and Musion’s Eyeliner system to show the hologram at the other end. Musion’s system is based around the century old Pepper’s Ghost principle, brought up to date with high definition projection, and a special film developed to be easier to use than the glass plate that the Victorians first used. (For more information on Pepper’s Ghost, follow the link at the end of the article.)
Similar solutions have recently been used by sports clothing brand Speedo to launch it’s new performance swimming suit for the Olympics and by Charles, Prince of Wales, at the Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi.
Telstra’s group managing director for enterprise and government, David Thodey, said that he expected the technology could become commonplace in business within four or five years once the price is further reduced.