In the future, humans will be able to interact with holographic 3D models of other people in real-time, resulting in a type of simulated teleportation. Microsoft researchers are calling this technology holoportation and they’re actively working to make it a reality.
The first step in holoportation is capturing 3D models of humans using advanced motion-capture cameras. Then, the high-quality models must be transmitted in real-time to all parties involved. Finally, a mixed reality display is needed to tie it all together, such as Microsoft’s HoloLens.
“This technology allows users to see and interact with remote participants in 3D as if they are actually present in their physical space,” explains Microsoft. “Communicating and interacting with remote users becomes as natural as face to face communication.”
In addition to real-time communication, holoportation would allow people to play back past sessions, which would result in a catalog of virtual memories that could be accessed at any time.
As you can see in the video, holoportation is still in its infancy — particularly with regard to the compression and reconstruction of the models. However, if you want to get an idea of what to expect, Microsoft will begin shipping out HoloLens dev kits on Thursday.
