Moving Hologram Showcased at NAB

A system of creating a moving hologram is among the bleeding-edge technologies that are on display this week at the NAB Show. Some industry leaders believe that the stereoscopic 3-D of today is a stepping-stone to hologram imagery. To that point, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology in Japan is demonstrating how its electronic holography technology can be used to create a moving hologram.

NICT hopes that in a decade it will be able to interest the broadcast industry in the notion of using holograms for television, which would offer multidimensional imagery without the need for special glasses or displays.

In related news, manufacturers Stats and Vizrt are showing their process for creating a hologram effect, which was used for CNN's Election Night coverage in November. Stats managing director Shimon Katzubes reported that audiences could expect to soon see the technique used again on other networks.

Meanwhile, Japan broadcaster NHK is showing continued development of its Super Hi-Vision 8K television system, with 22.2 multichannel sound. The big-screen presentation of pre-recorded imagery dazzled audiences, while live footage of the Las Vegas Strip was used to demonstrate the technology as a future broadcast system. To record the live imagery, NHK has on hand its 8K cameras.

The broadcaster also showed its research on a 3-DTV that does not require special glasses and can be observed even if the viewer moves horizontally or vertically. NHK additionally presented a stunning demonstration of high definition 3-D imagery of the surface of the moon and Earth, lensed from a lunar orbiter.

By Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter