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Holograms That Respond to 'Touch'

by Caleb Johnson on September 19, 2009 at 11:31 AM

In the past, holograms served no real purpose. Sure, they've always been cool to look at, but that's pretty been it -- until now. Reuters reports that a group of Japanese scientists have developed technology that allows holograms to respond to human touch, opening up a world of uses for the 3-D images. The scientists at Tokyo University used ultrasonic waves and Nintendo Wii controllers to create a software program that not only tracks the movements of a person's hand, but also allows holograms to respond to the "touch" (or, really, non-touch) of a hand.

While the technology is still in its early stages, scientists hope to eventually use it for practical purposes. (Holographic controls on hospital machines, for instance, could replace easily contaminated physical controls.) So don't get too excited, geeks. This scientific development exists for the common good, not for you to act out those Princess Leia fantasies. [From: Reuters]

Tags: 3d, hologram, medical, near field communication, NearFieldCommunication, science, top, touch

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