Innovative technology company specialising in holographic 3D displays, Holoxica, is introducing a new style of video conferencing for the modern landscape. Recently, the company announced that it has developed the first glasses-free video conferencing solution for today’s remote workers.
The funding to create a 3D system for video conferencing that required no headset or 3D glasses was given through the Innovate UK government industrial strategy, part of the UK Research and Innovation department. Innovate UK efforts are currently focused on finding unique responses to the issues caused by COVID-19.
Traditional 2D video conferencing experiences delivers an unrealistic face-to-face experience, which makes reading facial expressions and body language a challenge.
A New Standard for 3D Video Conferencing
3D video conferencing solutions proposed to-date have relied on a fabricated environment enabled by glasses and headsets, which some people find intrusive and uncomfortable. Holoxica wants to provide something that goes beyond those old-fashioned experiences. The solution uses off-the-shelf components like depth cameras with 3D light field technology to creation video versions of holographic images.
The Looking Glass light technology creates experiences that make people feel like they’re genuinely in the room with another person when they’re video conferencing with them. The Holoxica system creates the depth of field typically associated with 3D teleconferencing without the need for artificial environments or headsets. Benefits of the solution include:
- Low-cost implementation with off-the-shelf technology
- Easier to read body-language and non-verbal signals
- No requirement for headsets for the participants
- No need for motion sickness issues or headset contamination problems
- More realistic interactions with other human beings
According to Wendy Lamin, the Director of Holoxica, the global pandemic pushed the business world to turn to video conferencing solutions to conduct meetings and engage in conversations. However, as employees continue to suffer with “Zoom fatigue”, some are searching for an alternative. The 3D meetings solution from Holoxica brings more depth to a conversation.
Exciting New Opportunities for Remote Workers
Holoxica won a grant from Innovate UK to develop a 3D teleconferencing solution that didn’t need headsets but offered a more engaging face-to-face experience. The telepresence demonstration is available in the Edinburgh offices of Codebase, the largest tech incubator in the UK, providing 3D telepresence over local area network environments.
The brand will now be commercialising the 3D systems with solutions that start at under £1,000. According to Lamin, Holoxica has been creating award-winning 3D experiences for more than a decade. Now they’ve applied this insight to deliver a headset-free video experience for companies of all sizes around the globe. A commercial version should be available in 2021.
