Mobile operators work on holographic calling pilot
Summary
Last year, Cisco unveiled Webex Hologram, which uses augmented reality (AR) headsets to display 3D representations of meeting attendees, making them appear in the same space. A number of startups see this area of video conferencing as a growth opportunity, and Matsuko is hoping to capitalise on the powerful technology embedded in modern smartphones. “We are confident that in the near future, we will be able to offer our customers a new way of communicating using this new holographic technology to deliver a more immersive “virtually there” experience,” said Daniel Hernández, vice-president, devices and consumer IoT, at Telefónica. The hologram of each participant is created using the selfie camera of a smartphone to capture and transmit a real-time three-dimensional holographic image, which is then processed through a 3D rendering engine. “Our brain is wired for the third dimension, and we need a sensation of people physically being there.” Discussing the pilot, Alex Froment-Curtil, chief commercial officer of Vodafone, said: “This proof of concept moves holographic communications dramatically on from science fiction to real-life smartphones.” The fact that the mobile operators are collaborating offers consumers a greater chance of holographic calls being available across mobile networks, according to Karine Dussert-Sarthe, executive vice-president, marketing and design, at Orange Innovation.