Holus, Star Wars-style 'holobox', creates virtual 3D worlds and makes holo calls | Daily Mail Online

2022-06-07 08:14:33 By : Mr. Leaf Ye

By Sarah Griffiths for MailOnline

Published: 12:38 EDT, 10 June 2015 | Updated: 15:15 EDT, 10 June 2015

If you have always wanted to step inside a Star Wars film, a new gadget may help bring that dream a step closer to reality.

A tabletop device called the Holus converts any digital content into 3D holograms, which feature in the sci-fi film series in the form of chess sets, maps and warning messages.

The device can be used to play games, for learning or even for 3D phone calls so you could talk to a digital 3D version of a loved one on your coffee table - just like the holographic message from Princess Leia created by R2-D2. 

A tabletop device called the Holus converts any digital content into 3D holograms, which feature in Star Wars film in the form of chess sets, maps and warning messages

And, there is seemingly a great demand for the device which, at the time of writing, has raised almost double its target of CAD$50,000 (£26,300) target on Kickstarter in just a couple of hours.

The team at makers H+ claim Holus can convert any digital content from a computer, tablet or phone into a 3D image, which is shown inside its glass pyramid.

It also has built-in speakers and a Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connection to connect to different devices.

The gadget is viewable from four different angles with 360-degree, rotatable projections.

‘To put it simply, whether it is a board game, DNA structure or the solar system, your content comes alive - view it from four different angles and interact with it in ways that have never been possible,’ the Vancouver-based team writes on Kickstarter.

Dhruv Adhia, Co-Founder and CTO of H+, told MailOnline that Holus is an open platform so developers can convert digital content into holograms.

'Four distinct are stitched together by algorithms provided in our applications and software development kit (SDK), he explained.

A video also shows it conjuring a 3D solar-system, meaning it can be used as an educational tool, while the gadget can be used for holographic teleconferencing (pictured left) – much as it is in the Star Wars film when R2-D2 projects a hologram message from Princess Leia (screengrab right)

'Moreover, Holus has a position tracking feature which can track users.

'Based on this dynamic perspective, algorithms are then computed in order to achieve holographic effect on any digital content through Holus.'

He said that software will let designers and artists connect devices to Holus with little programming.  

Holus comes in two versions - a Home edition with two smartphone charging docks, and a Pro version with an HDMI port and SDK tool so developers to use other devices with the Holus and come up with new uses for it.

It is currently suggested that the device can be used by a group of people to play games face-to-face sitting round a table.

A video also shows it conjuring a 3D solar-system, meaning it can be used as an educational tool, while the gadget can also be used for holographic teleconferencing - much as it is in the Star Wars film.

It is currently suggested that the device will be used to play games face-to- face, enabling a group of people to play a video game sitting round a table ina similar way to C3-PO and Chewbacca (pictured)

The team at H+ claims Holus can convert any digital content from a computer, tablet or phone into a 3D image, which is shown inside its glass pyramid. Two people playing a game is shown 

The company added Holus is ‘a central place to sync any device and display its content from all sides.’

The Holus Pro can also ‘holofy’ digital models before 3D printing and develop 3D characters for games and scan objects to turn them 3D.

Elsewhere, it is possible to connect the device to an Emotiv Brain Sensor to control holographic objects with your mind, while Leap Motion controllers can also be used to manipulate holograms.

Vincent Yang, CEO, explained: ‘Our vision with Holus was to create an open platform that was accessible to absolutely everybody.

‘Holus has unlimited potential that allows people to tailor everything to their personal needs.

Whether that be teaching children in an immersive manner, or revolutionising how global business relationships are formed, we hope Holus will have a hugely positive impact on everyone.'

The Holus is available to pre-order from Kickstarter for CAD$850 (£446 or US$693) with the Holus Pro model starting at CAD$950 (£498 or US$ 774).

It’s possible to connect the device to an Emotiv Brain Sensor to control holographic objects with your mind (shown), while Leap Motion controllers can also be used to manipulate holograms

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