Everyone has their favorite Star Trek technology, and mine has got to be the transporter. It solves all the problems of time and traffic in getting you from point A to point B simply by rearranging your atoms.
Well, that’s still in the realm of science fiction. What we do have is not an ability to physically transport but to transport your body virtually via a hologram. Then you can appear as large as life somewhere else and be in two places at the same time.
The company that is delivering the virtual teleportation experience is the PORTL Hologram Company. Most recently, Reuters reported on the innovative product
PORTL Reuters Feature with the lead in “Tired of Zoom calls?”
But really, how many people would be willing to pay $60K for a 7-foot-tall box just to make their business calls more exciting? Not all that many. The real uses of the device will likely be at attractions and for marketing.
The company believes museums may use them to feature a more engaging way to offer visitors information by having a full-sized speaker appear in 3D in front of them rather than being limited to a conventional screen.
It could also deliver an experience like the one Walt Disney had in mind in designing The Hall of Presidents without the need for more equipment on the premises than a single box.
But aside from the entertainment value, the hologram technology can deliver great marketing value. As you can see from the video of PORTL at Comic Con, showing off features of items is one of the things it does best.
It can show objects like shoes from all angles, and so it can work for a virtual store to showcase merchandise that is not physically present in any place.
I can picture this working very well not just in malls but even in hotel lobbies, train stations, airports, or anywhere it can catch the eye of someone who may want to take a closer look at a bag, accessories, shoes, or even the food from a nearby restaurant.
With no physical barriers in the way, not even the sky’s the limit on the marketing possibilities with holograms.