Science Fiction? Or Reality?

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The so-called “magic” of movies draws us in not just because of their dramatic storylines, but also because some create fantasy worlds so extraordinary that we think we’ll never experience them in our ordinary lives. However, parts of these fictional worlds are slowly becoming real and it’s not by magic—it’s through science!

Technology: Holograms
Featured in: Star Wars
Princess Leia’s plea to Obi-Wan Kenobi because he was her “only hope” is memorable not only because of her desperation but also because her message was delivered via hologram.

Although this might have happened in “a galaxy far, far away,” companies such as California-based Provision Interactive Technologies Inc. are producing such holograms today.

Curt Thorton, Provision’s CEO, says that even though 3D holography has been around for decades in various forms, it has required the use of red and blue 3D glasses. However, Provision’s technology has created holograms that can be seen by the naked eye.

“It’s an image truly floating in space that’s detached from the screen,” says Thorton. “We wanted to bring the future (or what people perceived to be the future) to today. Science fiction has been brought to life.”

How It Works:

Thorton says that every 3D hologram starts out as a digital file that can be loaded on a computer. Once loaded, the computer executes the file to an internal light source, which picks up the digital imagery.

The light then passes through the top half of the display to an optical system, which takes the light and imagery from the file and projects it to a physical space. Thorton says the image can hover from six to 42 inches from the screen.

Where You Can Find It:

Right now, Provision’s holograms can be seen in destination kiosks in 28 Fred Meyer stores in Portland, Oregon. The kiosk projects various holographic advertisements, such as a 10- to 15-second dog food commercial.

Thorton says that more than 1,000 retail locations will benefit from Provision’s holographic screens this year.

The Next Frontier:

Thorton thinks that 3D holograms in the home are not only a possibility but also a probability; first in the home-gaming market, then hopefully, in the medical and education. He says he has heard the word “wow” in several different languages when people see Provision’s hologram for the first time.

“When people see something for real that they’ve been previously exposed to in science fiction, it seems to blow them away,” Thorton says. “Someone’s finally bringing science fiction to life.”

Technology: 3D Human Machine Interaction
Featured in: Minority Report
It’s the year 2054, and Tom Cruise has been accused of murder by the “Pre-crime” police system where he works. Frantic, he uses his hands to fluidly sort through the movie-like images on a screen, which shows him killing a man.

While technology cannot make such specific future predictions yet, XTR in Tel Aviv, Israel, has produced technology that eventually may not ever require you to look for a remote control again.

How It Works:

Dor Givon, the founder and CTO of XTR, says their 3D Human Machine Interaction software operates rather simply. It enables any sensor camera to capture and analyze a person’s 3D movement by creating a skeletal frame around him or her, rather than just a cloud of points.

You don’t even need sensors or gloves like Tom Cruise’s character needed. The user only needs to assign specific commands to specific movements, they can then control systems such as a computer or a television with only gestures, without ever needing keyboards, mouse or joysticks.

“It enables any person to interact with the computer immediately and seamlessly,” Givon says.

Where You Can Find It:

This software isn’t available directly to the public yet but will likely be available in homes soon. XTR is marketing its software as custom input to game developers and content manufacturers for video games.

XTR also offers X-builder, a profile-building interface that enables users to integrate the software in existing video games by assigning movements to commands. Depending on how many actions you need for the program, Givon says it can take as little as 30 seconds to build a profile.

The Next Frontier:

Givon and Lodzki believe that XTR’s technology can eventually be used to manipulate TV screen menus as well as part of smart-home applications, making life more convenient for the elderly or those with limited physical ability. “The future here is endless in terms of interaction,” Givon says.

Technology: Power Assist Suit
Featured in: Aliens
Sigourney Weaver’s “Ellen Ripley” character is an iconic heroine in cinematic history. In the 22nd century, Ripley returns to the planet LV-426, where a murderous, parasitic alien terrorized her 57 years ago. In the last pivotal scenes, Ripley is able to defeat the alien known as “the Queen” by wearing an exoskeleton-like machine that has the power and strength of a forklift.

Victor Friedberg, the executive director of Wired NextFest, says that NextFest showcased something similar in 2006 – the Power Assist Suit from the Kanagawa Institute of Technology.

How It Works:

The wearable Power Assist Suit uses air pressure to increase a person’s strength.

Air bag actuators use micro air pumps, muscle hardness sensors and an embedded microcomputer to determine how much muscle force is needed in the joints when lifting a heavy object. The sensors activate a battery-operated air pump to inflate air bags in the suit, which then provide added support to your back, arms and legs.

Where You Can Find It:

Although it is still being developed, Dr. Keijirou Yamamoto, the suit’s inventor, envisions that when complete, the suit can be used by nurses and health care providers to lift and assist patients.

The Next Frontier:

As of 2006, Mineo Ishii, designer of the current model “2nd Stand-Alone Power Assist Suit,” hopes to continue reducing the size of the suit so that it is more practical and flexible for hospital staff use.

Recommended Resources:

McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science and Technology
From McGraw-Hill
This comprehensive encyclopedia explains all areas of science and technology so that the topics are understandable to students, professionals and general readers.

The Science of Star Wars
By Jeanne Cavelos
An astrophysicist examines space travel, aliens, planets and robots as they were portrayed in the Star Wars movies.

Minority Report
From DreamWorks Home Entertainment
Chief John Anderton firmly believes in the accuracy of the technology “Pre-crime,” which identifies killers before they commit their deadly acts — until he is accused of committing a murder himself.