Hologram person: fact or fiction?

Imagine walking into a room and seeing a life like hologram person standing right in front of you, someone who looks as real as any other person. This once-futuristic idea is becoming reality, thanks to advances in volumetric capture, holography, and AI.

Hologram persons, projected in three-dimensional space, have the potential to transform how we interact with the world. But how close are we to seeing them as a normal part of daily life?

What are digital humans?

Digital humans are virtual characters that can look, talk, and act like real people. Powered by artificial intelligence, these digital beings already appear in customer support, entertainment, and social media, from virtual influencers to online assistants.

The next step is bringing them into the physical world as hologram persons: a digital human projected into three-dimensional space, providing a sense of presence that flat-screen digital humans can't match.

How are hologram persons created?

Step 1, Volumetric capture. The first step is capturing a person from multiple angles using a series of cameras. The result is a detailed three-dimensional model of the person, in motion.

Step 2, Holography. The 3D image is projected into space by manipulating light to create the illusion of a physical presence. When applied to digital humans, the process produces a hologram person who appears real to anyone viewing them.

Step 3, AI integration. AI brings the hologram person to life, allowing them to respond to speech, recognise emotions, and interact dynamically. The result is not a static image but a responsive presence that holds a conversation. That tier ships as the AI Hologram, from EUR 2,500.

Real-world applications

Retail. Product specialists appear at flagship stores as life size holograms, answering questions, demonstrating products, available 24/7 in their best form.

Hospitality. The Holobox by Holoconnects, deployed in hotel chains like CIC Hospitality's Aiden by Best Western, gives guests a holographic concierge that checks them in and assists at the front desk.

Healthcare. Doctors appear at remote clinics as holograms, bridging the access gap in rural areas and reducing travel for specialists.

Events. A holographic keynote speaker on stage in two cities at once is no longer a research demo: it's a deployable service.