Augmented Reality Holographic Monitors

Introduction

Augmented and mixed reality display technologies are all the rage in tech today. Devices like the Microsoft HoloLens, the Magic Leap, and the Google Daydream are making waves as the "next big thing" in technology. Why are they so innovative, and what makes them so different from standard displays? It's because of their ability to superimpose the digital world with the physical world. The unification of the material with the immaterial, the destruction of the divide between what is real and what is virtual. Augmented and mixed reality technologies allow you to combine the best of worlds to create new ones.

Why we made it

If this sounds like something you would like to experiment with, this Instructable exists to provide you with 6 free and open-source templates to create your own low-cost holographic display system using nothing more than a few laser cut acrylic sheets, some nuts and bolts, and an existing LCD screen from either a smartphone, tablet, or computer monitor. All you have to to do is assemble the template pieces, slot and screw them together and place a standard LCD display on top, and voila, your augmented/mixed reality holographic monitor is ready to go!

Special Thanks

This project would not have been possible without the generous support of Carnegie Mellon University's Frank Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry. Many thanks for being immersed in the incredibly intriguing intersection of Arts and Technology - keep up the great work! :D

The DIY hologram display is a simple device that creates a 3D-like illusion for the viewer and makes an image or video appear as if it were in midair. It works on the principle of Pepper's Ghost. Symmetrically opposite variations of the same image are projected onto a reflective display slanted at 45 degrees. These projections work in unison to form a whole figure, which creates a 3D illusion. Typically, a hologram is a photographic recording of a light field, rather than of an image formed by a lens, and it is used to display a fully three-dimensional image of the holographed subject, which is seen without the aid of special glasses or other intermediate optics. Since the effect is created by reflected light, it works best in low-light conditions.

Holographic display templates are provided in 3 sizes (small, medium and large) and in two orientations (portrait and landscape). All templates are available in DXF format for easy laser cutting. To get started, pick the size and orientations you like and click on the corresponding links below to download!

• Small 5-in Landscape Holographic Display
• Medium 9-in Landscape Holographic Display
• Large 16-in Landscape Holographic Display
• Small 5-in Portrait Holographic Display
• Medium 9-in Portrait Holographic Display
• Large 16-in Portrait Holographic Display

Perfect for holographically displaying images horizontally on smartphones sized 4 to 6 inches.

• 12x24x3/16in Clear Acrylic Sheet
• 6x #4-40 Lock Nuts
• 6x #4-40 Washers
• 6x #4-40 5/8in Screws

Perfect for holographically displaying images horizontally on tablets sized 7 to 10 inches.

• 24x24x3/16in Clear Acrylic Sheet
• 8x #4-40 Lock Nuts
• 8x #4-40 Washers
• 8x #4-40 5/8in Screws

Perfect for holographically displaying images horizontally on monitors sized 16 to 21 inches.

• 24x36x3/16in Clear Acrylic Sheet
• 12x #4-40 Lock Nuts
• 12x #4-40 Washers
• 12x #4-40 5/8in Screws

Perfect for holographically displaying images vertically on smartphones sized 4 to 6 inches.

• 12x24x3/16in Clear Acrylic Sheet
• 8x #4-40 Lock Nuts
• 8x #4-40 Washers
• 8x #4-40 5/8in Screws

Perfect for holographically displaying images vertically on tablets sized 7 to 10 inches.

• 24x24x3/16in Clear Acrylic Sheet
• 12x #4-40 Lock Nuts
• 12x #4-40 Washers
• 12x #4-40 5/8in Screws

Perfect for holographically displaying images vertically on monitors sized 16 to 21 inches.

• 24x48x3/16in Clear Acrylic Sheet
• 12x #4-40 Lock Nuts
• 12x #4-40 Washers
• 12x #4-40 5/8in Screws

Conclusion

And that concludes it! If you've downloaded, assembled, and overlaid any of the six template designs with a LCD screen, you now have your very own augmented/mixed reality holographic monitor to fulfill your dreams of merging the digital and physical realities. You can use your holographic viewer to overlay images, movies, video games and more onto the real world. If you don't know where to start, be sure to try out the attached Hologram Viewer for Windows 32-bit!

If you are a developer, try combining your holographic display with some awesome sensors like the Microsoft Kinect, the Leap Motion, and the Tobii EyeX Tracker to take your augmented reality installation to the next level.

Written by your friendly neighborhood engineer, artist and entrepreneur,

[ John Choi | 5-5-2018 ]