It’s not quite a room-size projection of Emperor Palpatine, but it’s not bad for a first stab at real-world holographic technology.
Jaime Ruiz-Avila, an American product designer, has built what he claims to be the world’s first desktop holographic display.
Ruiz-Avila writes on the product’s Kickstarter page: “Holovect images are NOT holograms.” The distinction, the inventor explains, is that Holovect is projected into mid-air, rather than on to film or glass plates.
He says the self-contained laser-based display can fit on your lab bench or desktop, and is “the perfect companion to a 3D printer or stand-alone educational device.
At this stage Holovect is just a prototype, but Ruiz-Avila has passed his $45,000 funding goal, and is set to start shipping units from March next year.
If you think it would make a quirky addition to your coffee table, you’ll need to pledge $799 (£650) or more.