Star Wars-style holograms on your smartphone could be a reality in 2021, as creator talks to retailers and investors at CES 2021
- A San Diego-based company, IKIN, is developing a smartphone accessory that will turn visual content into 3D holograms
- These holograms will be visible in daylight, and there are endless applications for the technology
The original Star Wars, a movie later subtitled A New Hope, inspired generations of filmmakers and other creators.
R2-D2’s holographic broadcast of Princess Leia to Obi-Wan Kenobi and Luke Skywalker proved particularly motivating to Taylor Scott. A scientist who applied for his first patent at age 15, Scott is on a mission to bring holograms – similar to those created by the beloved droid – to the masses.
And the San Diego-based company Scott founded, IKIN, is on the verge of achieving that goal. During the CES show that started on Monday, IKIN will meet with potential sellers and investors about its in-development smartphone accessory that turns content on the device into three-dimensional holograms.
“People for years have thought of holographic communication as sort of idealised magical future and that is actually 2021,” said Scott, now 28, who is also IKIN’s chief technology officer.
IKIN’s accessories create 3D holograms viewable in daylight from Android or iOS smartphones with a specialised proprietary chemical polymer lens – Scott’s first patent involved polymers.