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1. INTRODUCTION
Heliodisplay is one of the latest innovations in projection screen technology, it focuses on displaying images in mid-air rather than conventional projection screens. A projector is focused on to a layer of mist in mid-air resulting in to a two dimensional display of the image projected. The planar view thus displayed will appear to be more realistic attractive compared to other methods. Heliodisplay is a patented projection system designed to project video, products, information, and people in mid-air. It is available in various dimens ions in accordance with various applications it might have, for example heliodisplay models with screen sizes to display a two meter tall person is available, thus ensuring a more life like and interactive form of communication. Heliodispla y is part of a co mplete two-piece solution a base unit and a projection unit. You can connect the Heliodisplay to any video output, or insert a CF (Compact Flash) card with AVI or JPEG files into the Heliodispay, and project any images or video in mid-air. Presses the power button connect the video source, and we can see images in air, with some contents even better than others. He liodisp lay units are ava ilable in market in vario us models each with distinct ive features and varying screen s izes. Interactive models such as the L90i are available that allow for touch screen interactivity o f the free-space video or image. No special programming is required as this works like a standard mouse driver. The only software part essential is provided by IO2 technologies installing them will make the heliodisplay unit accessible to any computer or any other video output source. IO2 Techno logy holds the patentship for heliodisplay technology so they are the only producers of heliodisplay models all around the globe. Heliodisplays work on any power source, 90240V, 50 or 60 Hz. No fo g or any other chemical additives id required. Heliodisplay does not affect the environment as it works using the exist ing air that is already in the room to create the image. Internal or external tanks can be installed to provide a continious supply of water for the heliodisplay unit. The capacity of these tanks depends upon the nature of application and the duration of operation of the device. An internal water tank of 8 liters filled with regular tap water lasts one to two days on the L90 and a3 liter tank on the M50 lasts a day.
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HELIODISPLAY A supplied water tank can be configured for operating continuously for a week, mo nth or years. Heliodisplay M50 is ready place on a table or the L90 sits on the ground. No truss work or hanging necessary. Easily extending a few lines allows the system to run for multiple days/weeks/ months or years. H eliod isp la y's image looks best when the hardware is hidden inside furniture or structures.
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HELIODISPLAY
2. SYSTEM OVERVIEW
The heliodisplay is an interactive planar display. Though the image it projects appears much like a ho logram, its inventors claim that it doesn't use holographic techno logy, though it does use rear projection (not lasers as originally reported) to project its image. It does not require any screen or substrate other than air to project its image, but it does eject a water-based vapour curtain for the image to be projected upon. The curtain is produced using similar ultrasonic techno logy as used in foggers and co mprises a number of columns of fog. This curtain is sandwiched between curtains of clean air to create an acceptable screen. Heliodisplay mo ves through a dozen metal plates and then co mes out again. It works as a kind of floating touch screen, making it possible to manipulate images projected in air with your fingers, and can be connected to a computer using a standard VGA connection. It can also connect with a TV or DVD by a standard RGB video cable. Though due to the turbulent nature of the curtain, not currently suitable as a workstation. The Heliodisplay is an invent ion by Chad Dyner, who built it as a 5- inch prototype in his apartment before founding IO2 techno logies to further develop the product. The heliodisplays are interactive, allowing a finger or hand to move images around in the air as if one were grabbing a virtual object. it requires a power outlet, and a computer, TV, DVD or alternate video source. The Heliodisplay system is backward compatible and accepts most 2D video sources (PC, TV, DVD, HDTV, Video game consoles). For connection to a computer, the Heliodisplay uses a standard monitor VGA connection; for TV or DVD viewing, it connects using a standard RGB video cable. Heliodisplay images are easily viewed in an office environment. Like any co mputer monitor or TV, images appear brighter the lower the ambient light. Also, just like viewing any co mputer mo nitor or TV,viewing a Heliodisplay image in direct sunlight is almost impossible.The image is display into two-dimensional space (i.e. planar). Viewing requires no special glasses or background/foreground screening. 0f course, with any type of display, the darker the background and lighting, the higher the contrast of the Heliodisplay images or an display on the market.
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HELIODISPLAY The Heliodisplay interactive is like a virtual touch screen. A hand or finger can act as a mouse for cursor control interactivity in a computer environment. No special glove or pointing device is required. Just as you use a mouse to move the cursor on a traditional computer monitor, you can use your finger to move the cursor around the Heliodisplay image. It would surely be a great experience to handle them.
2.1 History:
In late 2003, a small company fro m the San Francisco Bay Area demonstrated a unique revo lutionary display techno logy. The (then) prototype device projected an image in thin air just above it, creating an illus io n of a floating hologram, reminiscent of the famous scene fro m 'Star Wars in which R2-D2 projects a hologram of princes Leia. The development of this distinctive techno logy, dubbed Heliodisplay by its developer Chad Dyner, began early this decade after Dyner decided to trade a promising career as an architect to beco me an inventor. Dyner bought an ordinary digital projector, took it apart, and spent ent ire days trying to figure out a way to stop in midair the light coming from the projector without engaging a traditional screen. Though the details are kept a closely- guarded secret, D isp la ying an image using conventional projects requires a non- tra nsperent med ium, typ ica lly scree ns, wa lls, or even water, but a ir, whic h is tra nspare nt, cannot be used. Since 2003, IO2 Techno logy, the California-based company Dyner founded to commercialize his invention, began selling his device under the brand name Heliodisplay M2 for just under $20,000, out of reach o f most consumers. IO2 Techno logy is actually marketing the M2 to corporate customers who would use the device as a novel way to display the co mpany's logo or as a strikingly impressive advertising and promotional tool for exhibit ions. The M2 pro jects its 76.2 cm (30'') diagonal floating image at a height of 7l cm (28") above the projector. The native reso lution o f the M2 is 800 x 600 though it can support up to l280 x l024.And the image can be viewed fro m as much as a l50 de grees angle. The M2i model includes a proprietary system, called Heliocast, for interactively controlling the displayed image. A sensor inside the M2 identifies the movement of the user's hand in the area of the projected image and the Heliocast software calculates the movement of the object projected. T F0T recently covered another unique display techno logy, called Perspecta, developed by Actuality Systems.
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HELIODISPLAY Unlike the Perspecta, which is a true 3D display capable of showing a 3Dobject perceived when simply walking around the display, the M2 displays 2D image in midair, creating the illusio n of depth. While the Perspecta is currently used mainly for medical and research purposes, the M2 is intended primarily for corporate use as a pro motional or advertising tool at this stage. Although it is possible to view movies or play games on the M2, Dyner admitted that the current device is not intended for serious applications such as CAD (computeraided design). The Perspecta is an enclosed device with lower reso lution but with the capability to display a full 3D image and video with almost no flickering or wavering effects. A future display might incorporate the best of both worlds: an open-air display with high reso lution, clear 3D capabilit y, alo ng with an accurate interactive capabilit y. According to IO2 Techno logy
"IO2 Techno logy develops techno logy relating to next- generation interfaces so me o f which are not currently available, one platform is the heliodisplay. Heliodisplay images are not ho lographic alt hough they are free-space, emplo ying a rear projection system in which images are captured onto a nearly invisible plane of
transformed air. What the viewer sees is floating mid-air image or video. These projected images and video are two-dimensio nal, (i.e. planar) but appear 3D since there is no physical depth reference. While conventional displays have the benefit of being attached to a physical substrate, Heliodispla y projections are suspended in air, so you will notice some waviness to the qualit y of the projections.
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HELIODISPLAY
3. WORKING
3.1 Basic Units:
Heliodisplay projects images as shown in figure 3.1(a) The basic units of heliodisplay are base unit and projection source as shown in figure 3.1(b). The projection source unit projects images onto the mid-air. The base unit produces the water vapour screen necessary to display the image. The image can be viewed from behind the base unit. The Heliodisplay is designed to be hidden (into a pedestal, table etc), so that only its projected image is visible. The display connects to a standard video source (such as DVD player or PC) and projects any images that would be viewable on a computer screen or television. No specialized hardware or software is needed to view images. The Heliodisplays projected image hovers just above the base unit. The display is less bold than a normal computer screen. The housing of the Heliodisplay is floor bound and water particles rise rather than descend.
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HELIODISPLAY The Heliodisplay transforms water into a unique screen of fine vapour, suspended in mid-air to create a nearly invisible screen into which any image can be pro jected. The display can create a true 3D hologram effect when the right content is used. The mist is formed by a series of metal plates, and the original Heliodisplay could run for severa l hours on one liter o f tap water. 2008 model Heliodisplays use 80 ml to l20 ml o f water per hour, depending on screen size and user settings, and can be built with any size water tank.
Fig 3.1(c): Basic block diagram Heliodisplay principle is almost similar to that of fog screen technology a more recent development, which creates an image in midair by emplo ying a large, non-turbulent airflow to protect the dry fog generated within fro m turbulence. The result is a thin, stable sheet of fog, sandwiched between two layers o f air, on which an image can be projected and even walked through. The Heliodisplay creates a similar effect, but, instead of f og, it uses a cloud of microscopic particles whose specific nature is one of the secrects Dyne r keeps close to the vest. In 2005, the U.S. Pate nt 0ffice gr a nte d Dyne r a patent for a "me thod and system for freespace imaging displa y and interface".
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HELIODISPLAY Apparently, the Heliodisplay creates a particle cloud by passing the surrounding air through a heat pump, which in turn cools the air to a level below its dew po int, where it condensates, and is then co llected to create an art ificia l cloud. The particle cloud is co mposed of a vast number of individual micro droplets, between l- l0 microns in diameter, too small to be visible to the naked eye, held together by surface tensio n. The focus and illumination intensit y o f the projected image can be controlled by changing some of the cloud's properties, enabling a sharper and brighter image.
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HELIODISPLAY
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HELIODISPLAY The machine, uses no harmful gases or liquids. Nothing is added to the air so there isn`t any harmful gas or liquid emitted from the device, and nothing needs to be refilled. Operating the device will not change a room`s environment, air quality or other conditions. If a Heliodisplay were left running for a week in a hermetically sealed room, the only change to the room`s environment would be from the electricity used to run the device. The ambient air is bottomprojected and illuminated, generating the free-space image that floats in midair. It causes no odour in the air, and the area onto which the images were projected seems dry to the touch. Dark background emphasizes the contrast of the image and is highly encouraged when designing a location to view the display. Viewing in direct sunlight is almost impossible. Like any rear projection system, the images are best seen within 70 degrees to either side as shown figure 3.2(b). Viewing requires no special glasses.
Fig 3.2(b): Angle of viewing The image can also be manipulated by touch. A finger or some hand-held object can act as a mouse and seemingly drag images in midair. Hand movements are monitored by an optical tracking system, which is essentially a camera in the unit that monitors and locates movements and changes in the location of our hand.
HELIODISPLAY The device then projects an image onto the condensed air, IO2 has constructed proofof-concept devices wit h 5-, l5-, 27-, and 42- inch screens. These can display two-dimensional images that hover above the projector. Because they are displayed on a surface that is not flat, the images appear 3D from a few feet away and can be seen fro m any surrounding position. D yner said he created IO2 Techno logy license the techno logy to "one or more key players in the display market or companies that have the manufacturing capabilit y to produce and distribute Heliodisplay." Senior researcher Ismo Rakko lainen and Professor Karr i Palovuori o f Finla nd's Tampere Universit y o f Techno logy have developed the Fog Screen, a display surface made out of a cloud of water vapor diffused into the air as a very dry fog. A projector can display images on the Fog Screen. "It appears dry to the touch, so it feels just like air," Rakko lainen explained. Viewers will thus see images they can walk through without getting wet. The water vapor is diffused between t hick layers of emitted stable air, which keeps the fog thin and flat, enabling high-qualit y images, he added. they will be cost effective and will find a n important use, said analyst Chris Chinnock of Insight Media, a display industry research firm. "Both are more likely to work as advert ising or information screens in museums, public displays, entertainment centers, etc.," he explained. These are specialt y displays that need a nove l experience and they need to be marketed and posit io ned as such FogScreen technology, invented by two Finnish researchers, projects an image onto a displa y surface of water vapor diffused into the air as a very dry fog. Viewers can even put their hands through the images. Any fan of the movie Star wars or Minority Report or a similar futuristic mo vie is in for a real delight because one of the features that these movies boasted, was 3D Virtual Ho lographic Displays and seemingly Floating Touch Screen Displays are now a reality. These displays and the techno logy for these displays has been finally perfected! IO2 Techno logies have developed displays under the brand Heliodisplay, which projects any standard computer or video cable attached to the Heliodisplay, and project video or images into mid-air.
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HELIODISPLAY
4. DEVELOPMENTS IN HELIODISPLAY
4.1 Model M1:
The original M1 units produced by IO2 were advanced prototypes and proof-ofconcept. These are the first heliodisplay developed by the IO2 technologies. They have all the above said properties. But they have less fidelity. These first generation heliodisplays support only a 22 image.
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HELIODISPLAY Specifications: Image Size: 30" measured diagonally (4:3 aspect) Interactivity: Virtual Cursor Control - Heliocast ver.2.0 Aspect Ratio: 4:3 or l6:9 Resolution: Native - SVGA 800x600 pixels; Resize Support: 640x350 to l280xl024 pixels Contrast Ratio: 2000:l (at projection source) Color Reproduction: l6.7 Million colors/ full frame video Video Input connectors: RGB analog, USB, RCA video, S-VIDE0, VGA Input signal frequency: Fh: 3l-80kHz; Fv: 56- l20Hz Video & PC Compatibility: PC, Mac, NTSC, PAL, SECAM HDTV: 480i/480p, 720p, l080i Image Translucency: Controllable visibility 0perational Sound Level: 38 dB Electric Power Voltage: 95- ll5 or 220-240V VAC Electric Power Frequency: 47-63 Hz Electric Power Consumption: 350W
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HELIODISPLAY
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HELIODISPLAY
4.6 P-Series:
P-series Heliodisplay Projection systems are designed with simpler operation functionality and advanced controls for integrating and use. P-series incorporate an optical sync between components that they are in direct communication link so only one button or trigger is required to operate as they all turn on and shut down in sync. Communication ports allow for the helio projection and helio base to be controlled remotely in an installation via a remote controller or PC. Built in gesture control allows even simpler operation, such as hand waving to turn on the unit without actually touching the device. To project the images and videos, air should be touched. The PRX2 projection unit includes proprietary baffling to reduce the viewing of the light source and beam-steering optics shorten the throw distance by 10(25cm) while simul taneously allowing for easy control of the projection angle without even moving the projection. In addition, and only available in the in the P92, the base system can operate in any orientation from 0-180 degrees. It also has USB playback from projection unit.
HELIODISPLAY
Project video or images into mid-air Supports: JPEG FLASH,AVI,MP4,MVI QUICKTIME,WMI Text
Added Capabilities installed Software: Cursor control Navigate and interact with simple content
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HELIODISPLAY
Disadvantages:
Heliodisplay is very expensive Viewing a Heliodisplay image in direct sunlight is almost impossible Screen is essentially air, so it can become distorted with too much air movement in the room.
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HELIODISPLAY
7. APPLICATIONS
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HELIODISPLAY
8. CONCLUSION
Heliodisplay is a good projection unit which does not require any special hardware and support videos and jpg images, flash, quick time etc. we can also play games on heliodisplays. This unique technology, developed by a former architect, creates one of the most convincing open-air holographic- like images in existence. Heliodisplay can work as a free-space touchscreen when connected to a PC by a USB cable. A PC sees the Heliodisplay as a pointing device, like a mouse. With the supplied software installed, one can use a finger, pen, or another object as cursor control and navigate or interact with simple content. As advocated by IO2 technologies heliodisplay is just the beginning of the future generation displays to come. Heliodisplay therefore can be considered as the foundation blocks for the future generation display technology .A future generation display might incorporate the best of heliodisplay with some additional features like open-air display with 3D capability , higher resolution and an accurate interactive capabilities.
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HELIODISPLAY
9. REFERENCES
Heliodisplay Floating Display- Iddo Genuth IO2 Technolgy intros floating M3 Heliodisplay screen by Darren Murphy Heliodisplay-Futuristic display technology by Bill ChristensenRakkolainen, K. Palovuori, Laser Scanning for the Interactive Walk-Through FogScreen.
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