(ORDO NEWS) — It’s not science fiction – hologram doctors teleported into space to visit astronauts.
In 2021, a team of hologram doctors were “holoported” into space to visit astronauts aboard the International Space Station, NASA said in a new report.
A team of holograms led by Dr. Josef Schmid and Fernando De La Peña Llac, CEO of software company Aexa Aerospace, became the first humans ever to be “holoported” from Earth into space.
“This is a completely new way of human communication over vast distances,” Schmid said in a statement. “What’s more, it’s a whole new way of human exploration where our human essence can travel off the planet. Our physical body is not there, but our human essence is absolutely there.”
“It does not matter that the space station is moving at 28,000 kilometers per hour and is in constant motion at an altitude of 400 km above the Earth.
Medical teams holoported to the station on October 8th. Using a Microsoft Hololens Kinect camera and a personal computer with Aexa custom software, European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Peske, who was on board the station at the time, had a holo-talk with the crew. Doctors’ holograms were seen live in the center of the space station.
How did it work?
The “holoportation” technology that brought about this event works using specialized image capture technology that reconstructs, compresses and transmits live 3D models of people.
This technology is paired with HoloLens, a “mixed reality headset” that integrates sensors, optics and holographic imaging technology, allowing the user to see hologram images or even enter a “virtual world“.
Through the combination of these two systems, users in orbit can not only see the participants in the hologram, but also hear and interact with them. The technology is not new, but has never been used in such a difficult environment, when users are at such a great distance from each other.
According to NASA, this “new form of communication” is a harbinger of greater use of holograms in future space flights. Next, the agency plans to trial two-way hologram communication, in which they will send a hologram of astronauts in space to Earth in addition to sending a hologram of earth users into space.
“We will use this for our private medical conferences, private psychiatric conferences, private family conferences, and to deliver VIPs to the space station for visiting astronauts,” NASA officials wrote.
Since two-way hologram communication from Earth to space (and vice versa) has already been tested, NASA intends to use this technology for “tele-mentoring” off-Earth.
“Imagine if you could invite the best instructor or real developer of a highly complex technology directly to your workplace, wherever you work on it,” Schmid said.
“In addition, we will combine augmented reality with haptic technology,” Schmid said. Tactile technology refers to technologies that can simulate touch using things like vibrations or motors.
“You will be able to work on the device together like two of the best surgeons during an operation. This will allow everyone to have peace of mind knowing that the best team is working together on critical equipment.”
According to NASA, the possible future applications of hologram technology in space are far-reaching. This technology can help in everything from advanced medical treatment, mission support, to connecting astronauts with their families on Earth.
The technology could also prove particularly useful for future crewed deep space travel to places like Mars, where we know astronauts will experience significant communication problems and delays.
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