In 30 seconds
The narrator shows a laser-illuminated hologram that appears to contain objects behind glass, then a recorded microscope through which a microchip can be seen. The short clip is an excerpt from a longer explanation of holography.
- 1Changing perspectiveMoving the viewer changes the apparent view of the recorded scene.
- 2An empty tableLaser light reveals the hologram even though the original scene is absent.
- 3A microscope in a hologramThe recording lets a viewer see a microchip through the apparent microscope.
Takeaways
- A hologram can produce visual depth cues from a flat recording.
- Changing the viewing position changes the apparent perspective.
- The recorded scene can appear present even when its original objects are absent.
Read the edited text by chapter
Two hologram demonstrations
The narrator shows a recorded scene and a microscope hologram.
A piece of glass appears to contain a three-dimensional scene. As the viewer moves, the apparent objects change perspective, and a glass Klein bottle seems to distort what is behind it.
The narrator reveals the setup: the table behind the glass is empty, and a diverging laser illuminates the hologram. The visual cues make the recorded scene feel present even though the original objects are not there.
Another hologram records a microscope. From the right viewing position, a person can look down its apparent barrel and see the recorded image of a microchip, illustrating how a flat recording can reproduce a three-dimensional view.
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