Rendering a 3D scene to print a RabbitHoles 3D hologram – Video

Basic rendering setup to capture 3D scene images

Click on the holographic printer picture on the left to see how a virtual 3d scene, that has been constructed using a 3D software package such as Maya or 3D Max, is rendered using the virtual camera within the 3d software to capture the proper data to make a data file, from which RabbitHoles can easily print a holographic image of that scene, using its patented digital holographic printing technology.

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the video

The multi-layered, multi-colored cube at the top of the screen represents the virtual scene that has been created in the computer. You will note that some of the scene is in front of the hologram plane and some of the scene is behind the plane. You will also notice that the virtual camera has been positioned the correct distance from the scene so that when the camera travels down the track, the image is within the field of view (FOV) throughout the scanning process, ideally capturing up to 1,280 different points of view, perspectives or frames of the scene to be printed. As the virtual camera moves from left to right, it captures 3d information relative to each of these views.

Preparing the data for holographic printing

Once we receive the data files of each of these perspective views, our software program allocates information from each pixel of those frames and assigns them to the relevant holographic pixel (holo-pixel). Once printed each holo-pixel becomes a mini-hologram containing up to 1,280 frames of information or points of view reletive to that spot of the overall scene. Our holographic printers use red, green and blue lasers in conjunction with an LCD screen to individually embed the correct color on each holo-pixel of the final RabbitHoles hologram.

Operation of holographic printer

Later in the video we demonstrate the horizontal movement of the carriage of one of our printers exposing each holo-pixel to the laser beams. Once printed, each holo-pixel may contain many stripes of color. Depending upon the viewer’s angle of view, only some of those stripes are visible thereby permitting the viewer to see different images based on where the viewer is positioned. Because each holo-pixel can contain many layers of color, it enables the creator of the image to embed motion in the scene that will be perceived by the viewer when the viewer moves left to right or right to left in front of the hologram.