Team Name
Hologram Homies
Timeline
Fall 2022– Spring 2023
Students
- Cameron Chilcoat
- Felipe Espinoza
- Hoang Pham
- Darl Santos
- Trevor Therrien
Sponsor
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Abstract
Park Ranger Hologram is a physical kiosk that present greetings and informative videos at the park’s visitor center. Its purposes are to provide a flexible presenting method to the rangers and an enjoyable interactive experience for the visitors.
In more detail, there will be a software installed on client’s computer, allow them to upload videos and adjust settings for the Hologram interactive display. The Hologram interactive display, in a separate manner, contains a Raspberry Pi, a projector, an acrylic screen, multiple buttons, and a motion sensor. The hologram application runs on the Raspberry Pi, as specified by the client in the configuration application, displaying videos and handling visitor interactions.
Background
USACE wants to provide good services and engaging experiences to visitors who visit their exhibit spaces. However, due to the shortage of budget and the limited number of rangers, it is not always possible for a ranger to be present. USACE is making efforts to improve their interpretation method to provide better experiences for visitors.
The idea of having a Park Ranger Hologram would be a great solution. The Hologram will free up the rangers by allowing them to set up and upload pre-recorded videos for their presentation purpose. USACE can place multiple holograms around the center, projecting different kinds of videos and giving informative presentations with less effort and labor work because the rangers only have to record the videos once and play them as many times as they want during the entire event. Furthermore, the Hologram will enable visitors to participate in and interact with the presentation; for example, visitors can press buttons to switch between different immersive hologram videos, thus improving visitors’ experiences.
Our sponsor, USACE, is the stakeholder in this project. Correspondingly, our team, Hologram Homies, is the development team. Our team’s mission is to build the Park Ranger Hologram and implement requirements that satisfy the need of USACE.
Project Requirements
- Video playback: the apparatus will allow video playback using the projector and transparent medium
- User input: Hologram will have physical buttons allowing user input. Each button will trigger specific video
- Motion detection: The apparatus will use a motion-detection device to determine when video playback should begin and reset to the first video
- Response time: Motion detection and button inputs should have minimal lad and cause an immediate response from the hologram running on the Rasbery Pi
- Projector: projector should be able to provide a clear image onto the acrylic screen
- Speaker: speaker should provide consistent audio
- Acrylic screen mounting: the acrylic screen should be secured to prevent it from falling
- Projector lamp exposure: the projector lamp should not be pointed at a direction viewing angle to prevent eye damage
- Data storage procedure: videos will only within the video database under the client’s privacy protection
- Physical Enclosure: Raspberry Pi will be contained in an enclosure only accessible by a Park Ranger
System Overview
The system overview of the Hologram consists of 2 abstract layers: Configuration Layer and Hologram Layer.
Each layer of the system decomposes into smaller subsystems. The Configuration Layer will have four subsystems: Video Database, Video Editor, Event Manager, and Export Module. From the video database, videos are imported and prepared via the video editor. Furthermore, the Event Manager will add event parameters to a sequence of videos. The Export Module will compress all configuration data and generate a packaged file ready to be exported.
On the other hand, the Hologram Layer will have four subsystems: Import Module, Input Controller, Playback Manager, and Playback Interface. This layer typically represents software running on a Raspberry Pi. The Import Module will load data from the Export Module into the Playback Manager. The Input Controller will be responsible for listening to visitor-interaction events from buttons and sensors, processing them, then sending commands to the Playback Manager. Finally, Playback Manager and Playback Interface are the main components controlling video-playback displayed with the projector.
Results
We have successfully completed all the significant tasks related to the project. Specifically, we have developed a prototype hologram that functions efficiently in low light environments. Moreover, we have incorporated two applications, namely configuration and hologram side, into the system. As a result, users can now upload, edit videos, and configure the hologram using the system. Once the process is complete, the user can export the output to a USB device, which can then be plugged into the Hologram-enabling button box. Subsequently, the corresponding videos can be played on the Hologram by pressing the relevant buttons on the button box.
Conversely, our system is not without its flaws and bugs. One issue is the inefficient diffusion of the film, which results in a dangerous glare from the projector lamp. We are confident that replacing the current film with a better diffusion film will significantly enhance the quality of the product. Additionally, we were unable to implement the motion detection feature due to hardware limitations. However, we believe this task can be successfully accomplished with further research and experimentation with other hardware options.
Demo video (link)
Future Work
Implementing a Voice Recognition feature allows the Hologram to detect questions received from the visitor and respond correspondingly. In addition, our team wants to implement an interactive motion game that allows the Ranger to interact with the visitors using motion tracking.
Project Files
- Project Charter (link)
- System Requirements Specification (link)
- Architectural Design Specification (link)
- Detailed Design Specification (link)
- Poster (link)
References
[1] H. Yoshikawa and T. Yamaguchi, “Review of Holographic Printers for Computer-Generated Holograms,” in IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, vol. 12, no. 4, pp. 1584-1589, Aug. 2016, doi: 10.1109/TII.2015.2475722.
[2] Augmented Startups. (2020, April 14). I MADE a GLASS Hologram – Project Smart Glass Phase 1 [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pp_kiEvEklg
[3] BLACK SERIES EDITION LLC. (2019, December 29). Clear transparent border plexiglass projection screen using our supreme 8 ALR invisible black paint [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vw7PupQPBPo
