From smartphone-based augmented reality to AR headsets, and the bank card in your wallet, holograms are already in your life. In this article we are going to explain what holograms are by answering the following questions: **What is a hologram?** **How do holographic projections work?** and **What can holograms be used for?** Keep reading and find out more about holograms and their uses to help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## WHAT IS A HOLOGRAM?

A hologram is a photographic technique that records the light scattered from an object,  which makes the object appear three-dimensional. There are various types of holograms and below we provide a few examples of different types: 

- **Transmission holograms**: these enable light to shine through them and the image to be seen from the side

- **Rainbow holograms**: these are the holograms you will probably be most familiar with as these are used on things such as credit cards and driver’s licenses for security purposes. 

- **The “Pepper’s Ghost” effect**: this is a 3D projection that is created with a hologram effect. An example of this is [Tupac's Hologram Performance](https://www.wired.com/2012/04/tupac-hologram-coachella/ "Tupac's Hologram Performance") at the 2012 Coachella Music Festival. The artist, whom is deceased, made an appearance on stage as a hologram performing alongside Snoop Dogg

- **The Holographic Smokescreen**: quite similar to the “Pepper’s Ghost” effect, however this hologram works by using artificially generated smoke or a semi-transparent net as a “screen” for the hologram to be projected onto. The projection comes from behind rather than below it which creates the hologram and is most likely used when the design is to appear slightly translucent


## HOW DO HOLOGRAPHIC PROJECTIONS WORK?

[Live Science](https://www.livescience.com/34652-hologram.html "Live Science") explains that projected holograms work when a laser beam is shined onto the object or person you want to record and the recording medium. The laser beam is split into two similar beams and redirected using mirrors where one of the beams (called the illumination or object beam) is directed to the object where some of the light is reflected off the object onto the recording medium. 

The second beam (reference beam) is directed to the recording medium. This creates a precise image in the hologram location. Therefore, the two beams, illumination beam and the reference beam, intersect and interfere with one another causing a pattern of a virtual image for us to see.

## WHAT CAN HOLOGRAMS BE USED FOR?

Many industries have already implemented hologram technology through smartphone-based augmented reality (AR) applications and AR headsets. For instance, the Microsoft HoloLens Mixed Reality headset is a reference to holograms as they allow you to see a 3D virtual object that is not really there but it appears as if it is. The technology blends real world objects with digital content in real time. Below we list how holograms can be useful to various industries: 

- **Advertising**: holograms can transform the way advertising is done as it goes beyond traditional advertising. Realfiction is a company that has developed a AR product called DeepFrame. It is a glass window that you can look through and see the real world, 3D holograms, and AR images and text which can be projected to appear a few feet away or miles away to experience an enhanced reality 
- **Healthcare**: using holograms on things such as MRI and CAT scans will transform the scans results from traditional 2D visualisations, that are usually viewed on a computer screen, into a projected 3D visualisation. This can allow doctors, nurses, patients, and medical students to see 3D visualisations of internal organs and body parts helping them to gain a greater ability to identify, examine, and visualise injuries and diseases which will improve accurate diagnoses
- **Security**: because holograms are complex to make they can be used to improve security and identify forgery. Banknotes, identity cards, and bank cards to name a few examples all have adopted security holograms. The advancement of holograms could also allow full-colour, three-dimensional images, customised text and serial numbers, as well as moving displays which will make it even harder for people to replicate 
- **Video Gaming**: playing holograms could be a thing of the future with holographic display table enabling real-time multiplayer games for instance zSpace, a company that creates holographic images that you can interact with as if they were real objects, is collaborating with the video game software development company [Unity](https://unity.com/solutions/game "Unity") to develop holographic games. The hologram technology can also be making its way into the next generation of smartphone displays which can result in portable  3D gaming
- **Music**: the music industry is no stranger to holograms; for example Hatsune Miku is a 16-year old blue-haired Japanese digital pop star who is a hologram. The pop star has a Vocaloid software as her voice developed by Crypton Future Media and has gone to sell out 3D concerts worldwide. Holograms are used within the music industry to put on live performances where musicians are not physically present and instead transmitted image appears to the audience
- **Art**: artists can use three-dimensional recordings of holograms to bend and cut space; create art. Recently, artist Patrick Boyd put on a creative holographic exhibition in central London to present a series of holograms and holographic stereograms based around cinematography
- **Storage**: we can have holographic memory using holograms to store digital data which could potentially allow us to store unthinkable amounts of information
- **Education**: holograms can help teachers teach and students understand complex subjects better as students will be able to interact and examine the holographic images
- **Military**: hologram images can be used as maps in the military to improve reconnaissance. Holograms that are used in the military can be a computerised holographic sheet which can also be used rolled up helping the ease of transporting the technology and storing it

This article explains in simple terms what holograms are, how they work, and how they can be useful for different types of industries.

What is a Hologram?

In a previous article we explained what a hologram is and in this article we are going to dive deeper and explore how holograms can be applied to the Construction Industry. With that in mind, we'll be answering the following question: **how can holograms benefit the Construction Industry?** Keep reading and find out how adopting holograms into construction can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## HOW CAN HOLOGRAMS BENEFIT THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY?

A hologram is different to a physical object, as we explained in a previous article, holograms are entirely made up of light instead of physical matter. Holograms can revolutionise the construction industry as they allow people to store digital content, pin information, apps, and multi-dimensional videos in the physical environment in which they are visible, and you can interact with them. When discussing holograms in construction, [Microsoft's HoloLens](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/hololens/ "Microsoft's HoloLens") is likely to come to mind as it is the first fully self-contained holographic computer. The holograms from Microsoft HoloLens can appear realistic and can be moved, shaped, and changed in regard to the interaction, providing the Construction Industry with a new way of seeing the world. Therefore, holograms can be beneficial and below we list some way holograms can transform the Construction Industry: 

- **Enhances 3D models**: Mixed Reality and holographic technology can enhance 3D models by bringing them out of the screen and enable people to engage and interact with the data. This can be an advantage for the Construction Industry as everyone will be able to obtain a better understanding of a project and visualise complex designs. Due to being able to see, understand, and interact with the hologram means that people can execute was is needed in real-time as the visual information supports a more effective production control process
- **Improves collaboration**: on top of being able to view real 3D visualisations of 3D models, holograms can also improve remote collaborations as it provides the ability for 3D holograms to be shared with all relevant people and improve communication. Therefore, the interactive immersive hologram experience can enhance the human-human interaction between multiple users
- **Provides a walkthrough**: using holograms in construction can allow people like stakeholders to walk around and explore designs in 3D without the need of an expert to guide them through. Holograms provide freedom and can help enhance designs and construction workflow as it can also help with confident decision making and design improvements instead of months down the line
- **Facilities BIM**: due to [BIM](/blog/what-is-bim/ "BIM") (Building Information Modelling) becoming mandatory in the UK in 2016, holograms can be used to project a BIM model to help guide construction workers on-site. Furthermore, it can also help facility managers as it gives them context when undergoing tasks such as evaluating areas and carrying out maintenance work
- **Supports 2D documents**: Mixed Reality (MR) wearable devices give holograms the ability to integrate digital and physical content and are not limited to 3D models. The Microsoft HoloLens can overlay 2D documents, acoustics, energy analysis, equipment metadata, to name a few examples with holograms. This supports communication and provides more confidence in decision-making. Therefore, technology such as the Microsoft’s HoloLens bridges the gap between the 2D and 3D space and allows engineers and architects to cost-effectively visualise and navigate a holographic representation wherever they are and whenever, making it more convenient for everyone 
- **Allows for data sharing**: Design to Build, Build to Design Sharing up-to-date design data with on-site teams is crucial and using holograms in constructions can provide workers with geo-located data helping them to see the physical environment that is around them and allows workers to map the environment. This can optimise communication from people working in the office to those on-site and therefore also enhances communication and collaboration

We explore how holograms can benefit the Construction Industry and provide construction workers with a new way of seeing the world.

Holograms for Construction

We have already explored what Holograms are and Holograms for Construction. In today’s article we will focus on Holograms for Property Development as we will be answering the following question: **how can Holograms benefit the Property Development Industry?** Keep reading and find out how adopting Holograms Into the Property Development Industry can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## HOW CAN HOLOGRAMS BENEFIT THE PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT INDUSTRY?

[Augmented Reality](/blog/what-is-augmented-reality/ "Augmented Reality"), the [Internet of Things](/blog/internet-of-things/ "Internet of Things"), and Artificial Intelligence are technologies that are revolutionising industries. Applications such as [Microsoft's HoloLens](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/hololens/ "Microsoft's HoloLens") are the driving force of future AR applications, helping users interact with 3D holograms of properties in the physical environment. Holograms can create new ways for the Property Development Industry to visualise, share, and manage operations. Consequently, our list of benefits will introduce how Holograms can benefit the Property Development Industry:

- **Saves time and resources**: the use of holograms in the Property Development Industry can provide clients and estate agents with remote tours of buildings and facilities. This cuts down on travel costs and saves time as the estate agent does not have to worry about travelling to each location to show people around. When it comes to images of a property sometimes the pictures do not do the property any justice and rooms could appear larger or smaller as you only see one perspective. Holograms can offer different points of view 
- **Easily shareable to provide updates**: if there is any updates or changes in the construction plan or model of a property then customers need to be updated and Holograms offer a great way to communicate removing the challenge of going back and forth from the site with prospects to show them the changes  
- **Enables 360-degree views**: The HoloLens application is upping the game for virtual tours as estate agents can offer 360-degree virtual walkthroughs where the prospective buyer can become deeply immersed in the tour as the holograms can appear realistic and can be shaped, moved, and changed in regards to the interaction, providing them with new ways of seeing the property
- **Provides interactive walkthroughs**: AR and Holograms can benefit remote walkthroughs as it can provide guided tours where questions can be asked virtually and information of the property can be viewed
- **Enables customisation**: using holograms can allow prospective buyers to visualise living there and AR clouds help in providing the ability to customise the areas such as changing the colour of the walls, adding furniture and objects. This can eliminate the need of explaining and describing what the client's life could look like there as you'll be able to show them

This blog post explores how holograms can benefit the Property Development Industry by enhancing the interaction with our surroundings.

Holograms for Property Development

Holograms can create new ways for industries to interact, engage, and control the physical environment. In previous articles we have already explored what Holograms are, Holograms for the Construction Industry, and Holograms for the Property Development Industry. In this article we will be learning about Holograms for Facilities Management by answering the following question: **how can Holograms benefit the Facilities Management Industry?** Keep reading and find out how using Holograms in the the Facilities Management Industry can help you to **#ONEUPYOURBUSINESS**!

## HOW CAN HOLOGRAMS BENEFIT THE FACILITIES MANAGEMENT INDUSTRY?

Implementing Holograms into the Facilities Management Industry can help facility managers to streamline their operations. Holograms blend real world objects with digital content to provide immersive and interactive 3D imagery. We look into how Holograms can benefit the Facilities Management industry and how it can help to improve your business. Here are several advantages Holograms can offer:

- **Enhances 3D models**: you can intergareate your BIM modelling software with mixed reality technology such as [Trimble XR10 with Microsoft's HoloLens 2](https://fieldtech.trimble.com/en/products/mixed-reality-visualization/trimble-xr10-hololens-2 "Trimble XR10 with Microsoft's HoloLens 2") to overlay your 3D models directly on the as-built environment. This can help the Facility Management Industry see hidden objects that maybe behind the walls, in ceilings, under floors especially when it comes to maintenance and it can help with remodeling and new designs on existing infrastructure 
- **Constructable 3D models**: These 3D models can provide the Facility management Industry with important data on things such as how and where components and systems actually exist in the real world. This can help with maintenance as they can deliver up-to-date information on component status and condition enabling facility managers to become quickly informed if any repairs or replacements need doing
- **Better decision making**: as constructable models and mixed reality can deliver up-to-date information and the models evolve with the building this means that the Facility Management Industry can gather valuable information like how spaces are being used, a structure's longevity, cost, energy usage etc. This can help  facility managers make confident and well informed decisions and make any improvements 
- **Quicker maintenance**: Holograms can help save time when it comes to maintenance as it can help technicians carry out renovations, remodels, and repairs by getting a better visualisation of the environment and being able to locate elements and available spaces that are behind walls, ceilings, and so on. Due to it speeding up the maintenance process this in turn saves facility managers money as it takes less time and less resources 
- **Improves safety**: Holograms can show you things such as floor plans, designs, hidden components and elements and deliver you up-to-date information. All of this plays apart in safety as holograms can offer new points of view, helping you to identify any hazards, be more aware of your surroundings, and complete tasks more safer and effectively as you also do not need to handle documents

Today in this new article we look into how Holograms can benefit the Facilities Management industry by listing several advantages.

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