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    Kinect used for holographic 3D video conferencing

    Kinect used for holographic 3D video conferencing

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    Researchers in Kingston have developed a video conferencing tool that uses Kinect cameras so you can see 3D holograms of who you're talking to.

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    Telepod 3D hologram chat
    Telepod 3D hologram chat

    A team at Kingston, Ontario's Queen's University is developing a device called a Telepod that replaces boring old video chat with 3D holograms. The system consists of a 1.8-meter-tall cylinder with six Microsoft Kinect cameras placed around the top, along with a 3D projector inside. While talking, each person stands in front of their own Telepod, which is able to capture and track their movements in three-dimensions — the result is a 3D holographic image projected inside of the cylinder that you can walk around and view from the back and side. There's even a medical app called Bodipod that uses the same hardware and lets you interact with a 3D version a human body — you can look at it from multiple angles and use commands to peel away layers and view different parts of the anatomy. Now if only you could actually touch the holograms, learning surgery remotely could become a possibility.