Examining Designer's Experiences in Dealing with Holographic Technology

As the world moves toward complexity and new technologies appear, new demands are also created. In this process, design issues are also getting more complicated and there is a need for using new technologies for presenting the design ideas. One of these new technologies, is holographic image, which can help designers to present their ideas in 3d form. This paper is concern with introducing, investigating and studying holographic image and holographic print as a new technology. A hologram is a physical structure that diffracts light into an image. The term hologram can refer to both the encoded material and the resulting image. A holographic image can be seen by looking into an illuminated holographic print or by shining a laser through a hologram and projecting the image onto a screen. Three-dimensional hologram is a full-color image with high resolution but without space limitation. Users can see a real object, while interacting with the virtual image of the object. These images in human eye are seen hovering in perspective and with depth. This creates an experience extremely close to reality in the mind of people. Recently, this technology is used to create three-dimensional printing. These prints have the nature of a hologram and are able to convert two-dimensional images into illuminating three-dimensional objects. Making a model can be done in various ways, such as handmade models by help of different tools like laser cutters and also three-dimensional prints. Three-dimensional printing known as rapid prototyping is one the most popular, which is most accurate and quick. These models are printed in a layering process in which, most materials are harmful substances for environment and also for the user. Therefore, it is not sustainable. For this study a holographic print was compare with a three-dimensional print. Therefore, after conducting a literature review, 27 designers and architects were exposed to an object of holographic technology created by virtual applications available in mobile phone and a three-dimensional prototype by a 3d printing method. The subject was a car, which was produced by both technology. After introducing both models to the designers, questionnaires were given to them. The gathered data, were analyzed by Excel software. Results were showed that despite of all the positive properties of holographic technology, such as its attraction, fine details, color, etc., designers were still interested in using three-dimensional printing. This is due to the high cost of Holographic printing and the sense of touching. Designers mentioned that, the model seems more real to them, when they can get it in their hands and touch it, rather than seeing it in a virtual space, with many fine and precis details. It could also be related to the internal resistance to change, which is natural. Since three-dimensional holograms are very new, it takes time that people get used to them. Obviously, by passing the time, the cost of this technology, would reduce and it is getting more widespread.