If you were around Los Altos Library last Sunday afternoon, you would have heard waves of laughter and applause as Dr. Eliza Du, CEO of Integem, demonstrated the wonders of Holographic Augmented Reality (Holographic AR) to a raving audience of over one hundred people. A featured event of the 8th Annual Bay Area Science Festival, this hands-on workshop aimed to inspire interests in science and engineering in young people by engaging them in fun, compelling, and interactive Holographic AR adventures.
With the help of a young volunteer, Dr. Du started the event by introducing Avenger 3: Infinity War, an immersive Holographic AR game based on the action film of the same name. As soon as the volunteer stepped on stage, a digital extraction of his body appeared on the overhead screen, and the audience burst into applause. Excitements continued to fill the air as he navigated through the fantasy world and engaged in combats with alien creatures using no external gadgets but body movements alone. The game ended with a standing ovation from the audience.
This mesmerizing experience is made possible by Integem’s groundbreaking Holographic AR solutions, iCreator, and iPlayer. With these innovations, people everywhere can easily transform their imaginations into interactive stories and see themselves partake in the excitement. After explaining the art and science behind the technology, Dr. Du talked about how K-12 students can benefit from playing and creating immersive games. Learning Holographic AR allow students to discover, express, and practice their creative thinking skills and problem-solving abilities through multiple channels including storytelling, animation making, and computer programming. In Integem’s signature summer camps, explicitly designed to foster creativity in children, students also have many opportunities to collaborate in groups, participate in STEAM-focused (STEAM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) activities, present their creations, and evaluate each other’s work.
Next, Integem’s summer camp graduate Masato came on stage to discuss his project about surviving in the wilderness. He explained his design processes and invited a volunteer to come play the game. Masato had a great time brainstorming what obstacles and challenges to include in his story to make it more engaging. The player also had a lot of fun defeating ferocious animals and fixing malfunctioned helicopters. The audience applauded every time a mission was accomplished. The ending brought everyone into peals of laughter as a picture of the president of the United States, Donald Trump, looking terrified next to a much larger and distraught looking Vladimir Putin, former president of Russia, showed up on the screen along with a caption that read “I forgot the meeting.” With actions, humor, and surprises, this seemingly straightforward plot showcased Masato’s creative strengths and the potential of Holographic AR to transform abstract ideas into interactive adventures.
After Masato’s lively presentation, the audience engaged in an informative Q&A session where they expressed much interest in Holographic AR and the various education programs available. Afterward, people were invited to try their hand at playing Holographic AR games. They enjoyed the experiences so much that they did not want to leave. Integem plans to host more interactive workshops like this to give people more opportunities to learn and experience Holographic AR.
At last, Integem wants to thank Bay Area Science Festival for bringing this fun and educational event to local residents. Integem is proud to take part in this great initiative to celebrate technology and raise awareness of the fantastic scientific resources available across the region. For additional information on Holographic AR and ways to get involved, please contact Integem to learn more.
