Star Trek fans can celebrate knowing that the holodeck is quickly becoming a part of their reality — sort of.
Toronto-based media and technology company ARHT is currently previewing the latest UI for its ARHT CAPSULE technology.
An ARHT CAPSULE in the company’s Toronto location
This UI, ‘quick mode,‘ allows ARHT CAPSULE users to livestream remote attendees into their meetings using a web browser.
Remote attendees can set themselves up with whatever camera, lighting and backdrop they have available. When both the attendee and presenter log into the ARHT Engine (the transmission software), the CAPSULE establishes an encrypted video connection, similar to that of a video conferencing (VC) platform meeting.
‘Quick mode’ simplifies the ARHT CAPSULE experience compared to the ‘advanced’ mode. ‘Advanced’ mode can incorporate graphics, animations, and other layered elements into the hologram, however, it needs a technician to run the video feed.
Rehumanizing remote work
Terry Davis, ARHT’s senior vice president (SVP), emphasizes that the CAPSULE‘s purpose is to ‘rehumanize’ remote team collaboration. Although it appears as a flat screen, the CAPSULE deceives the eye into perceiving two planes of depth. Through a full-body hologram, in-person team members can interpret non-verbal cues and body language from their hybrid counterparts. This trick of the mind, Davis hopes, will enhance collaborative work compared to the disengaged communication of traditional VC platforms.
Terry Davis, SVP of ARHT, beaming in from New York City
However, the ARHT CAPSULE has other uses beyond serving as a lifelike VC platform. Andrew Dorcas, SVP of global sales and strategy at ARHT, shared that the CAPSULE has made headway sectors like entertainment, educational, cultural, retail and hospitality. 
Instead of a concierge standing at the entrance to a hotel, the CAPSULE can display a video of a concierge that interacts with people when they engage with the screen. A pharmacy could use the CAPSULE to provide information about customers’ prescriptions. Actors can virtually appear at movie premieres, or professors beam into a classroom.
Dorcas highlights that the common thread among these sectors is time. Remotely beaming people in saves travel time without compromising on human-like interactions.
The CAPSULE itself measures over two meters tall, nearly one-and-a-half meters wide, 80 cm in depth, and weighs 508 lbs. It has 4K resolution, 2D and 3D depth-sensing cameras, an interactive touch screen, and a plug-and-play system.
To learn more about ARHT and their technology, visit their website here.The post Beam us up, Scotty! first appeared on IT World Canada.