CNN 'beams up' virtual correspondent

Nov 05, 2008
CNN said it was first time in TV history that the 3D hologram technology had been used
CNN viewers saw double when the cable news giant used a hologram to "beam up" reporter Jessica Yellin, seen here in 2006, from Chicago to New York for election analysis.

CNN viewers saw double Tuesday when the cable news giant used a hologram to "beam up" a reporter from Chicago to New York for election analysis.



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User comments : 19

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earls
3.8 / 5 (8) Nov 05, 2008
Was this only visible on the television screen or could you see her projection in the studio?

What a fantastic time to unveil a new technology.

It's like we finally moved into the 21st century overnight.

I imagine this will become common place very shortly.
Doug_Huffman
2 / 5 (8) Nov 05, 2008
And Bog Brother was popularized sometime prior to 1984.
Yes
4 / 5 (8) Nov 05, 2008
No hologram, holographic like image.
neat though
SLam_to
4.2 / 5 (6) Nov 05, 2008
It was visible only on screen, not in the studio.

It was quite impressive, the camera moved and panned around occasionally and all camera angles were tracked.
nano999
4.8 / 5 (12) Nov 05, 2008
People in the media are total retards when it comes to science and technology. She's not a 'hologram" and she's not being 'beamed in'. Blitzer was standing there looking at nothing. We've been superimposing objects on the tv for a long time now, why is this so fascinating?
GIR
5 / 5 (5) Nov 05, 2008
Agreed nano999
dev2000
5 / 5 (5) Nov 05, 2008
Agreed. While interesting in theory, the implementation is less impressive than the virtual yellow line on football field. Definitely not a "hologram". Maybe she should be called a "Virtual Guest"?
SciTechdude
5 / 5 (2) Nov 05, 2008
Help me Obi-wan, you're my only hope!

Srsly though, Just put her in a tent with one camera at her face. That's just as good for a stupid cable news show. She didn't have anything interesting to say anyway.
x646d63
3 / 5 (3) Nov 05, 2008
The technology is already good enough to make her appear to TV viewers to be right there in the studio. The haziness and glow was added so the viewer knew she wasn't really there.

Keep in mind that this technology is good enough to fool any viewer into thinking that person is there in the studio. That means it's good enough to place anyone filmed (with the special equipment) into any video feed anywhere at any time.

Wag the dog anyone?
Milou
1.7 / 5 (6) Nov 05, 2008
Leave it to CNN for sugar coating crap. CNN will feed us non-stop crap, make up half of it, make us think it's the most important thing in our lives, and never verify the integrity of the reporting. Another words they masturbate the news to us. Their hologram is like adding silk to cover up shit. I would not waist my time even glacing at their reporting. Let's get our lives back, man!
GeoffPen
4.7 / 5 (7) Nov 05, 2008
What I dislike about this display is that the host acted as though she was being visibly projected in front of him. They completely misrepresented the technology and made no attempt to explain how her image was produced. They purposefully left the average viewer assuming that she really was being presented as a hologram.
SciTechdude
5 / 5 (3) Nov 05, 2008
There is actually hologram technology that has been developed by the porn industry. (Go figure) Thus far it's pretty boxy still, like dancing naked girl in a box (that looks 3d).

That little red circle in the studio is just so Blitzer knows where to look and make gestures. Hologram technology isn't near that far advanced.
Falcon
5 / 5 (2) Nov 05, 2008
Jeez come on this is just more hollywood bull/special affects. I have seen better CGI in the video game Command and Conquer: Tiberium Sun made circa 1998...
googleplex
3 / 5 (4) Nov 05, 2008
I looked at the manufacturers website and downloaded the video on how it works to try to deduce the physics. A HD projector produces a 2D image on a semitransparent screen called a foil. The image appears free standing as the foil screen is invisible in the darkend projection stage. The image is not fully colimated like in a professional grade aircraft simulator. So as the viewer moves their head the image does not change perspective.
This issue is worked around by keeping the viewers position static and at a distance. Also the focul length is kept long using 3 reflective surfaces in the viewing stage. This makes perspective difficult to see (negligable) and the brain is fooled into thinking it is 3D.
Very cool and I am sure it will be greatly improved upon.
dbren
5 / 5 (3) Nov 05, 2008
This is the same technology that "projects" lines onto football fields. It's just that in this case the person is digitized from the images of the cameras, not generated inside a graphics computer. Evolutionary, not revolutionary.
googleplex
not rated yet Nov 05, 2008
jimboalogo
3 / 5 (4) Nov 06, 2008
WeAreGods: Obama sucks and so does CNN


He's only had to do one thing so far (beat McCain). He beat the holy crap out of that old man, so he can't possibly suck. This is a democratic society. Support the president the people elected or LEAVE.
ShadowRam
5 / 5 (2) Nov 06, 2008
Lame Augmented reality trick thats been around forever. Not impressed.
Yes
not rated yet Nov 06, 2008
I wonder what bandwidth do you need to beam up 16 monochromatic super high resolution interference patterns, to obtain a 16 color real hologram?

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