The Holographic Classroom

Holography has a long history as a teaching tool, from the early use as interactive 3D representations of skulls, dental molds and religious relics to the current trend of integration into mixed reality to enhance the teaching and learning process. In this article, we take a look at the evolving role of the technology in teaching and, conversely, at how educators teach students about the technology.

Demonstrations and practicals

One of the major problems in classroom-based teaching is to maintain student attention and focus. (Editor note: as a qualified science teacher, I know this to be true from bitter experience). An effective way to overcome this is through demonstrations and practicals that use equipment and props to explain an underlying concept. The traditional approach to classroom experiments requires long hours of preparation from the teacher and technicians with little guarantee of the student truly understanding the objectives of the lesson. (Editor note: also true from bitter experience).

A study, reported in the International Journal of Nursing Education ¹, combined holographic imaging and hand gesture recognition technologies to develop an intuitive and control-based interactive holographic imaging teaching aid system to help train nurses.

The structure of a heart was developed through 3D scanning, which was then converted into a 3D vector layer object in post production. After segmenting the 3D object into different images with different viewing angles, a display system was used to project a floating holographic image of the structure to enhance visual props for instructors and learners. By using a gesture sensing module, instructors could freely operate teaching objects by using intuitive gesture controls during the lesson.

In the post-course assessment, students reported higher than normal motivation and effectiveness for the course and teachers commented on the convenience of using the hologram system.

Simulation

Over recent years, interactive learning has grown in importance as a pedagogical approach to sustain student involvement in the learning process. Again in the medical field, lecturers can conduct a live simulation for their students to learn a surgery procedure by using commercially available holographic technology ².

The same approach can be applied to diagnostic, surgical planning and image guided treatments. EchoPixel – a privately held, venture backed company located in Santa Clara (US) – has developed the True 3D system that allows medical professionals to interact with patient-specific organs and tissue in an open 3D space emanating from a display. This enables doctors to immediately identify and evaluate clinically significant structures.

A different approach is taken by education and examination body Pearson, who have created a set of ‘scripted pathologies’ in the HoloPatient which is a suite of holographic educational applications, where users can press a button on a Microsoft Hololens headset, to conjure up a 3D, life-size patient virtually into the classroom ³.

Engineering and design

Holography allows for the visualisation of complex engineering designs and architectural models. Students can view three-dimensional holographic representations of buildings, bridges, or mechanical systems, providing a better understanding of structural elements and spatial relationships. This can be particularly useful in fields such as civil engineering and architecture.

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Architectural or engineering teachers can use holograms to display 3D structures to students. The students get an enhanced sense of the relationship between elements in 3D space beyond what they can see in a plan or elevation drawing.

Teaching holography

The science behind holography, which encompasses a whole range of optical phenomena, makes it an ideal subject to include in degree level physics programmes. Many universities offer courses in optics and photonics that include holography as a topic. These courses typically cover the theoretical aspects of holography, including diffraction, laser technology, interference, and wavefront recording and reconstruction.

To learn the practice of holography, students seem to prefer the tutorial style of learning. One institute offering courses in holography is The International School of Holography, founded by internationally renowned holographer, Linda Law. The programme of learning builds on the existing technology while exploring the evolving forms of holography and supporting technologies.

To learn more about the courses on offer go to www.internationalschoolofholography.com.

1 - Chang, Y. M., & Lai, C. L. (2018). “Floating Heart” Application of Holographic 3D Imaging in Nursing Education. International Journal of Nursing Education, 10(4).

2 - Mishra, S. (2017) ‘Hologram the future of medicine – From Star Wars to clinical imaging’, Indian Heart Journal, 69(4), pp. 566–567. doi: 10.1016/j.ihj.2017.07.017

3 - Orenstein, B. W. (2016) Virtual Radiology: New Viewing Platform Creates Interactive Medical Imaging Holograms, Radiology Today. Available at: https://www.radiologytoday.net/archive/rt1216p14.shtml