MIT and Holography: An Ongoing Relationship

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has a long relationship with holography, dating back to 1968 and Professor Stephen Benton, a leading figure in the field and the inventor of rainbow holography. Benton joined MIT in the late 1980s and established the Spatial Imaging Group within the Media Lab. This article briefly covers the activities between MIT and holography.

Hands-on holography

Continuing to nurture interest in holography, MIT organised its annual ‘Hands-On Holography’ course during the Independent Activities Period (IAP) in January 2025. This course provides 30 students with a practical introduction to wave optics, interference, and diffraction, culminating in creating their holograms in the lab.

Participants also explored computergenerated holography (CGH) and gained deeper insights into the field through visits to the newly renovated MIT Museum.