HS modified with the digital option. Note the extra electromechanics and electro-optics bay installed under the main table (left) and the digital control rack (right).

The digital option effectively converts a HS mini-studio into a 3D digital printing machine. Monochrome Reflection and Rainbow Transmission holograms of up to 40cm x 60cm may now be produced from a digital computer model or from 3D digitally scanned data. 

How is it done?

The existing laser installed in the HS main optical unit is used in the "pilot-mode" of operation to produce a 2Hz low energy beam. This beam is used in a highly specialized electro-optical and electromechanical scheme (patent pending) that is installed beneath the main optical table (see left). The equipment fitted below the table takes information from the client's computer and converts it into a form where it can be written onto a photographic plate or film by the pulsed laser beam. The result is a digital master that can be transferred to produce either a reflection or transmission hologram of high quality. 

Screenshot of part of the highly sophisticated HRIP^TM software interface that is included with the Digital Option.

 Image Design courtesy of Didier Florentz
zephyr@flober.com

What 3D Software can I use?

Our system is designed to work with the 3D scenes created in 3D StudioMax^TM software. However plug-ins to the  well-known 3D softwares, such as Lightwave^TM, SoftImage^TM, Bryce 3D^TM, POV-Ray, VRML^TM etc. can be easily implemented to our software.

What Does HRIP^TM Software Include?

The HRIP^TM software (included) provides 

• Job Queue management

• A Web Browser Printer Manager

• Network Administration 

Overview

The system is supplied with its own rack mounted computer server (including consol and keyboard) onto which files to be printed are uploaded. The operator can select jobs, preview them and control all major printing parameters either automatically or manually.

The main server is connected via a standard 10/100 Mbit/s Ethernet network using  TCP/IP protocol. Files may be spooled and printing status may be monitored from a remote computer connected to the client's intranet or, indeed if selected, to the internet.

Image Resolution

Each 2D digital image that makes up a 3D hologram is written at a resolution of 764x1024 pixels. For a rainbow hologram of 40cm x 60cm around 300 such images are multiplexed together. For a reflection hologram of 40 x 60cm around 9000 images are multiplexed together. The multiplexing of many images together significantly improves the final 3D hologram resolution, leading to a pleasing result strongly reminiscent of a pixel-less analogue hologram.