Chapter 1

1. Introduction

The Heliodisplay is an interactive technology that projects into the air still or moving images

that can be manipulated with a fingertip. Chad Dyner, a graduate student at the Massachusetts

Institute of Technology and chief executive officer for IO2 Technologies, has invented the

Heliodisplay, which condenses the air above a video projector.[1] A projector is focused onto

a layer of mist in mid-air, resulting in a two-dimensional display that appears to float.

Heliodisplay can work as a free-space touch screen when connected to a PC by a USB cable.

For a PC Heliodisplay acts as a pointing device, like a mouse. With the supplied software

installed, one can use a finger, pen, or another object as cursor control and navigate or

interact with simple content. Heliodisplay does not require any screen or substrate other than

air to project its image.Heliodisplay’s work on any power source, 90-240V,50 or 60 Hz. No

fog or special chemical is required. Heliodisplay does not affect the environment as it works

using the existing air that is already in the room to create the image.As dark areas of the

image may appear invisible, the image may be more realistic than on a projection screen.

Heliodisplay is a patented projection system designed to project video, products, information,

people in mid-air (50" & 90" diagonal form factor.The Heliodisplay requires a power outlet,

and a computer, TV, DVD or alternate video source. The current version of the Heliodisplay

projects a 22' to 42' diagonal image that floats above the device.. You can connect the

Heliodisplay to any video output, or insert a CF (Compact Flash) card with AVI or JPEG files

into the Heliodisplay, and project any images or video in mid-air.The Heliodisplay system is

backward compatible and accepts most 2D video sources (PC,TV, DVD, HDTV, Video game

consoles). For connection to a computer, the Heliodisplay uses a standard monitor VGA

connection; for TV or DVD viewing, it connects using a standard RGB video cable.

Fig1.representation of heliodisplay fig2.heliodisplay as touchscreen

Chapter 2

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2. Literature Survey

2.1 Evolution of Heliodisplay

Science-Fiction meets reality with this new video display technology that would have been

the perfect definition of heliodisplay when people got to know about this technology back in

2003.In late 2003, a small company from the San Francisco Bay Area demonstrated a unique

revolutionary display technology. The prototype device projected an image in thin air just

above it, creating an illusion of a floating hologram. The development of this distinctive

technology was the basis of “Heliodisplay” an interactive technology that projects into the air

still or moving images that can be manipulated with a fingertip. Initially it was five-inch

prototype in his apartment before patenting the free-space display technology, and founding

IO2 Technology LLC to further develop the product in 2008 .But now an image as large 2

metres can be projected using heliodisplay.

2.2 Basic Unit Details

The basic units of heliodisplay are base unit and projection source as shown in figure 3. The

projection source unit projects images onto the mid-air. The base unit produces the water

vapour screen necessary to display the image. The image can be viewed from behind the base

unit. The Heliodisplay is designed to be hidden (into a pedestal, table etc.), so that only its

projected image is visible. The display connects to a standard video source (such as DVD

player or PC) and projects any images that would be viewable on a computer screen or

television. No specialized hardware or software is needed to view images. The Heliodisplay’s

projected image hovers just above the base unit. The display is less bold than a normal

computer screen. The housing of the Heliodisplay is floor bound and water particles rise

rather than descend

FIG.3.basic units of heliodisplay

2.3 Working Of Heliodisplay

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Heliodisplay images are not holographic although they are free-space, employing a rear

projection system in which images are captured onto a nearly invisible plane of transformed

air. Displaying an image using conventional projectors requires a non-transparent medium,

typically screens, walls, or even water, but air, which is transparent, cannot be used. A more

recent development is the Fog Screen, which creates an image in mid-air by employing a

large, non-turbulent airflow to protect the dry fog generated within from turbulence. The

result is a thin, stable sheet of fog, sandwiched between two layers of air, on which an image

can be projected and even walked through. The Heliodisplay is based on the same principle.

[1]

Heliodisplay does not require any screen or substrate other than air to project its image, but it

does eject a water-based vapour curtain for the image to be projected upon. Apparently, the

Heliodisplay creates a particle cloud by passing the surrounding air through a heat pump,

which in turn cools the air to a level below its dew point, where it condensates, and is then

collected to create an artificial cloud. The particle cloud is composed of a vast number of

individual micro droplets, between 1-10 microns in diameter, too small to be visible to the

naked eye, held together by surface tension. The curtain is produced using similar ultrasonic

technology as used in foggers and comprises a number of columns of fog. This curtain is

sandwiched between curtains of clean air to create an acceptable screen. The projection

medium includes several air streams, independent fan banks, and a 10 micron semi invisible

atomized water particle Thus Heliodisplay transforms water into a unique screen of fine

vapour , suspended in mid-air to create a nearly invisible screen into which any image can be

projected. Fig 4 explains the working of heliodsplay. Heliodisplay transforms ambient air

using a proprietary multi-stage system of modifying the optical characteristics within a planar

region in which polychromatic light is scattered on this surface such that the image appears

visible to the viewer.

Fig 4.Working of heliodisplay.

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2.4Comparison with other available display technologies

Other available technologies for projecting images include conventional projections, fog

screen technology, Perspecta and Traub’s display technology. Of these technologies

conventional projection systems require a non-transparent medium, typically screens, walls or

water. Secondly they make use of xenon gas for display of images. Thus this technology

serves harmful to environment and is very much tedious to control unlike heliodisplay which

is simple to use and eco-friendly. Fog screen definitely is somehow similar to heliodisplay it

projects high-quality images onto a thin laminar air flow of water vapour. Though similar to

heliodisplay but still this technology affects the electronic devices in its vicinity. Thus this

technology is unfit to use. Perspscta has developed an incredibly high performance three-

dimensional display nearly 100 million voxels and interactivity at fingertips. It is mainly used

for medical purposes. Though this technology is far better as compared to heliodisplay still it

remains confined to medical applications only.

Thus heliodisplay outcastes other available technologies with its added advantages and

features.

Chapter 3

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3. Proposed Work

3.1 Interactive Heliodisplays

Heliodisplay transforms ambient air using a proprietary multi-stage system of modifying the

optical characteristics within a planar region in which polychromatic light is scattered on this

surface such that the image appears visible to the viewer. An advanced optical tracking

system monitors finger movement within in the image region and is translated into cursor

control movements, enabling the Heliodisplay to be utilized both as an Input & Output device

in two-dimensional space. Many model featuring touch screen facility were launched from

year 2008 onwards. They majorly include model M3i, L90i, P series

3.1.1 Model M3i

M3iserves as a computer input device for cursor control in a desktop environment. [3]

It supports a 30" image with 16.7 million Colours and a 2000:1 contrast ratio. It allows a

finger placed on the floating image to act as a computer pointing device. The user can interact

with floating images or video, and manipulate them as you could with a mouse, including

clicking and dragging. The M3i comes with Heliocast software and PC drivers to enable this.

3.1.2. Model L90i

L90i is backward compatible. The interactive model (L90i) requires a basic PC with

Windows XP or Windows 7, and at least 1.5 GHz CPU and 1 GB of RAM, two USB ports,

and 4MB free disk space for the software drivers. It is also recommended that you have no

direct light sources (such as lamps) within 0.5 meter of the air image you will be using for

interactivity. To use interactivity, just connect the Heliodisplay to your PC with the supplied

USB cable, and install the touch-screen drivers.L90i comes with its own 4500 lumen

projector optimized for Heliodisplay.

3.1.3 P-Series

P-series Heliodisplay Projection systems are designed with simpler operation functionality

and advanced controls for integrating and use. P-series incorporate an optical sync between

components that they are in direct communication link so only one button or trigger is

required to operate as they all turn on and shut down in sync. Communication ports allow for

the helio projection and helio base to be controlled remotely in an installation via a remote

controller or PC. On board diagnostic features support timing and other advanced

independent controls via a controller or PC. Built in gesture control allows even simpler

operation, such as hand waving to turn on the unit without actually touching the device. To

project the images and videos, air should be touched. The PRX2 projection unit includes

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proprietary baffling to reduce the viewing of the light source and beam-steering optics

shorten the throw distance by 10”(25cm) while simultaneously allowing for easy control of

the projection angle without even moving the projection. In addition, and only available in

the in the P92”, the base system can operate in any orientation from0-180 degrees. It also has

USB playback from projection unit

3.2 Advantages:

1. The main advantage of heliodisplay is that it needs no screen to project image. It changes

the air and creates a dynamic non-solid particle of cloud on to which the image is

projected.

2. The device is also light weight and designed to conceal inside furniture. Therefore we can

create an effect of displaying images in mid-air.

3. Viewing requires no special glasses or any other background or foreground screening.

4. No other additives or chemicals are needed only plain tap water is necessary.

5. Though Projected images and video are two-dimensional, (i.e. Planar) but appear 3-D

since there is no physical depth reference

6. The equipment comes in an energy-efficient, relatively light weight and no special work,

stand or support to install.

7. The Heliodisplay system is backward compatible and accepts most 2D video sources

(PC,TV, DVD, HDTV, Video game consoles

8. It supports all available image formats and is 3D compatible

9. You can connect the Heliodisplay to any video output and project any images or video in

mid-air.

10. The display is interactive, and no special glove or pointing device is required.

11. It requires no additional hardware or software and works with regular content.

12. Heliodisplay does not create fog. So it does not cause any problems to the other electronic

equipment’s in its vicinity

13. No training required to use it, however just like with most video equipment, proper

planning and setup are important. Connect the video cable, flip a switch, and see video in

mid-air.

14. Heliodisplay, images can be seen up to75 degrees off aspect for a total viewing area of

over150 degrees.

15. It can be used anywhere around the globe since it works on 95-115 or 220-240V

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VAC

16 The technology is eco-friendly and low power consuming

3.3 Disadvantages:

1. Needs controlled lighting for best working conditions.

2. An image becomes less visible under bright light.

3. Wind and bright light interferes with image visibility.

4. It is expensive technology.

3.4 Applications:

1. Advertising and Promotion, e.g.: trade shows; in-store displays; museum, movie and

casino displays; theme parks.

2. Collaborative Decision Making, e.g.: board meetings and presentations; command and

control; architectural and engineering design; teleconferencing.

3. Simulation & Training, e.g.: virtual targets; pre-operative planning.

4. Consumer, e.g.: video games; home theatre.

5. Heads-up displays in new fields. e.g.: a patient's vital signs could hover above the chest

during open heart surgery.

6. Build the Heliodisplay into furniture, e.g. project from desk.

7. Heliodisplay enterprise solutions provide various options not available in the standard

product lineup and solution tool-kit ranging from tele-presence, military targeting, smart

marketing portals, virtual "holo"assistants, to virtual air-touch monitors

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