Scientists at Brigham Young University (BYU) have advanced the current realm of 3D image projection technology by demonstrating full color optical trap displays (OTD) for both images and live-action moving pictures. The OTD involves using lasers to trap and move around a tiny particle while simultaneously shining a combination of red, green, blue or RGB light on it. When the color projection is at a frame rate of faster than 10 frames/second, the human eye is not able to detect the frames but instead considers it as a continuous image. This allows for a literal "3D printing of light" in that the particle can trace out a full image in 3D space while the human eye views it as a physical 3D image. Compare it with typical holograms, which involve using reflected light which, at only specific angles, give an optical illusion of a 3D image.

The BYU crew currently has currently demonstrated this technology for a tiny 1 cm³ display size. While it will obviously need to be scaled up and developed to allow trapping for multiple particles, the future possibilities of this technology quite literally bring science fiction to reality.

As usual, the Action Lab YouTube channel has a good video overview of the BYU findings.

https://youtu.be/rD7i9WzRHeM
25 June 2021

Images

Here are some images that capture the amazing capabilities and opportunities made possible with 3D image projection.

Compare with typical holograms that are just optical illusions:

More Videos

Here are several more videos on the topic, from BYU and Nature.

https://youtu.be/N12i_FaHvOU
4 May 2021

https://youtu.be/1aAx2uWcENc
24 January 2018

https://youtu.be/YRZMdQOMPNQ
24 January 2018

Articles

Several articles and news releases regarding the BYU team and their research are listed below.

http://news.prod.brigham-young.psdops.com/_preview?_cms.db.previewId=00000179-38a5-d0c0-ad7b-fbb79f680000&_date=
4 May 2021

https://news.byu.edu/news/better-hologram-byu-study-produces-3d-images-float-thin-air
23 January 2018

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-01125-y
24 January 2018

Papers

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-86495-6
PDF: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-86495-6.pdf
PDF archive: https://web.archive.org/web/20211017180347/https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-86495-6.pdf?error=cookies_not_supported&code=00ac910f-a69e-4a39-9181-771299c75a40
MES local PDF: https://1drv.ms/b/s!As32ynv0LoaIiPRFslEEEBBmtEWL-w?e=JQgh4s
6 April 2021

https://www.nature.com/articles/nature25176
25 January 2018
Note: Paper is behind a paywall

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-00859-z
24 January 2018
Note: Paper is behind a paywall

Official Website

There official website can be accessed at: https://www.smalleyholography.org/

As expected, several big name institutions are backing this technology, including the United States Airforce and NASA.