MIT Researchers Create Hologram-Like 3D Images Using an Inkjet Printer

You don’t need a pricey 3D-printer in order to create hologram-like 3D images.

In fact, a team MIT researchers have figured out how to create hologram-like 3D images of human faces utilizing a standard inkjet printer.

Lumii’s holograms feature true 3D parallax movement in all directions, enabling a 3D model to be broken down into multiple layers, unlike lenticular lenses.

The multiple layers can then be printed off with a normal inkjet printer thanks to a custom image-processing algorithm, which can then be stacked on top of each other in order to create a 3D effect that can be inspected from various angles.

At the moment, these hologram-like 3D images require a backlight to produce the highest quality 3D effect so Lumii is focusing on places like airports and subways for potential 3D advertisements.