I would appear that we are quite far away from the holographic society that we see in Star Wars and other science fiction movies, but we are making baby steps toward it. Some of you remember when we covered CNN’s hologram of will.i.am, and the Holocube.

Another impressive step into a fully-functioning holographic society has recently occurred at the International Stationery and Office Products Fair in Tokyo, Japan. It was here that Epson presented their two-dimensional hologram.

I realize that two-dimensional holograms sounds like an oxymoron, but this is probably the only way we can achieve a holographic effect, for now. A rear projector beams a video presentation onto a 0.3 millimeter thin slab of glass cut into the shape of the subject matter.

In this case, it is an attractive spokeswoman. I’m guessing that she doesn’t have much room to move if the glass is cut precisely into her shape, but if all she has to do is stand and speak, how much of a holographic effect do you need?

Still, I would pay money to see this lady say “help me Obi-Wan Kenobi”. However, the shape probably wouldn’t hold when she squats down to turn off the Artoo unit.

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