One of the most iconic images in Star Wars history is the tiny hologam of Princess Leia, pleading for help from venerable Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi. If you have ever wanted to send a similar type of message, Holo Messenger from AiFi might be worth trying out once it gets its official release.
Inspired by the holographic messaging system used in Star Wars, Holo Messenger lets users record a video message using their phones, then applies augmented reality (AR) filters to make the image appear like the grainy, blue-tinted holograms used in the movies. You can even have the message projected by a droid like BB8 or R2D2 for extra added nerd points.
Holo Messenger has been developed using Apple’s ARKit toolset, so will likely be released on iOS. There is no current word on any plans to port to Android to take advantage of ARCore. The app is not yet available on the App Store, but the AiFi team will be at CES 2018, located on Booth #53068 at Eureka Park.
The AiFi team will also be showcasing another AR-based smartphone app, which allows users to remove their image from a photo or video and change the background to any kind of image they want. Using the Wonderlens app, users can appear to be swimming with dolphins, atop the Eiffel Tower, or add themselves to family gathering despite being perhaps hundreds of miles away. The app allows for a moving image to be edited in real time to add a new video background.
AiFi is drawing on its work in computer vision and artificial intelligence with the development of these apps. The company believes that AI is one of the biggest upcoming areas of development, and envisions a time when AI-based applications will be as common as WiFi is today.
A video demonstration of the Holo Messenger app is available to view below. VRFocus will have a presence at CES 2018 and will be bringing you all the latest news and hands-on reports from the show floor.