Smart holograms
Holography was described in the 1950s as “of dubious practicality” and “a white elephant”. Today, holograms are a part of everyday life and a new generation of ‘smart’ holograms are ready to work their magic in our homes, shops and industries.
Data breakout
| 6% | Estimated world trade (US $200Bn) per year in counterfeit goods |
|---|---|
| 70 | Number of patents Lowe holds (in addition to an OBE) |
| No. 3 | Smart Holograms’ rank in Telegraph Top 50 University Spin-Out Companies 2011 |
Professor Christopher Lowe of the University of Cambridge and colleagues have created ‘smart’ holograms – a revolutionary intelligent optical sensor technology for a wide number of applications – by fabricating them in flexible gels that bear specific receptors so they swell or change in colour, brightness or image in response to specific physical, chemical and biological stimuli.
Conceived in the late 1990s for point-of-care medical diagnostics, Smart Holograms Ltd was founded in 2004 with funds including studentships from BBSRC. They are widely applicable in applications such as brand protection, authenticity, and medical and veterinary diagnosis.
Smart Holograms Ltd is offering partners and end users bespoke solutions focusing on three main markets: brand protection, product verification and medical diagnostics. and is now concentrating its efforts in the critical care market.
Image: Smart Holograms