I chatted with a hologram at CES 2024, and it was as cool as it sounds

Soon you may be able to upgrade your video calls with life-sized holograms of your colleagues.

At CES you encounter so many new products and innovative technologies that it’s not often that something stops you dead in your tracks, but this technology merited that reaction from me. Holograms are no longer limited to sci-fi movies and may be in your future sooner than you think with the Holobox.

At CES Unveiled, a press-only pre-show event, Holoconnects showcased its AI-powered holographic solution, Holobox. The box, similar to a phone booth, can display a full-sized holographic rendering of the person you are talking to with nearly no latency, making it feel like a normal conversation.

Sabrina Ortiz from ZDnet had the chance to talk to Andre Smith, CEO of Holoconnects, via the Holobox at the event. Even though he was in Amsterdam, and I was 5,000 plus miles away in Las Vegas, it felt like I was talking to him in person, being able to carry out a regular conversation with the typical pauses.

For me to see a hologram of him, he had to be well-lit with a white background. Since I was standing in the showroom without the proper background and lighting, he couldn’t see a hologram of me but rather a camera shot, similar to a Zoom call.

Although it seems like super advanced technology, the only things the Holobox needs to function are electricity and the internet, making it a “plug and play” system.

Some other features of the box are anti-glare glass, two HiFi built-in speakers, an 86″ transparent LCD screen, and an advanced touch system. According to Holoconnects, many companies are already harnessing the technology, including UNICEF, the United Nations, Nike, Vodafone, BMW, Deloitte, and T-Mobile. The company also offers a desktop version of Holobox Mini technology. The website does not reveal the pricing for its solutions, but interested customers can request a pricing list.