Vizoo has developed a patented system that projects three dimensional holographic video, viewable from 360 degrees, that literally floats in space.

In our last edition of Technology That Will Change Your Business, we featured Microsoft Surface Computing (see story). This installment will focus on 3D video.

When I was young, 3D video meant wearing funny looking cardboard glasses to be amazed when a monster seemingly jumped out of the theatre screen. Today, 3D video means experiencing a true, free floating three dimensional image in real time with no special viewing apparatus.

Remember in Star Wars when R2D2 projected an image of Princes Leia asking Obi-Won for help? It seems George Lucas' science fiction has been turned into science fact by Danish video company Vizoo (www.vizoo.com).

Vizoo has developed a patented system that projects three dimensional holographic video, viewable from 360 degrees, that literally floats in space.

The video embedded in this page gives a brief explanation of the technology. As this additional video of a unit installed in a retail window shows, the effect on humans is mesmerizing (The woman in the shop window is projected using Vizoo technology). That "mesmerizing" effect has advertisers scrambling to find new ways to implement the technology to promote products and services.

How will this technology change the way rent-to-own and retail stores do business? Project (pardon the pun) 3D video technology to its logical conclusion and you see the following:

- The next generation of game consoles that bring players one step closer to living and interacting inside the game.

- In-store virtual salespeople that can be activated by customers to give a sales pitch tailored to individual customer demographics - Virtual employees where age, sex, language and even varying accents can be tested, refined and implemented.

- Three dimensional floating billboards. See the movie Blade Runner for more information.

Technologies that 3D video will cause to go the way of the buggy-whip:

- All current game consoles

- Flat screen TVs. After all, why buy a flat screen when you can have actors on a 3 dimensional stage in your living room.

When will this technology be widely available?

Don't hold your breathe. Computing power is just now to the point where 3D video is becoming practical. The first uses will be product demonstrations at trade shows. This will expand into in-store displays and eventually be integrated into consumer electronics such as game consoles and TVs.

This process of getting 3D technology into consumer's homes will likely take a decade or more. Who knows - by then, 4D technology will be invented and we'll be starting all over again.