Looking Glass Documentation
Buy Looking GlassDiscord
  • Looking Glass User Guide
  • NEW! โœจLooking Glass Goโœจ
  • Displays
    • ๐Ÿ”ฎLooking Glass Go
      • โšกGet Started with Looking Glass Go
      • ๐Ÿ“ฑUsing the Go Mobile App
      • ๐Ÿ”†Liteformsโ„ข
      • ๐Ÿ–ฅ๏ธStandalone and Desktop Modes
      • ๐Ÿ”ŒPower and LED States
      • ๐Ÿช„Default Playlist
      • โญ๏ธWhat's Next?
      • ๐Ÿ‘œAccessories
      • โš™๏ธAdvanced Playlist Creation
      • โš™๏ธManual Firmware Update
      • โ“Common Troubleshooting Issues
    • ๐Ÿ”ฎLooking Glass 16" Light Field Displays
      • ๐Ÿช„Looking Glass 16" Light Field Display (Landscape)
      • ๐Ÿช„Looking Glass 16" Light Field Display (Portrait)
      • โ“Common Troubleshooting Issues
    • ๐Ÿ”ฎLooking Glass 32" Light Field Displays
      • ๐Ÿช„Looking Glass 32" Light Field Display (Landscape)
      • ๐Ÿช„Looking Glass 32" Light Field Display (Portrait)
      • โ“Common Troubleshooting Issues
    • ๐Ÿ”ฎLooking Glass 65" Light Field Display
    • ๐Ÿ”ฎLooking Glass Portrait
      • โšกGet Started with Looking Glass Portrait
      • ๐ŸŽ‡Demo Holograms
      • โ“Common Troubleshooting Issues
  • Software
    • ๐Ÿ“šOverview
    • ๐ŸŒ‰Looking Glass Bridge
      • โœจUsing Looking Glass Bridge
      • ๐ŸชŸDisplay Settings on Windows
      • ๐ŸŽDisplay Settings on macOS
      • ๐ŸงDisplay Settings on Linux
      • ๐Ÿ‘ทTroubleshooting
    • โš™๏ธLooking Glass Bridge SDK
      • ๐Ÿช›Web Application Integration
      • ๐Ÿ”ŒIntegrating Native Applications
      • ๐Ÿ““Native Function Reference
      • ๐ŸฆLooking Glass Core Migration Guide
    • ๐Ÿ”ŒUnity
      • ๐Ÿš€Unity Plugin 4.0-alpha
      • โšกUsing Unity with Looking Glass
      • Setting up your Development Environment
      • Example Scenes
      • Prefabs
        • Hologram Camera
        • 3D Cursor
        • Dual Monitor Application
      • Script Reference
        • HologramCamera.cs
        • LKGDisplaySystem.cs
        • QuiltCapture.cs
        • Cursor3D.cs
        • OrbitControls.cs
        • BlockUploader.cs
        • MobileDMAController.cs
        • iOS Sample Scene Scripts
          • ChangeInteractionModality.cs
          • XYSlider.cs
          • XYSpotlight.cs
          • AudioRotateControl.cs
          • ModelController.cs
          • DemoIOSUIController.cs
          • PageHandler.cs
          • PageConnectHandler.cs
          • PageCalibrateHandler.cs
          • PageTestHandler.cs
          • DynamicAlcove.cs
      • Package Integrations
        • Built-in Render Pipeline Post-Processing
      • Developing for iOS
      • Depth of Field and Other Post-Processing Effects
      • Quilt Video Audio and Playback
      • Developing for Ultraleap Hand Tracking on Looking Glass
      • Looking Glass Pro (Legacy)
      • Additional Support
      • Change Log
    • ๐Ÿ“ฝ๏ธLooking Glass Studio
      • ๐Ÿ“šUsing Looking Glass Studio
      • ๐ŸŽฌHologram Video iOS App
      • RGB-D Photo / Video
      • Quilt Images / Video
      • iPhone Portrait Photos
      • Android Depth Photos
        • Samsung Portrait Mode
      • Light Field Photosets
      • Exporting Holograms
      • Troubleshooting
    • ๐Ÿ‘€Looking Glass Model Viewer
    • ๐ŸงŠLooking Glass Blocks
      • โœจConvert any image into a hologram
      • โฌ†๏ธUploading, editing and sharing Quilts
      • ๐ŸฅฝViewing your holograms on different platforms
    • ๐ŸŽจOther Creator Tools
      • ๐ŸนBlender
      • ๐Ÿ”ŒUnreal Engine
        • ๐Ÿ—’๏ธChange Log and Old Versions
        • ๐Ÿ’ฝInstalling the Unreal Engine plugin
        • ๐ŸŽฅUsing the Unreal Engine Plugin
          • Using the HoloPlay Capture
          • Exporting Quilt Images and Video with Sequencer
        • Accessing HoloPlay Data with Blueprint Scripting
        • Packaging the Project
        • Unreal Engine 4 (Legacy Support)
          • Unreal Engine 4 Quick Start
            • Using the HoloPlay Capture
            • Exporting Quilt Images and Video with Sequencer
      • ๐ŸŒWebXR
        • ๐Ÿ”ถPlayCanvas
        • 3๏ธโƒฃ3๏ธโƒฃ Three.JS
        • โš›๏ธReact-Three-Fiber
        • ๐ŸŒˆSpline
    • ๐ŸงชExperiments
      • ๐Ÿ”†Liteformsโ„ข
        • ๐ŸชŸGet Started on Windows
        • ๐ŸŽGet Started on MacOS
        • ๐Ÿง™Making Custom Liteforms
        • ๐ŸชConfigure Liteforms for Kiosk Setup
      • ๐Ÿ“ฝ๏ธMedia Encoder
        • โฉLooking Glass Media Encoder
    • ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿคโ€๐Ÿง‘Third Party Apps and Tools
      • ๐Ÿ—บ๏ธParaView
      • ๐Ÿ”ฌVTK (Visualization Toolkit)
      • ๐Ÿ—ก๏ธ3D Slicer
      • ๐Ÿ”ฉCommunity Made Tools & Projects
  • Key Concepts
    • ๐Ÿ”‘Hologram 101
      • ๐ŸŽ‰Making great holograms
      • ๐ŸŒŽHolograms in the real world
      • ๐Ÿ‘พHolograms, but virtual
    • ๐Ÿ”How does Looking Glass Work?
    • ๐Ÿ“ธVirtual Camera
    • ๐ŸงŠ3D Design Guidelines
      • Lighting
      • Post-Processing
      • Scene Composition
      • Materials & Textures
      • Performance
    • ๐Ÿ’กQuilts
      • ๐ŸŽฌQuilt Video Encoding
    • ๐Ÿ’กLight Fields
      • โšกLinear Light Field Capture
    • ๐Ÿ“ฝ๏ธFilming a Looking Glass
  • Tutorials
    • ๐Ÿ“ฑRunning Looking Glass Displays with iOS Devices
    • โ“‚๏ธCapturing Light Fields in Maya
    • ๐Ÿง‘โ€๐Ÿ”ฌUsing ShaderToy with Looking Glass
    • ๐ŸŽจSculpting with Adobe Medium and Looking Glass
    • ๐Ÿ”Turn Videogames Holographic with Refract
    • ๐Ÿ–๏ธBuilding with Leap Motion
  • Legacy
    • Legacy Hardware
      • ๐Ÿ”ปLooking Glass 8.9"
      • ๐Ÿ”ปLooking Glass 15.6"
      • ๐Ÿ”ปLooking Glass 8K
      • ๐Ÿ”ปLooking Glass 16"
      • ๐Ÿ”ปLooking Glass 32"
      • ๐Ÿ”ปLooking Glass Pro
    • Legacy Software
      • ๐Ÿ“ก3D Model Importer
        • 3D Model Importer App Guide
        • 3D Model Importer App Reference
      • ๐ŸŽญDiorama
        • Change Log
      • ๐ŸŽž๏ธDepth Recorder
      • ๐Ÿ“ธLightfield Photo App
      • ๐ŸLooking Glass Core Overview
      • ๐Ÿฝ๏ธLooking Glass Core SDK
        • C API Overview
          • HoloPlayCore.h
            • State Functions
            • General-Query-Functions
            • Device-Query-Functions
          • libHoloPlayCore.h
          • HoloPlayShaders.h
      • ๐Ÿ”ฐLooking Glass Core JS
        • API
          • HoloPlayCore.Client
          • HoloPlayCore.Message
          • HoloPlay Service Related
          • examples
  • ๐Ÿ’ฌContact Us
  • ๐Ÿ› ๏ธFAQ & Troubleshooting
Powered by GitBook

Follow us

  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
On this page
  • What are holograms anyway?
  • What are the different types of holograms are out there?
  • 1. Depth photos and videos (RGB-D)
  • 2. Light fields
  • 3. Quilts
  • 4. 3D models
  • Interactive applications
  • Creating holograms

Was this helpful?

  1. Key Concepts

Hologram 101

Capturing and displaying holograms can be achieved with a variety of methods, including depth maps, camera rail captures, Neural Radiance fields (NERFs), and more.

PreviousCommunity Made Tools & ProjectsNextMaking great holograms

Last updated 1 year ago

Was this helpful?

Having a holographic display is great but making holograms for it is even better. We'll go over the best ways to view, create, and share holograms here.

What are holograms anyway?

Holograms are a type of 3D media that display content in 3D, just like how we perceive the real world. Different types of holograms can have different properties.

Generally for Looking Glass, the term refers to the content that's viewed on , , or in VR / AR devices.

What are the different types of holograms are out there?

There are four main formats that we can use for holograms.

1. Depth photos and videos (RGB-D)

Depth photos and videos generally refer to holograms generated from a single perspective that also have accompanying depth information. Depth can be displayed in a few different ways, but the most common is a black and white gradient as seen here below.

2. Light fields

Light fields are the "raw image" equivalent of holograms, they are comprised of the full image set of a holographic capture and can be stored as either an image sequence, or video. This extra data gives the ability to refocus a light field more substantially than a quilt and retains all the information about lighting and specularity of the moment of capture.

Currently Looking Glass software only supports uncompressed light fields as an image sequence. If you want to make holographic videos, you'll want to use the quilt format.

3. Quilts

Quilts are a Looking Glass specific file format that was designed to make it easy to share holographic files with a standard format. Think of them as the .jpeg or .mp4 of light fields. Quilts compress all the data present in a light field into a single image with each view only containing the necessary data for each view.

Usually, quilts are encoded with a specific aspect ratio in mind. The example below is a quilt designed for the Looking Glass Portrait which has a 4:3 aspect ratio.

4. 3D models

Interactive applications

Creating holograms

There are a variety of ways to create holograms, including depth maps, photo rails, Neural Radiance Fields (NeRFS) and more.

The guides on the following pages will walk you through how to capture holograms in the real world with cameras, or virtually in 3D environments like Blender, Unity, Unreal and more.

Just like learning photography, there's an art to hologram capture.

Quilts are comprised of multiple perspectives of the same scene, usually between 48 and 100 different perspectives depending on the Looking Glass Display. Quilts are also what power , our online hologram sharing platform.

3D modeling is used extensively for film, games, architecture, product design, advertising and more. Since 3D models are inherently three-dimensional, you can view them in a Looking Glass easily. We've got plugins for , and so you can view your scenes and creations directly in those tools. If you're using another 3D engine that we don't support directly you can try capturing your scene as a or exporting your scene as a .usd or .gltf to one of our supported tools.

So far, we've only touched on holograms as a media format, but you can also make holographic applications, games, and even websites. Head on over to the , or documentation on how to get started making your own 3D applications.

Check out for inspiration and tips on how to make your work shine!

๐Ÿ”‘
You can learn more about quilts here.
Blender
Unity
Unreal Engine
light field
Unity
Unreal
WebXR
Making Great Holograms
๐ŸŽ‰Making great holograms
๐ŸŒŽHolograms in the real world
๐Ÿ‘พHolograms, but virtual
Looking Glass Displays
Blocks
Hover over and wiggle. Credit: Jay Howse's Holographic Candy Bar, embedded via
Looking Glass Blocks
A baby photo of our CEO and co-founder, Shawn Frayne.