Australia's Hologram Zoo is a 3D adventure
At a new kind of zoo in Brisbane, visitors can marvel at holographic displays of animals they would probably never meet in real life.
'Touching' allowed
Dodging speeding elephants, looking into the gaping mouth of a hippo — or even petting friendly giraffes: it's all possible at the Hologram Zoo in Brisbane. The computer-generated animals are a digital deception that tricks the brain into thinking it's seeing something that isn't really there.
Splashing with Nemo
The Hologram Zoo, which opened in December 2022, is the first of its kind in the world. Hologram technology uses lasers to project animals into the air. It tracks exactly where guests are so the hologram animals can interact with them — as in this virtual grotto where a visitor appears to swim with fish and turtles.
'There's lots of laughing, lots of screaming'
Visitors can marvel at more than 50 holographic animals, including dolphins, chameleons and even a 30-meter (100-foot) long whale. "There's lots of laughing, lots of screaming," Bruce Dell, chief executive of Axiom Holographics and creator of the zoo, told the BBC. "But when the whale goes by, for some reason, everyone goes silent like they are in awe and reverence of such a magnificent creature."
Dinosaurs back from the dead
A highlight for dinosaur fans young and old: Dell has also brought back the prehistoric reptiles for his guests. He also recently curated a hologram dinosaur exhibition at the Australian Museum in Sydney.
No photos please
To be able to admire the holographic animals, visitors to the zoo have to wear sunglasses — and the projections can't be photographed. Axiom Holographics has processed the images shown here digitally, otherwise the holograms would not be visible. The company also added the glow afterwards.
A total experience for the senses
Visitors can also pass the time with holographic games, or cross a bridge over a gorge that creates the illusion of a 50-meter (160-foot) deep abyss when viewed from above. In addition, the holograms are equipped with sensory technology so that guests can smell flowers and trees.
Zoo of the future?
Founder Bruce Dell has big plans for the future: Axiom Holographics has signed contracts with the aerospace company Airbus and is building a hologram aquarium for a luxury hotel owned by Bill Gates in the Maldives, Dell told the BBC.