Imagine watching your favorite movie or video call—and suddenly seeing it pop out in 3D, like a hologram from a sci-fi movie.
That future is now closer, thanks to a major breakthrough by Korean researchers.
Scientists at the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) in Korea have developed a powerful new computer chip that can turn regular 2D videos into full-color, real-time 3D holograms.
This special processor is called the Real-Time Holography Processor, or RHP.
What makes this chip so impressive? First, it’s the world’s first hologram processor to use high-speed high-bandwidth memory (HBM), which helps it handle huge amounts of data very quickly. It also combines all the hardware needed into one small chip called a system-on-chip (SoC). That means it’s compact, fast, and energy-efficient.
The RHP can take any 2D video—from YouTube, Netflix, or even a video call—and transform it into a 3D hologram instantly, with no delay. It works at 4K resolution and creates 30 frames per second, which is the same speed as regular video. The transformation only takes 30 milliseconds—faster than the blink of an eye.
This chip works by separating the red, green, and blue colors in the video, then adding depth information to rebuild it as a hologram. To do this, it performs complex math to simulate how light waves move—something normal computers can do only very slowly. But with this new processor, it can be done quickly and efficiently, using much less power than traditional methods.
Thanks to this invention, real-time 3D holograms are no longer just something you see in futuristic movies—they’re becoming real. The technology was shown off at major global events like SID Display Week 2023 and 2024, as well as SIGGRAPH Asia 2024, and it wowed the crowd.
Principal researcher Kwon Won Ok says their next goal is to make an even better chip—an ASIC version—that can be used in everyday holographic displays. Director Hong Kee Hoon adds that this small, low-power chip is a big step toward bringing real-time holograms into homes, schools, and workplaces.
In short, Korea’s new hologram chip is changing how we experience video, and it might soon bring holograms into our daily lives.
