The quest for the unfathomable has been an irresistible aspect of human nature for centuries. Today, in the domain of technology and artificial intelligence, the pursuit is to bring life and mass to the intangible – to create holograms that defy the limitations of 2D graphics. One man on this thrilling journey is Bruce Dell, the mastermind behind Axiom Holographics.
Inspiration, as Dell attests, often follows success in another field. Previously, he founded a successful geospatial software company, Euclideon, offering the most advanced graphics engine on the planet to giants like Leica, French Railway, and Tokyo Traffic Authority. “We made hologram tables, hologram walls, hologram rooms, even hologram tunnels, projected 80cm from the surface. Another world comes alive through our tunnels as animals fly off the walls right next to you,” he shares. Yet dissatisfaction brewed within Dell, a nagging intuition whispering of unfulfilled potential.
Bruce relates the story of his formative years when he would question the need for the letter “X” in the English alphabet. He carried this curiosity into adulthood, developing a knack for beefing up systems by exposing their inefficiencies. This trait led him to identify several gaps in the hologram industry, leading to the inception of Axiom Holographics.
According to Dell, the industry was fraught with prohibitive costs, a lack of compelling use cases, and an infuriating limitation of a single user experience at a time. He saw this not as a rampant issue but as an opportunity. He assembled a tight unit of expert individuals and went to work. They strived to create affordable, practical, radical hologram products that wouldn’t break the bank.
In a world where we embrace and normalize new technological revolutions every few decades, Dell envisages holograms as the next wave. But for this revolution to begin, he says, the cost hurdle had to be tackled. “Hitherto, holograms have been expensive playthings for universities and science centers. We have managed to produce them at about 5% of the usual price,” shared Dell. This has allowed Axiom Holographics to cater to impressive clientele, including Bentley, Lockheed Martin, and Airbus, among others. Even Bill Gates sought their expertise for a hologram aquarium room in his Four Seasons hotel in the Maldives.
However, the road to reforming an industry is fraught with challenges. Wanton misuse of the term “hologram” is a primary concern for Dell. Expressing his frustration, he shares, “Hologram, a Greek word meaning ‘whole picture,’ is now being used to describe 2D images projected on a TV screen or a silk curtain. That doesn’t constitute a hologram.” Axiom Holographics deals with ‘real’ holograms, using crystals to bend light waves, allowing different views for different observers.
Coming up next from Dell’s stable is a series of holographic entertainment centers. “We call them Hologram Zoos. These would house holograms of celebrities, historical figures, and even licensed IPs like Ninja Turtles and Spider-Man.” Always considering revenue generation, Dell cites his preference for the entertainment business. Sharing his vision, he signs off, “It’s also my favorite part to work on. Where a hologram table is a simple tool, entertainment gear ensures revenue generation for the client. And in the next few years, hologram entertainment is only expected to grow.”
Bruce Dell’s journey is a testament to the possibility that unfolds when relentless curiosity meets advanced technology and business acumen. As the founder of Axiom Holographics, he’s reshaping the unfolding narrative of the holographic world, ensuring it’s affordable, accessible, and highly entertaining to the masses.
