Companies from Google to WeWork want to help employers cut down on Zoom fatigue with a new approach to communications: holograms for the workplace. Alphabet Inc.’s Google in May revealed Project Starline, an effort to create a video-chat system with screens that give participants three-dimensional depth. And Microsoft Corp. in March introduced what it calls a mixed-reality service, Microsoft Mesh, which integrates three-dimensional images of people and content into the compatible displays of smart glasses or other devices. The companies say holograms and related technology will soon become common in conference rooms all over the world.
Still, the costs involved mean holograms have yet to prove useful for everyday interactions. Three-dimensional representations improve on traditional phone and video calls because they make it easier to read body language and feel more personal. Although the companies were experimenting with holograms before the pandemic, they say the past year created a more urgent need for them. The technology could aid employers’ visions for hybrid offices where some workers are present on a given day while others report in from home. But holograms and similar technologies are likely to have limits in the workplace. Workplace holograms might be best suited for situations such as recorded events, trainings or seminars.
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