Captain Kirk to the holodeck: Shatner beams in to remote meeting
More than half a century after he materialized on far-flung planets as Captain James T. Kirk of the Starship Enterprise, William Shatner has beamed into a distant land in a demonstration of hologram technology.
The "Star Trek" actor was a guest speaker at an advertising conference in Sydney, Australia, where his lifelike image appeared in a box like a giant action figure—despite his being in a studio in California.
"You're 7,000 miles away and I'm here in Los Angeles," he told the audience. "And you can hear every word I'm saying. It's like I'm there; I'm in the phone booth."
The tech, produced by Los Angeles-based Proto, displays a high definition 2D image that uses shadows to create a volumetric illusion of three dimensions.
Coupled with the human-sized display—the screen takes up the bulk of a 2.2-meter (8-foot) device—the result is pretty realistic.
But it is not without problems—the demonstration that AFP watched Tuesday initially faltered, with the audience left staring at a blank screen while Shatner hammed his way through a "Star Trek"-style materialization.
"There's always jeopardy when there's new technology," the 92-year-old shrugged when his image appeared inside the device in Sydney moments later.
David Nussbaum, chief executive of Proto Inc. said the veteran performer was a natural choice to showcase the tech.
Set phrases to stun: despite teething problems the veteran actor delivered his lines to the audience in Sydney.
Captain slog: Shatner has had a long acting career that has included not only stints at the helm of the Starship Enterprise, but also life as a beat cop and as a lawyer.