It’s now been over 15 years since cryonics pioneer, molecular nanotechnologist, and optics buff Dr. Brian Wowk came up with the super-cool idea of phased array optics. Essentially, the plan is to use a 2D array of micron-sized screens to emit light at the precise amplitude and phase necessary to create the illusion of a 3D image. This technology could be fantastically effective: even using binoculars or a telescope, a person looking at the screen would be able to see details “miles away” (if the image were high enough resolution) even if the screen were right in front of their face. Outside of tapping into the optic nerve directly, this may be the most convincing display technology ever. The limits of optics. The only problem is that it would require a metric truckload of computing power, but it’s nothing that specialty nanocomputers won’t be able to handle, right? Here is a diagram of the apparatus:

Dr. Wowk recently let me know that he built a small website for phased array optics, including the super-interesting original article that describes the idea. If I sound hyperbolic about the technology, it’s because I’ve been soaked in emerging technology news non-stop, writing about it professionally, etc., since I graduated from jail (a.k.a. the Public School System), and this is one of the top ten technological ideas I would list as “amazing”, right along with VASIMR and respirocytes. It’s one of those technologies that I start thinking about randomly when waiting in line, or whatever. It may not do much good for preventing the planet from going kaput in the next century, but it sure is fun to speculate on.