Holographic human-machine interfaces

An apparatus for allowing an operator to control a plurality of electronic or electro-mechanical devices of the type conventionally controlled by a separate tangible control mechanism having a plurality of customarily touch-activated tangible input objects, physical contact with which produces a response by at least one of the electronic or electro-mechanical devices, the apparatus allowing such control without the operator physically touching any solid object and comprising:

• a hologram unit adapted to generate a plurality of holographic images, each comprising the tangible input objects of the tangible control mechanism for a corresponding one of the plurality of the electronic or electro-mechanical devices;
• an illuminator adapted to illuminate said hologram unit to produce the plurality of holographic images;
• an actuation detector adapted to detect selection by the operator of each of the plurality of holographic images of the tangible input devices;
• and
• a signal generator adapted to receive the detection of said actuation detector and provide an input signal to the devices thereby producing the response,
• wherein said actuation detector and said signal generator are configured to independently produce a response by each electronic or electro-mechanical device upon detection of selection of each independent one of said holographic images, and
• the actuation detector comprises an emitter/detector that produces and receives electromagnetic radiation, said emitter/detector being positioned on a side of said hologram unit opposite the operator and being positioned to transmit and receive electromagnetic radiation toward the holographic images and through said hologram unit.

A control arrangement apparatus for allowing an operator to control an electronic or electro-mechanical device of the type conventionally controlled by a tangible control mechanism having a plurality of customarily touch-activated tangible input objects positioned on a plurality of portions thereof, physical contact with which produces a response by the device, said control arrangement allowing such control without an operator physically touching any solid object and comprising:

• a composite hologram for generating a holographic image of the plurality of tangible input objects of the tangible control mechanism for the device, with the generated holographic image for producing a response by the device corresponding to that produced conventionally by the plurality of tangible input objects of the tangible control mechanism, said composite hologram comprising a plurality of holograms positioned side-by-side along one axis such that each of the holographic images produced thereby represents a different portion of the tangible control mechanism, such that each of the holographic images can be separately viewed from a different angle relative to said one axis;
• an actuation detector for detecting selection by the operator of the holographic image of each of the tangible input devices;
• and
• a signal generator for receiving the detection of said actuation detector and providing an input signal to the device thereby to produce the response,
• wherein the actuation detector detects the selection using electromagnetic radiation that passes through the composite hologram.