Avalon Holographics Cracks Code On True 3D Display Technology After Decade of Development

January 30, 2025 by Dave Haynes

This is a reworked and shortened version of one the stories you will find in the new Sixteen:Nine Future Displays report – a free download available to all readers.

The report has in excess of 70 stories, and across almost 250 pages covers everything from profiles or market leaders to topics that don’t get much attention – like this piece about a Canadian company from a highly unlikely location that really is making and shipping a truly holographic display.

If you are a regular reader, you’ll know most of the products out there marketed as holograms – transparent LCDs, spinning LED rotors, foils on glass, etc – are not in any way holograms.

You can find the report information and download page here …

True holograms are still mostly considered the stuff of science fiction or Hollywood, but a Canadian company has developed the real deal – the world’s first true holographic display system, the result of a decade of complicated development and $50 million in investment.

The first product of Avalon Holographics is called the Novac –  a three-foot-square table that generates a foot-tall holographic display.

Unlike existing “holographic” solutions that use spinning LED fans or transparent screens to create the illusion of depth, the Novac generates billions of individual light rays that accurately recreate how light would behave if the displayed object were physically present.

“As you look around the digital object, you are literally seeing the rays that would be produced as if that object was real,” explains Wally Haas, Avalon’s founder and President. “If you’re looking at a building, and on one side of the table you’re looking at the north side of the building, if you walked around to the other side, you’d see the south side of the building.”

Internet-Hungry Machines

The technical requirements for true holographic display are staggering. A single Novac unit processes approximately one-third of Canada’s average internet traffic – about five terabits per second. Managing this massive data flow required the development of custom compression algorithms and specialized chips.

The complexity extends beyond data processing. The system combines advanced software design, custom circuit boards, mechanical engineering, and precise optical components. The mechanical tolerances are measured in tens of microns – about one-tenth the width of a human hair – maintained over distances of a meter or more.

While military applications might first come to mind, the technology offers significant potential in medical procedures. During heart surgery, for instance, surgeons treating mitral valve regurgitation currently rely on 2D screens to guide catheter-based procedures. A holographic display could provide precise spatial awareness that improves surgical outcomes in ways not possible with current visualization tools, including VR headsets.

The Novac also addresses common issues with other 3D visualization technologies. Unlike VR and AR headsets, which can cause discomfort or nausea during extended use due to how they present visual information to the eyes, the Novac’s true holographic display eliminates eye strain and fatigue. It also enables group viewing, making it practical for team-based applications in fields like industrial design and medical training.

Holograms From The Rock

Operating from remote St. John’s, Newfoundland, the furthest eastern point in Canada, hasn’t prevented Avalon from attracting international talent. Engineers and researchers have relocated from the United States, Europe, and other parts of Canada to live on what’s called The Rock and work on the technology. The primary challenge has been accessing capital markets, as hardware development requires more substantial and patient investment than typical software startups.

The company faces limited direct competition in true holographic displays, largely due to the technical barriers to entry. Even major technology companies would face significant costs to catch up to Avalon’s current position.

Haas, drawing on his semiconductor industry background, compares the situation to developing a complex manufacturing recipe: “If no one has ever made the recipe, you need to do it yourself first. You need all the right ovens. You need all the right materials. You need all the right processes. But once you have it, you can make 10,000 of them.”

Business Prospects

This positions Avalon to either scale up manufacturing themselves or license the technology to established display manufacturers like BOE or Samsung Display. While current units cost millions of dollars, the company is pursuing additional funding to bring costs down to hundreds of thousands of dollars per unit in the near term.

The long-term vision is more ambitious: Haas anticipates eventually bringing costs in line with premium consumer televisions, around $1,000 per unit.

With two units now in operation – one at their St. John’s headquarters and another at the University of Central Florida in Orlando – Avalon has moved beyond prototypes to actual product delivery.

Side note: If the opportunity ever comes up, go to St. John’s and make the time to also explore beyond the city. Amazing place. Scenery that’s reminiscent of the west coast of Ireland, and in other parts, like Norwegian fjords. Great eco-tourism.

And the people are hysterical – this guy is joking, but only sorta 🙂