JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The city of Jacksonville unveiled a cutting-edge message Thursday from Mayor Donna Deegan at the Jacksonville International Airport.
Jacksonville is one of the first major U.S. cities to use the innovative platform in a public space.
It features an “incredibly lifelike” 3D “hologram” of the mayor sharing a message welcoming travelers.
And thanks to AI technology, the message can be viewed not only in English but in dozens of other languages as well, including Spanish, French, German and Japanese.
“It’s incredibly exciting to debut this message at JAX, and just in time for the holidays,” Deegan said. “This continues the city of Jacksonville’s commitment to investing in cutting-edge technology that can be deployed in a myriad of ways to both improve communication and better the lives of our citizens.”
The life-sized hologram device, which the notably petite mayor joked has a height advantage on her, shows video that is so realistic it appears a person is inside the 7-foot-tall machine.
The hologram, created by U.S. startup Proto, also has interactive capabilities and can send and receive live feeds.
Passengers landing in Jacksonville will see and hear the mayor deliver the message from the large box just outside airport security in the airport’s central courtyard.
“We are thrilled that JAX, in partnership with the city will be one of the first airports in the nation to debut this amazing technology,” said Jacksonville Aviation Authority CEO Mark VanLoh. “We are proud of our reputation as one of the most welcoming airports in the United States, and the mayor’s new hologram is sure to surprise and delight travelers exploring our region whether they’re traveling here for the first time or coming home for the holidays.”
In addition to pre-recorded messages, Proto boxes can feature live subjects that can be “beamed in” real-time from any camera or mobile phone to any Proto device anywhere in the world.
The technology has already been used by Fortune 500 companies, major league sports franchises, and celebrities, along with universities and medical centers.
Although the images the box displays aren’t technically holograms, by adding shadows behind the body and reflections under the feet, the box effectively tricks the brain into believing there could be someone inside it.
The Proto Box is sponsored by JAXEPICS as the city of Jacksonville continues to drive becoming the Small Business Capital Center of the South by streamlining the permitting process.