The ICT Graphics Lab at USC has created a low-cost volumetric 3-D display that brings Princess Leia one step closer to begging Obi-Wan for help. The system projects high-speed video onto a rapidly spinning mirror. As the mirror turns, it reflects a different and accurate image to each potential viewer.

The rendering algorithm can recreate virtual and real scenes with correct occlusion, horizontal and vertical perspective, and shading. Close to 5,000 individual images are reflected every second within the surface area and create a real-space three-dimensional object. Video below.

I love new concepts, but this one may be looking a bit too far into the future. The Tea Cup PC Concept contains a holographic projector that projects holographic images around the inside of your cup.

If for some reason you want to share information with another user of the magic Tea Cup, you just pour it in to the other cup. If a group of people want to see information, just spill the contents of the cup out on the work surface. Yes, it’s crazy. Even insane. Frankly, it’s more magic then anything at this point. All I can really say is that I don’t want to use this…ever.

Shkinder Maxim’s Transformer concept phone is pretty amazing and amazingly versatile. This thing is a cell phone of course, but can also double as a photo/video camera, multimedia player, projector, and it supports holographic imaging and 3D scanning. It’s a shame it isn’t available here and now, but that won’t stop us from drooling.

Among it’s other outstanding features are several independent swiveling and flipping displays, which let you switch from one function to another with ease. This will be an instant hit whenever it comes out in the future.(We hope) The holographic aspect alone will make it easy for a dark Jedi to keep in touch with his Sith overlords.