HoloBox service unveiled, combining holograms with 'Nugu'

SK Telecom will unveil 'HoloBox,' which allows users to have face-to-face conversations with human-like avatars, at 'Mobile World Congress 2018 (MWC 2018).'

'HoloBox' is a service that combines holograms, a next-generation media technology, with SK Telecom's AI platform 'NUGU,' allowing users to have face-to-face conversations with a virtual AI avatar.

The 'HoloBox' avatar always accompanies me, even in my daily life outside the home. Even if the 'HoloBox' is not nearby, I can summon a virtual character on my mobile device using smartphone augmented reality (AR) technology.

SK Telecom has installed a realistic version of Wendy from SM Entertainment's popular girl group Red Velvet on the 'HoloBox'. This is the result of the strategic partnership between SK Telecom and SM Entertainment, a leading provider of Hallyu content.

The 'HoloBox' is a cylindrical design with a height of 365mm and a diameter of 170mm, and uses laser-based Ultra Short Throw projection technology to create avatars with HD-quality images.

'HoloBox' consists of artificial intelligence that understands conversational context, a holographic display that reproduces gestures and facial expressions, and a microphone capable of voice input and output.

Equipped with the AI platform 'NUGU', the Holobox integrates with music streaming services and smart home systems. Users can access a variety of information and convenient features, including controlling home appliances such as lighting, dehumidifiers, plugs, and TVs, music recommendations and automatic playback, providing information on weather and schedules, and sending greetings.

SK Telecom has introduced the 'T real Avatar Framework' for smooth motion of avatar characters. By applying this, the movements of 3D characters can be naturally implemented in accordance with the actions of real people.

SK Telecom also subdivided the character's facial expressions into over 100 categories to enable the expression of various emotions. In addition, it applied the tracking technology of the T Real Platform to bring the character into augmented reality on smartphones.

Collaboration synergy with entertainment and domestic startups in the content and VR sectors, respectively

SK Telecom plans to strengthen its cooperation with SM Entertainment on 'HoloBox'. SM Entertainment possesses the intellectual property rights of stars, content production capabilities, and strong fan loyalty.

As leading companies in the ICT and content sectors, both firms plan to expand their ICT-based media content businesses onto the global stage. In particular, as AI-based personalized content services become more widespread and the convergence of ICT and content accelerates, the synergy between the two companies is expected to be further maximized.

SK Telecom is also continuing its collaboration with Reality Reflection, a startup that possesses innovative 5G-related technologies and content, such as photorealistic 3D character generation technology.
Reality Reflection, a VR content production company supported by SK Telecom since last September, is a company possessing photorealistic 3D character creation technology optimized for 5G technology, and has created Red Velvet's Wendy in 3D for this 'HoloBox'.

Global Hologram Market Size Growing 14% Annually

With the recent full-scale implementation of AI and real-time video calls utilizing holograms, holographic technology is gradually gaining prominence as a future media technology. In the future, as holograms combine with real-time services like AI to create natural, lifelike human appearances, the transmission of hundreds to thousands of times more data than is currently required.

The data capacity occupied by a 1 cm³ hologram, which is about the size of a sugar cube, is 1 GB (gigabyte, 1 GB = 1024 MB). Considering that a standard 2-hour video file is approximately 700 MB (megabytes), you can gauge how large the data capacity of a hologram is.

Large-capacity holograms are difficult to transmit or store in real time with current LTE networks. 5G has a maximum speed of 20 Gbps (gigabits per second), which is 40 to 50 times faster than the current LTE speed of 400 to 500 Mbps and has 100 times more processing capacity, making it suitable for hologram transmission.

The current global hologram market is expected to grow continuously at an average annual rate of 14%, reaching $34.8 billion in 2020 and $74.3 billion in 2025. The domestic market is also projected to grow from 815.5 billion won in 2020 to 1.4394 trillion won in 2025.

SK Telecom plans to continuously present a blueprint for a Mixed Media Platform based on 5G technology, including massive content such as holograms and augmented reality that allows users to enjoy virtual content in a mobile environment anytime and anywhere.