How To Make a Smartphone-Powered Hologram

A hologram is a three-dimensional image, created with photographic projection. Teachers are using holographic technology to stimulate interest in science or to visit a historical site. Students in a classroom or makerspace can design a three dimensional project and make a hologram. Students can make holograms by hand or by using an electronic cutter. To create a hologram, follow the following steps.

1. Locate Materials.

• Students will need to use transparency ink paper. Often schools have a closet of old overhead transparencies hidden in a closet. 
• To create a hologram by hand, students will need a ruler, compass, and a marker. 
• The Silhouette Cameo electronic cutter, is a a cutting machine that attaches to a PC using a USB. It is a small cutting machine that has a 12" X 12" cutting mat and cuts out on a larger space. One application is using the Silhoutte to cut out a hologram. 
• Cell Phone

2. Copy the following template with a radius of 4 inches or more as a 2D object in imaging software or directly on the transparency if creating by hand. We used Silhouette software to create our hologram. Students could use any 2D imaging program.

3. Students will cut along the solid black lines in the image attached. If you are using an electronic cutter, load transparencies and print to the cutter. Use a blade of at least 6 or more if you are using the Silhouette Cameo. 

4. Tape the two opposite sides together to make a prism or pyramid. Our Silhouette printout and folded hologram is shown below. 

5. Open a four-sided holograph video on a smartphone or iPad. There are many on YouTube. The one we used was designed to engage students on topics surrounding the sun. Consider building YouTube playlists dedicated to hologram videos for your classroom. 

If your campus does not have access to an electronic cutter, here is a video to assist on how to make a hologram.