Not even death will stop this tech-savvy grandfather from meeting his great-grandchildren.
Jerry Terrance, an 85-year-old grandfather from Los Angeles, California, has turned himself into a 3D hologram that will serve as a humanoid time capsule for future generations. According to the Daily Mail, Jerry’s ‘hologram twin’ will guide his two children and four grandchildren, as well as future great-grandchildren, through his family’s history, even after his death.
“I think it is a wonderful way to preserve my family’s history for future generations,” said Jerry while speaking to Jam Press. “To see myself like that, is just mind-blowing — it feels like watching a movie. By not just reading the words as in my memoir but to actually get the chance to see and hear me recalling the stories is just magical.”
Developed by StoryTerrace in partnership with 8i, the 3D hologram was captured in a custom green screen studio using 30 individual cameras. As Jerry thoughtfully recites his family history, accompanying home videos and photos are projected on the wall behind him. While explaining his creation of the Carpet Bag handbag in the 1960s, for example, we see some of the original promotional material for the item displayed throughout his virtual environment.
Using a headset such as the Meta Quest 2, Jerry’s family can then view the final product in immersive VR. They can even walk around Jerry’s 3D hologram and view the experience from multiple angles. For Jerry, the project is a way to preserve not only his family’s history but his own personal legacy by allowing him to “interact” with future Terrance family members even after his death.
“My daughter did try the headset on and said how it brings back such great memories,” he added. “She said she found out things about me that she didn’t know before and it made her history come to life. In fact, I think this has brought them closer to me and will keep me alive, in some form, for my grandchildren. It was an emotional time!”
“The book is a unique medium to tell someone’s life stories because you can really reflect on life, look at turning points and go incredibly deep into that story,” said Rutger Bruining, CEO and founder of StoryTerrace. “What makes VR so unique is that you can immerse yourself in someone else’s life who you are close to and actually hear their voice. We believe that combining these two mediums will be extremely powerful.”
For more information on Jerry’s hologram twin visit here.
Image Credit: Jam Press Vid / Story Terrace / 8i
