Hologram Project - Large-Scale Pepper's Ghost Installation
Khaled developed a large-scale holographic display system using Pepper's Ghost optical illusion technology for the Sheikh Zayed Festival opening ceremony. The project scaled from a phone-sized DIY prototype to a 3-meter stage installation in just two weeks. Through proprietary material innovation, the system achieved a 95% cost reduction compared to Chinese manufacturers, with the intellectual property later sold to Toshiba Egypt.
Problem Solved
Commercial holographic displays were prohibitively expensive, with Chinese manufacturers quoting prices that made large-scale deployments financially impractical for event organizers and venues.
- •Conceived and developed the entire holographic system from concept to delivery
- •Engineered proprietary material solutions achieving 95% cost reduction
- •Designed and fabricated custom metal frame with tensioning system for large-scale film flatness
- •Processed archival video footage for Pepper's Ghost projection compatibility
- •Pitched concept to university R&D leadership and secured funding
- •Delivered complete installation in 2-week timeline from pitch to delivery
- ✓Scaled from phone-size prototype to 3m x 2m x 1m stage installation in 2 weeks
- ✓Achieved 95% cost reduction compared to Chinese manufacturers through proprietary material innovation
- ✓Generated $100,000 commercial return on $500 initial investment (200x ROI)
- ✓Received national news coverage across Egypt for festival opening performance
- ✓Impressed billionaire attendees at Sheikh Zayed Festival with Um Kulthum 'resurrection'
- ✓Sold manufacturing intellectual property to Toshiba Egypt
- ✓Secured university R&D funding after demonstrating scalability to former Ohio University Dean
Performance
- • 95% cost reduction vs market alternatives
- • 2-week delivery from concept to installation
Scale
- • 3m x 2m x 1m installation size
- • Large venue deployment
Technology Stack
Challenge
Maintaining film flatness at large scale was critical for image clarity, as any warping would distort the holographic illusion
Solution
Designed and built a custom tensioning frame system that maintained perfect flatness across the 3m x 2m reflective surface
Impact
Achieved crystal-clear image projection with no visible distortion at stage scale
Challenge
BLE signals conducted through metal factory structures, making traditional signal strength measurements unreliable
Solution
Discovered proprietary alternative materials achieving similar optical properties at a fraction of the cost through local sourcing
Impact
95% cost reduction enabled financially viable large-scale hologram deployments
Challenge
Only 2 weeks from initial pitch to final festival installation delivery
Solution
Rapid prototyping methodology with local material sourcing and parallel development of frame, materials, and content
Impact
Successfully delivered complete installation for festival opening ceremony on schedule
Challenge
Required extremely high brightness for large venue visibility
Solution
Researched and selected appropriate high-lumen projector specifications, optimized video content for maximum contrast
Impact
Achieved visibility across large festival venue with hundreds of attendees
Situation
The Sheikh Zayed Festival needed an innovative opening ceremony attraction that would impress high-profile attendees including billionaires. Traditional holographic display systems from Chinese manufacturers were prohibitively expensive, creating an opportunity for a cost-effective alternative solution.
Task
Khaled proposed developing a large-scale Pepper's Ghost hologram installation to 'resurrect' legendary Arab singer Um Kulthum for the opening ceremony, requiring him to scale a phone-sized DIY prototype to stage-sized installation within an extremely compressed 2-week timeline.
Action
Starting from a YouTube tutorial for phone-sized hologram viewers, Khaled systematically solved each scaling challenge. He discovered proprietary alternative materials that achieved similar optical properties to expensive imports at a fraction of the cost. He designed and fabricated a custom metal frame with precision tensioning to maintain film flatness at scale. He processed archival Um Kulthum footage to optimize it for Pepper's Ghost projection. He pitched the concept to the university's Head of R&D, a former Ohio University Dean who understood scaling challenges and approved funding. Working around the clock, he delivered the complete 3m x 2m x 1m installation in two weeks.
Result
The installation was a spectacular success, with Um Kulthum appearing to perform live on stage to the amazement of festival attendees. The project received national news coverage across Egypt and impressed billionaire attendees at the festival. The 95% cost reduction through proprietary materials proved so valuable that Toshiba Egypt later purchased the manufacturing intellectual property. What began as a $500 DIY experiment generated $100,000 in commercial returns, demonstrating Khaled's ability to transform simple concepts into commercially successful innovations.
Technical
- • Optics and projection system design at large scale
- • Large-scale fabrication and precision tensioning systems
- • Cost engineering through alternative material sourcing
- • Video processing for holographic projection compatibility
Soft Skills
- • Stakeholder management and pitching to university leadership
- • Rapid iteration under extreme time pressure
- • IP commercialization and business negotiations
Key Insights
- 💡 Cost innovation often comes from unconventional material sourcing rather than process optimization
- 💡 DIY prototypes can scale to commercial products with the right engineering approach
- 💡 Academic connections can provide both funding and credibility validation