i2CAT to set up a 3D holographic solutions spin-off by 2025

• The research centre has been authorised to set up a spin-off to offer immersive videoconferencing solutions in real-time and at a reduced cost.
• The company will offer high-quality 3D holographic solutions based on standard commercial cameras applicable to multiple use cases, such as healthcare and education.

The i2CAT research centre has obtained the authorisation of its Board of Trustees to create a new spin-off, which will be launched before the summer of 2025. i2CAT will participate in the spin-off’s shareholding and is expected to license two technologies developed in recent years.

Volum Technologies will offer high-quality 3D holographic solutions from standard commercial cameras, facilitating immersive real-time videoconferencing at a competitive cost. Immersive technologies based on holoportation enable closer experiences and open the door to new services to solve existing social challenges. Some of the main use cases of these technologies are framed in the health sector (with the treatment of phobias and mental health), education (specific training), business (trade fairs), and culture and heritage (visits to museums and historical sites), combining the advantages of remote connection with the feeling of proximity of first-person interactions.

Volum Technologies will connect people through holographic technology with HoloMiT, a hyper-realistic, multi-modal social platform for XR, with a developer-specific unit (SDK). HoloMiT provides high-quality 3D holograms and offers a capture, compression, streaming and orchestration service.

The product commercialised by Volum was defined after years of research and valorisation at i2CAT. HoloMiT has been a major part of the European research projects VRTogether (H2020), XReco, 6G-XR, PRESENCE and HEAT (Horizon Europe), in addition to the ViViM project (RIS3CAT). This technology development process, initiated in 2020, has been validated with pilots and customers to work on a long-term joint investment of more than €3.7 M to reach the spin-off phase. As part of this journey, HoloMiT was presented at various trade fairs such as the Mobile World Congress (MWC), Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC) and Interihotel.

The centre will illustrate advances in applied research in the audiovisual sector during the Integrated Systems Europe (ISE), which will take place in Barcelona from February 4 to 7. i2CAT will hold holoportation demonstrations. It will organise talks on the technology transfer process of the innovations developed at the centre, from the initial research phase to the commercialisation of the resulting product. Visitors will be able to experience HoloMiT first-hand through VR glasses to interact with a 3D volumetric representation of a person who will explain the main use cases of the technology.

Volum Technologies will be i2CAT’s fifth spin-off, joining Neutroon, which markets a private 5G network management platform, and Watchity, an online video production, distribution, and engagement platform.