German Circus replaces flesh and blood wild animals with Holograms

Circus Roncalli, a circus in Germany is using holograms to replace the use of live animal performers in its circuses as a measure to fight animal cruelty. The circus is a major player in the European circus scene since 1976 has wholeheartedly embraced technology in its entertainment acts. Circuses are notorious for mistreating their animals, so 26 countries have got with the times by either introducing or implementing bans on them. These countries include; Austria, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, El Salvador, Estonia, Greece, Guatemala, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Mexico, The Netherlands, Paraguay, Peru, Romania, Scotland, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia. strangely enough, England who likes to project itself as a nation of animal lovers still allows wild animals to perform in circuses.

The holographic projections are large enough to fill the arena measuring 105 feet wide and 16 feet deep with 360° visibility for the entire audience. Eleven ZU 850 laser projectors were used to create the holographic animals that include elephants, prancing horses and fierce lions. The circus partnered with Optima to create an awe-inspiring showcase that made the audience speechless. Those attending the circus agree that incorporating cutting-edge hologram technology allowed audiences to witness spectacular beauty that wouldn’t have been brought to the circus otherwise.

Hologram technology was developed by Yuri Denisyuk from the Soviet Union and Emmett Leith and Juris Upatnieks at the University of Michigan. They created laser technology that recorded 3D objects using silver halide photographic emulsions. Though the clarity wasn’t perfect, their invention paved the way towards the highly detailed and dynamic holograms we know today.