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HoloFans II

Short answer: 'Hologram fans' are persistence-of-vision (POV) displays. A rotor carrying strips of LEDs spins fast while a controller switches each LED on and off at exact angles, painting one slice of the picture at a time.

Because the eye blends these rapid flashes, the viewer sees a steady image that seems to float, especially against a dark background where the blur of the blades disappears. They aren't holograms in the physics sense. True holography records and rebuilds light waves using interference, usually with lasers. A fan draws a flat (2D) image, and the 3D look comes from the artwork's shading and the invisible frame. HYPERVSN, the brand formerly known as Kino-mo, describes its units as four LED rays spinning at about 670 rpm, and several units can be synced into a larger 'wall'.

VideoWrite-up4 sources

In collections:Engineering Oddities

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What should you know about HoloFans II?

Quick facts. Each one stands alone and has a stable ID you can cite.

  1. A HYPERVSN fan spins four LED rays at about 670 rpm.

    DD-700-F01 · Write-up · Exhibit E (Commercial units)

  2. 'Hologram fans' draw a flat image and aren't true holograms.

    DD-700-F02 · Write-up · Exhibit D (Not a real hologram)

Video transcript: HoloFans II: Floating Figures, Spinning Blades

DID YOU KNOW? Persistence of vision hologram fans are display devices that create the illusion of floating 3D images by rapidly spinning LED-equipped blades in a circular pattern. As the blades rotate at high speed, individual LEDs switch on and off in precise sequences, and because the human eye briefly retains visual information, known as "persistence of vision", the flashes blend together into a continuous image suspended in midair. NOW YOU KNOW!

Burned-in captions, read frame by frame (see transcript.md) · 22.7s Reel ·

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HoloFans II: Floating Figures, Spinning Blades Instagram Reel · · 22.7s

The write-up

Floating figures, spinning blades. LED blades spin fast enough for your eyes to fill in the image.

  1. Exhibit A

    Painting with a spinning line

    A POV display has one or more LED strips on a rotor. A sensor tracks the rotor's angle, and the controller lights each LED at exactly the right moment to draw one 'slice' of the image per position.

  2. Exhibit B

    The eye does the rest

    The visual system blends flashes that arrive faster than it can separate them, so the slices merge into one continuous picture.

  3. Exhibit C

    Why it looks like it floats

    Against a dark background, the spinning blades are almost invisible, so the bright image seems to hang in the air. Shaded 3D-style artwork adds to the effect.

  4. Exhibit D

    Not a real hologram

    Holography records the interference pattern of light and rebuilds the light field, so you can look around the object. A fan draws a flat image on the plane of its blades.

  5. Exhibit E

    Commercial units

    HYPERVSN's manual describes four LED rays spinning at about 670 rpm. Units can be tiled and synced into larger displays for shops and events.

Questions people ask about HoloFans II

What makes the image in a 'hologram fan'?

LEDs on spinning blades.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Painting with a spinning line) · Circuit Cellar: Build a Persistence-of-Vision Display; invidis (2018): The tech behind those furiously-spinning LED holograph-ish HYPERVSN walls

Is a hologram fan a true hologram?

It's a persistence-of-vision display.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Not a real hologram) · Wikipedia: Holography; invidis (2018): The tech behind those furiously-spinning LED holograph-ish HYPERVSN walls

About how fast does a HYPERVSN rotor spin?

About 670 rpm.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Commercial units) · HYPERVSN operating manual; invidis (2018): The tech behind those furiously-spinning LED holograph-ish HYPERVSN walls

Why does the image seem to float?

The fast-moving blades become almost invisible.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Why it looks like it floats) · invidis (2018): The tech behind those furiously-spinning LED holograph-ish HYPERVSN walls

What tells the controller when to fire each LED?

LED timing is tied to the rotor's position.

Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Painting with a spinning line) · Circuit Cellar: Build a Persistence-of-Vision Display; invidis (2018): The tech behind those furiously-spinning LED holograph-ish HYPERVSN walls

Test Your Knowledge

All quizzes →

5 questions, all from this case file. Answers are revealed instantly.

  1. What makes the image in a 'hologram fan'?

    1. Spinning LED strips
    2. Lasers
    3. Mirrors and smoke
    4. Water spray
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. Spinning LED strips LEDs on spinning blades. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Painting with a spinning line) · Circuit Cellar: Build a Persistence-of-Vision Display; invidis (2018): The tech behind those furiously-spinning LED holograph-ish HYPERVSN walls

  2. Is a hologram fan a true hologram?

    1. No, it draws a flat image
    2. Yes, it's a laser hologram
    3. Yes, but only in daylight
    4. Only with 3D glasses
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. No, it draws a flat image It's a persistence-of-vision display. Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (Not a real hologram) · Wikipedia: Holography; invidis (2018): The tech behind those furiously-spinning LED holograph-ish HYPERVSN walls

  3. About how fast does a HYPERVSN rotor spin?

    1. About 67 rpm
    2. About 670 rpm
    3. About 6,700 rpm
    4. About 67,000 rpm
    Show the answer

    Answer: B. About 670 rpm About 670 rpm. Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Commercial units) · HYPERVSN operating manual; invidis (2018): The tech behind those furiously-spinning LED holograph-ish HYPERVSN walls

  4. Why does the image seem to float?

    1. The blades blur out against a dark background
    2. Magnets lift it
    3. It's projected on fog
    4. Air pressure
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. The blades blur out against a dark background The fast-moving blades become almost invisible. Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Why it looks like it floats) · invidis (2018): The tech behind those furiously-spinning LED holograph-ish HYPERVSN walls

  5. What tells the controller when to fire each LED?

    1. The blade's angle
    2. The room temperature
    3. A microphone
    4. The viewer's position
    Show the answer

    Answer: A. The blade's angle LED timing is tied to the rotor's position. Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Painting with a spinning line) · Circuit Cellar: Build a Persistence-of-Vision Display; invidis (2018): The tech behind those furiously-spinning LED holograph-ish HYPERVSN walls

Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "HoloFans II." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-700, last updated Feb 20, 2026. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/holofans-ii/

Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/holofans-ii/ · Last updated

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