Ever since NFTs made their impact on the art market, digital creators and collectors have explored various ways to engage with their crypto works, whether within the metaverse or via high-fidelity digital screens. Now, Perception Codes is proposing a new (and literal) dimension to digital engagement through its holographic NFTs, which it terms holo-NFTs.
On December 12, 2021, Perception launched the Morpheus Project, a platform and marketplace for holo-NFTs, bearing out the company’s holographic technology, which enables participants to view onscreen 2D images in 3D via the Desktop AR application. These holo-NFTs are created by 3D-scanning real-life objects and converting the scan; a Holo-NFT Editor further helps creators in the production and submission of their digital tokens. Wearing anaglyph glasses designed to correspond with Desktop AR, viewers can then see these images in 3D, as if projected from their screens. Users can browse multiple categories on the marketplace, and place their bids in Ethereum for artifacts including Ramakien masks, Viennese monuments, and 19th century cathedrals.
The Morpheus Project also includes commercial licensing rights and signature options for holo-NFT adopters. Currently, Romania’s Museum of Photography of Mineralogy and Ireland’s Hunt Museum are presenting holo-NFTs of pieces from their collections.
Sirisilp Kongsilp, Founder and CEO of Perception, says that holo-NFTs can help preserve historical objects in a high-resolution digital format, while the immersive technology “helps museums broadcast these digital artifacts and reach an audience beyond the museum’s walls.” The company, he adds, has plans to work with more museums in the coming year. Below, he elaborates on the project and its future.
A silicified ammonite, one of the holo-NFTs by Romania’s Museum of Photography of Mineralogy. Image: The Morpheus Project
What prompted the idea for the Morpheus Project and holo-NFTs?
The idea behind holo-NFTs began when we had an opportunity to work with museums in the UK. Museums house many historically significant artifacts, but only a handful of people from abroad would have the opportunity to visit and interact with museum objects due to geographical constraints. So we developed the holo-NFT, where we can bring virtual objects to homes and schools using 3D-scanning and immersive technologies, while at the same time, allowing everyone to own a part of history by purchasing a holographic NFT of museum artifacts.
Do you see holo-NFTs reaching mass market adoption?
NFT is still a niche market. However, it does support high social impact organizations such as museums and NGOs. In the past, the financial support may have come from a group of people with high net worth. But with holo-NFTs, the masses can participate in supporting the museums and receive possible financial and sentimental returns from doing so.
How do holo-NFTs engage with the environment?
Currently, Holo-NFT operates on Ethereum. By 2022, we are moving away from a proof-of-work chain to a proof-of-stake network. It is our top priority as we recognize the technology impact on the world and energy significant blockchain is the future.
What is the Morpheus Project’s long-term plan for holo-NFTs?
NFT is just the first piece of the puzzle. We envision a metaverse of museums and educational institutions, where students, museums fans, educators come together to learn and preserve our history and knowledge.
