In this episode, David Nussbaum, founder/CEO of Proto Hologram, joins hosts Adam Carewe and Dale Gold to explore the future of holographic communication, especially in healthcare. From beaming celebrities and doctors across the globe to integrating AI for conversational holograms, Nussbaum shares the journey and vision of making holograms a transformative technology for human connection.
Episode Breakdown & Section Summaries
1. Introduction and the Problem with Traditional Virtual Communication
⏱️ [00:00:05 – 00:01:42]
Adam and Dale introduce the podcast and set the stage by discussing the limitations of video communication in healthcare, especially during the pandemic. They reflect on how traditional virtual tools fail to replicate the presence and connection of in-person interaction.
2. Meet David Nussbaum: From Broadcasting to Holograms
⏱️ [00:01:42 – 00:04:15]
David shares how his background in broadcasting and podcasting led to the idea behind Proto. He imagined “beaming” people into each other’s homes like in science fiction and wanted to evolve communication beyond audio or video.
3. The Aha Moment and the Birth of Proto
⏱️ [00:04:15 – 00:08:40]
David recalls discovering unused Pepper’s Ghost patents, originally used for magic tricks, and adapting them to bring back late celebrities as holograms. Eventually, he shifted from resurrecting the dead to connecting the living, building Proto as a scalable, affordable solution.
4. Early Use Cases and Proto’s Entertainment Impact
⏱️ [00:08:40 – 00:11:21]
Proto gained attention through entertainment and marketing, including a breakthrough moment when Kane Brown performed as a hologram during the iHeart Music Festival. Collaborations followed with Elton John, UFC, and more.
5. How Proto Works and What It Looks Like
⏱️ [00:11:21 – 00:17:15]
David describes the Proto device as a holographic window—essentially a framed glass panel with internal lighting that creates life-size 3D visual presence. From large units to desktop models, Proto offers interactive, hyper-realistic visuals that create a sense of true presence.
6. Proto in Healthcare: Applications and Impact
⏱️ [00:17:15 – 00:24:37]
Proto’s biggest opportunity lies in healthcare. From teaching at the University of Central Florida to remote consultations at West Cancer Center, Proto is transforming patient-provider communication. HIPAA compliance and data security are top priorities.
7. Patient and Doctor Use Cases
⏱️ [00:24:37 – 00:30:44]
David discusses current deployments where clinics host the Proto units, and doctors or patients beam in remotely. He shares personal stories, including how Proto helps his own children interact with their grandparents across the country.
8. Conversational AI Integration
⏱️ [00:30:44 – 00:38:56]
David explains how Proto is evolving to support conversational AI avatars. Each avatar can be customized with specific knowledge bases and personality traits. An AWS event showcased two Proto AI avatars debating topics, offering a glimpse into collaborative AI-human interaction.
9. Future Use Cases: Wayfinding, Medical Assistants, and Multilingual Avatars
⏱️ [00:38:56 – 00:41:04]
Proto’s applications go beyond healthcare. From airport information booths (like the one in Jacksonville, FL) to hospital navigation and multilingual communication, the technology is versatile and expanding rapidly.
10. Lightning Round: Personal Stories & Influences
⏱️ [00:41:04 – 00:52:28]
David shares fun personal insights, including
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