Holograms for seamless integration of remote students in the classroom

The new global scenario imposed by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has given rise to an atypical and problematic situation in multiple spheres. In very little time, the abrupt change from face-to-face to remote has not only required a rapid widespread use of digital technology, but also a change in methodology and communicative interactions. In the field of education, teachers have had to interact in new environments, with the combined use of face-to-face and non-face-to-face teaching being a major challenge. This paper presents the design and implementation of a cyber presence system for educational environments using Microsoft’s HoloLens 2 Mixed Reality (MR) headset. A software tool is developed that improves teaching scenarios through communication in mixed environments. The tool enables teachers to integrate the students in the classroom in a common space with remote students connected by videoconference. Our system is not limited to education, however, as it can also be deployed in any setting that requires remote communication, such as companies and governmental institutions.