Aquariums are the amazing. They instil awe and amazement in those who visit, especially among the young and young at heart. I recall falling in love with the natural world with every subsequent tank and exhibit I saw. So much so that growing up, I initially aspired to be a marine biologist. Yes, I was the weird child who instead of aspiring to be a lawyer or doctor, said something completely out from left field. Naturally I grew up watching channels like National Geographic, and the Discovery Channel. These aquariums allowed my hyper-curious younger self to see with my own two eyes the things I had only ever read about in books or watched on TV, an experience that is truly beyond words.
“An understanding of the natural world and what’s in it is a source of not only a great curiosity but great fulfillment” — Sir David Attenborough
However, aside from improvements in aquarium technologies, logistics, and our increased knowledge of these magnificent creatures, tanks are essentially unchanged. Yes, we have learned to build larger tanks, and learned how to keep more exotic animals happy and thriving for longer, but the formula is the same; build a tank that can hold these animals, and start charging tickets.
Sometimes, it isn’t enough. No aquarium in the world has held a Great White long-term. They simply do not survive. Whales are also nigh impossible to keep due to their size. Other than that, there are only a few animals we can safely interact with for the health and safety of both visitors and animals.
There’s also the issue of logistics and maintenance. Many of the fantastic creatures are captured in the wild, kept in captivity for a short period before being released back into the wild. Capturing and transporting these animals is a very expensive, time-consuming process. It also exerts a huge amount of stress on the animal. Even after the successful transfer to the aquarium, there’s still the issue of keeping the animal happy. Animals bred in captivity likewise need to be kept happy, healthy, and fed.
Naturally, being a tech blog, I have an idea on what current/future tech might be able to provide at least a partial solution to such menageries.
Holograms
Yes, holographic technologies have generally fallen out of favor, but the rise of technologies such as Microsoft’s HoloLens reopens possibilities. For starters, holographic technologies wouldn’t rely on headsets that – per tragedy of the commons – would very likely be damaged and/or stolen. However, I believe they provide an option towards the further development of aquariums.
For starters, they’ll allow aquariums to have “impossible” animals such as Great White sharks, Humpback whales, etc., that are either notoriously difficult to keep alive for prolonged periods, too huge to accommodate, or even perhaps extinct. With life-sized holograms, space will still be a bit of a constraint but there’s no worry about designing a piece of glass that can safely hold a million cubic feet of water. And much like the wonder I experienced as a child, future generations will be able to gaze upon an ‘actual’ whale and marvel at its size. Furthermore, aquariums won’t have to worry about the animals falling sick or feeding them. This will help keep the costs down as holotanks eliminate the maintenance costs, especially for difficult animals.
Of course, holographic technologies can be applied to more than holotanks. They can be used in interactive booths and stations so visitors can interact much more vividly, much like Tony Stark’s holographic computer in the Iron Man film series. This would be especially helpful for things like learning anatomy (inside and out), as well as creating a deeper sense of wonder. I mean, how cool would it be to be able to stand next to a ‘live’ Megalodon?! Or just as cool? See a cross section of a Nautilus and then see how its internal musculature behaves as it feeds, moves through the water, etc. I also feel that these holodisplays could be used dynamically, with the animals interacting with the visitors, responding to ‘pets’, gestures, or even sounds. A dynamic holodisplay would create an almost unparalleled sense of immersion, without the expensive, and highly breakable VR headsets. Of course, for more docile specimens, nothing beats being able to physically touch it.
But why an expensive holodisplay? Why not a simple tablet stuck on a wall? That seems to work so far? While a fair point (and a cheaper option), it lacks immersion. A hologram will instil a much greater sense of awe, much more akin to that when you saw your first shark, or your first plane. That is essentially the entire premise of my argument, that the immersion granted by holographic technologies will be a very powerful tool in fostering appreciation for the importance of conservation efforts, and for the natural world in general.
The holotanks and holodisplays can also benefit the academicians. With these technologies, researchers can study and hypothesize on various aspects of a creature’s anatomy, from its locomotion, to how it’s heart pumps blood, etc. It will give these scientists a powerful tool in visualizing and studying a ‘live’ animal. Naturally, this aspect of holographic technologies would require heavy involvement from the artists, and programmers behind the tech, but I think that’s good. It becomes a unifying tool for sciences and the arts.
If you have comments, disagreements, ideas, etc., feel free to let me know via the comments! I would love to hear them!
For the next Tech article, I will talk about what I think is the future of wearable tech.
Techlense 
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