New Delhi: Visitors to Prime Ministers’ Museum and Library will soon be greeted by a life-size, Artificial Intelligence-powered holographic version of late President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
The museum is preparing to unveil it next month, following the success of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s holobox, ThePrint has learnt.
Meanwhile, the museum is also contemplating whether a similar holobox of Mahatma Gandhi would be launched next.
Launched in September, Patel’s holobox lets visitors engage in lifelike conversations with a hyper-realistic 3D avatar of ‘Iron Man of India’. It offers an immersive, tech-driven exploration of his life, ideas, and legacy.
Visitors can ask their questions in Hindi or English using a microphone. AI-generated answers are returned, based on publicly available information, including government documents and records, and online libraries.
According to senior officials associated with the PM museum, the holobox has been drawing 25 to 30 visitors daily.
“It offers a truly unique experience, and with the unveiling of Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam’s holobox next month, we expect even greater engagement from younger visitors, especially Gen Z, who identify closely with him,” a senior PMML official told ThePrint.
The museum will use the ‘classic’ image of Kalam wearing his high-neck ‘Kalam suit’ and trousers. Besides A.P.J Abdul Kalam, the museum expects more visitors to gain insight into India’s contributions to science and technology, as well as the organisations associated with Kalam, including the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), throughout this holobox.
“The idea is to inspire the next generation with his vision and wisdom,” the official added. “A similar holobox of Mahatma Gandhi is also in the conceptualisation stage.”
How Kalam holobox will work
The AI-powered holobox serves as a bridge between the past and the present.
When a visitor has a question, the system scans a wide range of websites, archives, and digital material to quickly generate an answer. The answer is then delivered in the voice of the person represented.
In a statement issued last month, the Union Ministry of Culture said that the pioneering initiative, combined with cutting-edge technology, created a deeply engaging and educational experience, allowing visitors to receive answers about the leader’s life, philosophies, and pivotal moments in India’s history.
In the same statement, Ashwani Lohani, the director of the PM museum, added, “This AI-powered holobox is more than just a technological marvel. It is a bridge between the past and the present. An effort to make the wisdom of our great leaders accessible and engaging to younger generations. Sardar Patel unified India geographically; through this, we aspire to unify India’s youth with its historical consciousness.”
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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