Help me, Obi Wan. You're my only hope.
Let's recap: the Election Night CNN hologram was not actually a hologram. It looked like a hologram to you and me, but to Wolf Blitzer it was just a big 2D screen. It was processed later, and repackaged for our viewing pleasure. But it was not a real hologram.
But here at ASC 2008 we have more authentic hologram technology. The only problem is, anyone who submits to the process ends up looking a bit like recurring Futurama character Richard Nixon's head in a bell jar.
The Institute for Creative Technologies at the University of Southern California is responsible for this foray into actual 3d. It's not technically a hologram, as holograms are made with lasers and this technology uses mirrors to reflect lights, but it's functionally close enough. ITC's Andrew Young says that while this is a proof of concept, eventually it would be possible to do a full scale hologram, either full-size or table size.
They weren't very forthcoming about what military-specific application this would have. It's not quite as cut-and-dried as The BEAR.
Star Wars is everting one technology at a time.
