Researchers at the Hongtuo Joint Laboratory in Wuhan, China, have developed a laser pen that "writes" in the air.

The device uses extremely short and powerful bursts to transform molecules into light and can create any kind of pattern you want.

According to the scientists quoted by the Zap aeiou portal, this laser is capable of creating ghostly images and characters out of thin air, i.e. the technology doesn't need clouds, solid walls or dust as a backdrop to generate high-resolution optical illusions that float in the air.

"In the near future, this laser pen could be used to develop a technology capable of creating much more realistic holograms than the solutions presented so far," explains researcher Cao Xiangdong, lead author of the study.

The new device can draw patterns anywhere using ultra-short laser pulses that strip electrons from air molecules, transforming them into light that can be shaped to form complex figures or characters to make up a complete sentence.

These high-intensity laser pulses are focused in mid-air to create a kind of plasma - or ionized gas - which emits energy in the form of light. A 3D scanner is also used to organize the pixels with millimetre precision, allowing the high-definition images to float.

In a laboratory demonstration, the scientists created characters that were visible from any angle, as if they were holograms that could be "touched" in all dimensions, giving the impression that they were hovering over a flat surface.

According to the scientists, this new method could be used in the future in areas such as high-precision manufacturing, in medical instruments for remote treatments, in quantum computing devices or to generate ultra-realistic 3D brain images.

"This is only the second prototype of our laser pen. A more improved version will feature more precise control to distribute the light pulse, allowing for the generation of larger and brighter color images in the air," concludes Cao Xiangdong.