Miirage vs Proto Hologram:
Which Hologram Display Is Best?

Miirage vs Proto at a glance

Both platforms are capable life-size hologram systems. The important differences are less about whether each platform can display a life-size hologram person or run an AI avatar, and more about how the hardware, software and commercial model work once the technology is deployed at scale.

What is Proto Hologram?

Proto Inc. is a US spatial computing and holographic technology company. The business was previously known as PORTL, and older search behaviour still includes terms such as PORTL, Proto box, Protobox and Proto hologram box. Proto's current positioning extends well beyond the celebrity and live-event appearances for which the company became widely recognised. Proto now describes its platform as an infrastructure layer for embodied AI, physical AI, agentic AI, spatial computing, interactive kiosks and holographic communication. [4] [13]

The flagship Proto Luma is an approximately seven-foot life-size holographic display built around an 86-inch multi-touch screen. Proto combines this hardware with ProtoOS, Proto Cloud, conversational AI, AI avatars, live beaming, application deployment, analytics and enterprise integrations. [1] [4]

Proto also sells the smaller Proto M2, a tabletop holographic communication and media device for mini-size live or prerecorded holograms, AI avatars and product visuals. Proto currently bundles the first year of its ProtoOS annual subscription with M2 purchases. [12]

Proto's current verticals include retail, live events, healthcare, education and enterprise use. In retail, Proto promotes conversational AI retail associates, product education, personalised recommendations, checkout assistance, product demonstrations and integration with POS, CRM and customer-experience systems. [5]

What is Miirage?

Miirage is a UK-based holographic display company focused on life-size digital presence, holographic advertising, AI avatar assistants, live communication and scalable deployment in high-footfall commercial environments.

The flagship Miirage Miracle combines a 4K transparent display with infrared touch, an integrated Windows 11 Pro workstation, camera, microphone, audio, Wi-Fi, Ethernet, 4G/5G connectivity, local playback and remote management. Miirage positions the same physical platform for advertising, AI customer service, product presentation, live holographic video calls, brand activations and permanent deployments.

Miirage also differs commercially. The company works with retailers, shopping-centre operators, landlords, airports, venues and OOH partners to create holographic advertising inventory and location networks rather than treating every deployment solely as a hardware sale. This model is central to Miirage's public positioning around retail media and OOH. [6] [7]

Miirage Miracle vs Proto Luma hardware

The closest direct hardware comparison is Miirage Miracle versus Proto Luma. Both are portrait-format systems designed to present life-size people and products without headsets or glasses.

Proto's 60 cm cabinet depth is slightly shallower than Miirage Miracle's 70 cm depth. Miirage is narrower and substantially lighter. Which dimension matters most depends on the location, but weight becomes particularly important when units are freighted, moved between sites or deployed as a large network.

Weight, transport and deployment

Display weight can look like a secondary specification until a project expands beyond one installation. Professional hologram systems have to be packed, freighted, cleared through customs, unloaded, taken through loading bays, installed and sometimes redeployed.

Proto publishes a Luma weight of 185.97 kg without its transport case and 350 kg with its transport case. [1] Miirage Miracle is approximately 150 kg.

On unit weight alone, Miirage Miracle is approximately 36 kg lighter, or around 19% lighter than Proto Luma before the Proto transport case is included.

This difference can influence:

• air-freight and road-freight costs
• handling requirements
• loading-bay logistics
• installation crew requirements
• multi-city campaigns
• large multi-location rollouts

Proto Hologram price: Miirage vs Proto total cost of ownership

Headline hardware price is only one part of the cost of running a professional holographic platform.

For buyers searching for Proto Hologram price or Proto Luma price, Proto does not currently publish a fixed public Luma purchase price. Its website states that purchase, lease and rental pricing depends on the buyer's needs and use case. [1]

The more important structural difference is the software model. Proto states that the Luma and its annual software subscription provide access to ProtoOS, its spatial computing and conversational AI platform. Proto's current software licence separately states that there is an annual fee for the software licence. [1] [3]

Proto support documentation has also described devices entering a suspended state when the required software licence is not active. Buyers should therefore include software subscription costs when comparing the long-term economics of the platform. [8]

Miirage uses a different architecture. The Miracle incorporates its own Windows 11 Pro workstation and does not require an equivalent annual proprietary Miirage operating licence simply to keep the hardware functioning. Additional AI services, software development, content, support or managed services can of course carry project-specific fees.

ProtoOS vs Miirage's open computing architecture

ProtoOS is one of Proto's strongest differentiators. Proto describes its platform as the physical gateway for agentic AI, combining proprietary operating software, AI avatars, conversational AI, spatial computing, developer tools and interactive kiosk capabilities. [4]

Proto Cloud has continued to expand, including custom LLM API endpoints for Personas, subscription management, device monitoring and remote configuration. [9]

Miirage deliberately uses a more open computing model. An integrated Windows 11 Pro workstation means projects can use bespoke software, third-party applications and integrations selected for the deployment rather than requiring every experience to live inside a single proprietary operating environment.

This is not a case of capable software versus incapable software. It is a strategic choice between a proprietary integrated ecosystem and a more open deployment architecture.

AI hologram and hologram avatar comparison: Miirage vs Proto

Artificial intelligence is now central to both companies.

Proto promotes conversational AI, photorealistic avatars, ProtoGPT, custom LLM integration, multilingual interaction, physical AI and embodied AI. In practical terms, this turns the Proto display into an AI hologram or hologram avatar interface, bringing cloud-based AI agents into real-world spaces. [4] [9]

Miirage AI avatars are designed for customer-facing roles such as retail product experts, multilingual concierges, wayfinding assistants, customer-service agents, museum guides, branded spokespeople and lead-generation assistants. Miirage also emphasises brand control, approved knowledge and customer-specific workflows. [10]

The important Miirage distinction is that the AI avatar can be one operating mode of the display rather than the display's only commercial purpose. When no customer is interacting with the assistant, the unit can return to advertising, product content, promotions or entertainment.

Holoportation, live beaming and hologram video calls

The term holoportation is strongly associated with Proto, and live beaming remains one of the company's signature capabilities. Proto markets the ability to bring remote speakers, performers, executives and experts into another location through its holographic devices. [1]

Miirage also supports live streaming and two-way holographic communication. A remote participant can appear life-size inside a Miirage display using professional streaming or communications workflows.

For an organisation whose primary requirement is established premium holographic telepresence, Proto has a strong track record. For an organisation that needs telepresence as one function within a broader advertising, AI and retail-media platform, Miirage offers a more mixed-use proposition.

Miirage vs Proto for retail

Proto should not be treated as an events-only company. Its current retail offering includes conversational AI retail associates, personalised shopping, recommendations, upselling, product demonstrations, live influencers, interactive checkout and integration with POS and CRM systems. Proto explicitly positions its retail platform as ready to scale across large store estates. [5]

Miirage overlaps with many of these functions through AI customer service, interactive product education, touch, live support and branded experiences.

The commercial distinction is that Miirage also treats the physical location as potential retail media inventory. The same display can assist customers and then switch back to paid or house advertising when interaction is not required.

That creates a potential economic layer beyond customer-experience technology alone.

Miirage vs Proto for holographic advertising, retail media and OOH

This is one of Miirage's clearest areas of differentiation.

Proto can absolutely be used for advertising and brand experiences. Miirage, however, has made holographic advertising, retail media, OOH and DOOH central parts of its commercial model. [6] [7]

Miirage campaigns can combine:

• holographic products
• filmed brand ambassadors
• 3D animation
• touch interaction
• voice interaction
• QR journeys
• AI avatar assistants
• remote content management
• privacy-conscious presence and dwell measurement

Miirage is also building around partnerships with media owners, landlords, retailers and high-footfall locations. The objective is to make holographic displays a repeatable media format that can sit alongside existing digital inventory.

Where Proto is stronger than Miirage

A credible comparison needs to identify Proto's genuine strengths.

Where Miirage is stronger than Proto

Proto alternative: is Miirage a good alternative to Proto Hologram?

Yes. For organisations searching for a Proto Hologram alternative, Proto Luma alternative, hologram box alternative or a different life-size hologram machine, Miirage is one of the closest direct options in the commercial hologram category.

The two platforms overlap across:

• life-size hologram displays
• AI avatars and digital humans
• conversational AI
• holographic telepresence
• live streaming and remote presenters
• retail experiences
• customer service
• interactive holograms
• enterprise communications
• product presentation

The strongest case for Miirage is not that Proto lacks these capabilities. Proto is highly capable. The case is that Miirage combines many of the same core functions with a lighter unit, an open Windows-based architecture, no equivalent mandatory annual device operating fee and a commercial strategy particularly focused on advertising, retail media, OOH and physical network rollout.

Miirage vs Proto: which should you choose?

Frequently asked questions

Sources and references