Lapparition

Lapparition is a neologism used primarily in speculative fiction and media studies to describe the phenomenon in which a figure, entity, or object materializes in a physical or semi-physical space, often through technologically mediated means. The term sits at the intersection of the traditional notion of an apparition and contemporary ideas about presence in augmented reality, holography, and immersive media. Because it is a relatively new and informal term, its exact definition can vary across authors and disciplines.

Usage and scope: In fiction, lapparitions can refer to a range of appearances, from ghostlike beings projected into real environments via projection technology to digital avatars that seem to occupy a room alongside living people. In scholarly contexts, the concept is used to analyze how audiences experience presence when digital or virtual entities cross into physical spaces, or when real objects are perceived through augmented overlays as more than their ordinary form.

Technologies and methods: Lapparitions commonly involve augmented reality (AR), mixed reality, holographic projection, or sophisticated projection mapping. They are often designed to prompt questions about authenticity, embodiment, and the ethics of mediated presence, including issues of consent, surveillance, and the social impact of seeming others that are not physically present.

Reception and debate: The term remains informal and not widely standardized. Some scholars reserve lapparition for cross-reality appearances that blend tangible surroundings with digital representation, while others use it as a broader label for any convincing presence of non-physical entities in the real world. Critics note that lapparitions can blur boundaries between illusion and reality, influencing perception and interpretation in meaningful ways.

See also: apparition, holography, augmented reality, presence, projection mapping.