Holomatter

Holomatter is a technology from the IDW portion of the Generation 1 continuity family.

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Holomatter is a solid-light projection technology, used by Autobots operating on alien worlds. Holomatter projectors can create projected facsimiles of native species which are too small or fleshy for the Autobots to mimic with their mechanical altmodes. The avatar isn't just a friendly image to fool human beings; it's also the Autobot equivalent of a remotely operated vehicle, allowing Autobots to go places and perform actions that would otherwise be prevented by their size and the need to camouflage their true identities. Having an avatar in a location is like the Autobot being there himself. An avatar can function a considerable distance away from the controlling Autobot, even when separated by solid walls.

The avatar is created and maintained by "holomatter generators". They can cause the avatar to blink into sudden existence with no warning. Holomatter avatars can be intangible, or as solid as a real object. Much like Pretender shells before them, holomatter avatars carry a strong connection to the consciousness of its generating Autobot. Damage to the avatar can cause severe impairment to the controlling Autobot if their consciousness is not withdrawn in time. Holomatter disguises are also limited by their operator's understanding of the lifeform they mimic.

Fiction

IDW Generation 1 continuity

All the Autobots operating covertly on Earth used holomatter avatars to act as their vehicle-mode drivers. Infiltration #1 Through a lack of understanding of humans, the holomatter avatars of the Autobots wore a fixed smile which their human friends found creepy, and the male Autobots Bumblebee and Sunstreaker had female avatars. Infiltration #3

Ratchet was able to deliver a massive electrical surge at very close range through his holomatter avatar. This was powerful enough to stun Runabout, though at the cost of burning out Ratchet's holomatter generators. Infiltration #2

After Optimus Prime arrived on Earth, Hunter gave the Autobots a "crash course in Earth culture"; Jazz noted that the Autobots never realized that humans found the smiles of their avatars disturbing. After this, the Autobots' holomatter avatars became much more expressive. Escalation #1 Holomatter could be detected by devices called "holomatter readers", which the Machination possessed. Escalation #4 Ironhide's avatar was capable of lifting Verity Carlo and Jimmy Pink at the same time, and he could increase the size of his avatar to over 9' (3m) tall so as to manhandle the pair through a hole in the ceiling. Escalation #6

Streetwise and Groove used their holomatter avatars to trick Sandra into coming with them, to help in their investigation of Spike. Police Action Part 2: Only Forward

Ratchet used this technology to distract the traitorous Pharma during their fight, and used it to retrieve the cure to the Red Rust virus when Pharma dropped it off Delphi's roof. How Ratchet Got His Hands Back

Rung and Brainstorm modified the holomatter avatars of the Lost Light crew to better reflect their personalities. The avatars were used during a trip to Hedonia to avoid annoying some of the more mech-unfriendly locals. Cybertronian Homesick Blues

Known avatars

• Bumblebee — Brunette white/Hispanic female based on Lindsay Lohan.
• Groove — Police rider.
• Hot Rod — Steven Seagal.
• Ironhide — Older "military brass-type" white male with silver hair and mustache in a gray suit.
• Jazz — Young black male in a black suit.
• Optimus Prime — Well-built-and-bearded trucker modelled after Ulysses S. Grant.
• Prowl — "Federal agent"-type: Red hair, receding hairline, middle-aged white male with dark sunglasses and a gray suit. In short: Horatio Caine. Later, in Police Action, Prowl used a younger looking police officer with brown hair and sunglasses.
• Ratchet — Blond middle-aged, sightly hefty white male. Wears EMT uniform (without jacket).
• Rewind — Blonde haired young man with a camera and a t-shirt for The Divine Comedy.
• Rung — A tall, thin bespectacled man with graying hair, wearing an orange formal suit and cap
• Skids — Matt Smith as the Eleventh Doctor.
• Streetwise — A police man.
• Sunstreaker — Blonde female; after becoming a Headmaster, his avatar is Hunter O'Nion.
• Swerve — A short, rotund male "surfer" wearing a hawaiin shirt, shorts, sandles and wraparound sunglasses
• Tailgate — an infant.
• Ultra Magnus — Various, including a Nebulan scientist & security guard (he switches avatars during the story), and a copy of Verity Carlo.
• Wheeljack — Balding "mad scientist"-type older white male with blond/white hair, glasses, goatee.
• Whirl — a young girl with an eyepatch, a missing front tooth and two machine pistols.

• 
  Bumblebee
• Groove
  Groove
• 
  Hot Rod
• Ironhide
  Ironhide
• Jazz
  Jazz
• 
  Optimus Prime
• Prowl
  Prowl
• 
  Ratchet
• 
  Rewind
• 
  Skids and Rung
• Sunstreaker
  Sunstreaker
• 
  Sunstreaker/Hunter
• Streetwise
  Streetwise
• 
  Tailgate
• 
  Ultra Magnus (Nebulan)
• 
  Ultra Magnus (Verity Carlo)
• Wheeljack
  Wheeljack
• 
  Whirl

Live-action film series continuity

The Decepticons Blackout, Barricade and Starscream maintained their ruse of being human-driven vehicles by using a holographic pilot or driver known as Moustache Man. Transformers Optimus Prime created a holo-driver for himself in the likeness of Peter Cullen. Alliance #1

• 
  Blackout, Barricade, Starscream
• 
  Optimus Prime (Movie)

Trivia

• Holomatter bears a resemblance to the solid light simulations from the Marvel comics, also created by Simon Furman.