Since a video of a handheld "fan" that produces 3D images went viral on the internet in mid-October, Zhou Quan and his team have received requests from more than 1,000 companies to cooperate with them.

Zhou, a recent graduate of Southeast University in Jiangsu province, invented the device with some partners when he was in college. It consists of four bars with small LEDs that can create 3D images as they rotate. A glass cover protects people from the spinning bars.

"We call it a 'holographic 3D smart screen' and it's mainly used for advertising," said Zhou. "The 3D graphics can be seen by the naked eye and it is suitable for advertising in many places, such as exhibitions, shopping malls and airports."