3D Imaging And Display Technologies

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Three-dimensional (3D) imaging and display technology have moved on dramatically from the days of red-and-blue cardboard 3D glasses that audiences used to wear when watching 3D movies. Advances in 3D were made possible through parallel evolutions of materials, techniques, processes and other technologies that made high-definition 3D images possible -- and commercially viable. Materials such as liquid crystal displays (LCD), plasma screens, organic light emitting diode (OLED) and active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) displays -- and future wonders like graphene -- have the necessary form, fit, shape, and energy efficiency to enable more 3D opportunities. This eBook reviews past technologies used to commercialize 3D, as well as how 3D displays have begun a slow-but-steady crossover from specialty applications to the mainstream consumer market. The future will see 3D displays do much more than provide realistic images; as author David Saddington points out, 3D will evolve into a whole new realm of immersion for and interaction with humans. Breakthroughs such as 3D gesture control, tangible manipulation of 3D objects, augmented reality, and social immersion are some of the new technologies that this eBook posits will ultimately change the way people interact -- with each other, machines and devices, the Internet and the environment.

Introduction

Scope
Methodology
Definitions and Abbreviations

Display Industry Overview

Current Industry Trends
Industry-related Activities and their Impact on Development
Competitive Technologies and Materials
- Stereoscopic 3D Displays
- Autostereoscopic 3D Displays
- - Parallax Barrier
- - Lenticular Arrays
- Head-mounted Displays (HMD)
- - HMD with Virtual Image
- - HMD with Augmented Reality (AR)/ Mixed Reality (MR)
- Volumetric Displays
- - Swept-volume Display
- - Static-volume Display
- Computer-generated Holography (CGH)
- Large Translucent Displays
- Immaterial Displays
Regional Trends and Relevant Issues

Latest 3D Technology Trends

Introduction
Materials
- Transparent Conductive Coatings
- Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) Materials
- Organic Light Emitting Diode (OLED)
- Graphene
Formats and Processes
- HDMI 1.4 3D Content Specification
- - Understanding HDMI 1.4
- - HDMI 1.4 Standard Specifications
- Frame Sequential 3D
- Side-by-Side 3D
- Over-Under 3D (Top and Bottom 3D)
Equipment
- 3D Cinema
- - RealD Cinema
- - XpanD 3D
- - IMAX 3D
- - Dolby 3D
- - MasterImage 3D
- High-definition 3D Television
- - Active and Passive 3D TVs
- - 3D TVs without Glasses
- 3D Cameras and Camcorders
- Nomadic Smart Spaces (NSS)
- - Bonfire
- Portico
- Large-format Interactive 3D Public Display Demonstrator
- Competitive Technologies
- - 3D Gestures
- - Mobile 3D Gesture Control
- Augmented Reality (AR)
- - 3D Active Touch Interaction
- - Social Immersive Media
- - 3D Point and Control Gestures
- Multi-touch with 3D Depth Sensing
- - 3D Depth Sensing on Traditional Displays (Non-Stereoscopic)
- - Multi-touch and 3D Depth Sensing on Stereoscopic Displays

Applications of Current and Emerging Technologies

Introduction
Marketing and Advertising
Product Display
Education and Research
Controls and Instrumentation
Entertainment
Sports
Gaming
Art and Expression
Science and Engineering
Medicine
Military and Governmental Applications
Training and Simulation
GeoSpatial Applications
Product Design

Future Trends

3D-Aware Telepresence
3D Displays on Mobile Phones
3D Laptops
3D Tablet PCs
3D Cameras on Smartphones
Tangible Interaction Real 3D Displays
Interactive 3D Shop Window Displays
3D Internet
Summary

List of Figures

FIGURE 1.1 Example of 3D image
FIGURE 2.1 Past versus present 3D images
FIGURE 2.2 Interactive gaming
FIGURE 2.3 Illustration of left and right eye images
FIGURE 2.4 3D TV with Active Shutter glasses
FIGURE 2.5 Diagram showing differences between active and passive 3D displays
FIGURE 2.6 Comparison of parallax-barrier and lenticular autostereoscopic displays
FIGURE 2.7 Illustration of a lenticular array
FIGURE 2.8 Visor showing head-mounted, near-eye displays
FIGURE 2.9 Volumetric display of a virtual object
FIGURE 2.10 Pattern generated in a volume display
FIGURE 2.11 Computer-generated holography
FIGURE 2.12 Large translucent display
FIGURE 2.13 A walk-through 3D display
FIGURE 3.1 Cross-section of a liquid crystal display
FIGURE 3.2 Example of OLED display
FIGURE 3.3 Graphene sheet
FIGURE 3.4 Panasonic full-HD 3D display
FIGURE 3.5 HDMI 1.4 cable
FIGURE 3.6 Example of frame-sequential 3D technique
FIGURE 3.7 Example of Side-by-Side 3D technique
FIGURE 3.8 3D cinema in the 1950s
FIGURE 3.9 The Xpand 3D system
FIGURE 3.10 The 3D viewing experience in the home
FIGURE 3.11 3D TVs without special 3D glasses
FIGURE 3.12 3D camcorder
FIGURE 3.13 Visualization of the portable form-factor environment
FIGURE 3.14 Urban Photonic Sandtable Display (UPSD)
FIGURE 3.15 3D gesture technology
FIGURE 3.16 Diagram of Apple's 3D gesture technology in action
FIGURE 3.17 Example of augmented reality technology
FIGURE 3.18 SPIDAR device in use
FIGURE 3.19 Social immersive environment
FIGURE 3.20 Visualization of 3D point and control gestures
FIGURE 3.21 3D depth sensing
FIGURE 3.22 Illustration of integrated multi-touch and 3D depth-sensing technology
FIGURE 3.23 Interactive 3D tabletop display
FIGURE 3.24 Interactive multi-touch 3D display
FIGURE 4.1 3D in marketing and advertising
FIGURE 4.2 Example use of 3D in product displays
FIGURE 4.3 3D display wall at Northwestern University
FIGURE 4.4 3D in entertainment
FIGURE 4.5 Nintendo 3DS
FIGURE 4.6 3D display for Playstation 3
FIGURE 4.7 Gesture recognition game, Dancewall
FIGURE 4.8 3D art on the concourse at Waterloo station in London
FIGURE 4.9 Dancers interacting with images on wall
FIGURE 4.10 3D imaging at DARPA
FIGURE 4.11 Parachute training via simulation
FIGURE 4.12 A 3D virtual prototype
FIGURE 5.1 Collaboration using telepresence
FIGURE 5.2 Mobile 3D touchscreen display
FIGURE 5.3 A 3D OLED display
FIGURE 5.4 Toshiba's 3D laptop
FIGURE 5.5 Alleged iPad 3 prototype
FIGURE 5.6 3D camera on a smartphone
FIGURE 5.7 Diagram showing tangible interaction for real 3D displays
FIGURE 5.8 Visualization of tangible interaction and display architecture
FIGURE 5.9 Interactive 3D shop window
FIGURE 5.10 Example 3D interactive Internet environment