3D display
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "3D_display".

An autostereoscopic 3D display prototype by Philips

A 3D display is any display device capable of conveying three-dimensional images to the viewer.

There are few basic types of 3D displays. Stereoscopic technology separately sends two views of a 3D scene on its screen(s) to the viewers two eyes. Autostereoscopic 3D displays advance on stereoscopic technology without the need for any special glasses or other head gear by using high resolution flat panels to generate a given number of views of a 3D scene through some sort of pixel redirection technology. This solution gives "ok" quality 3D views from predefined sweet points in front of the display, but leaves a tangled image while in between the sweet points. Continuous 3D light field display developed by Holografika generates a glasses free 3D image with no restrictions on the number of viewers, their position in front of the screen and their movement. Holographic 3D displaying researchers are able to create a light field which is identical to that which emanated from the original scene (for the technology, see Computer Generated Holography). This last technology is capable of reproducing horizontal and vertical parallax at the same time, while stereoscopic and autostereoscopic technologies can create horizontal parallax 3D images only. This may seem a limitation of 3D displays, but the longitudinal location of human eye on the head is in perfect pair with the horizontally multiplied views of these displays.

In addition there are volumetric displays, where some physical mechanism is used to display points of light within a volume. Such displays use voxels instead of pixels. Volumetric displays include multiplanar displays, which have multiple display planes stacked up; and rotating panel displays, where a rotating panel sweeps out a volume.

Other technologies have been developed to project light dots in the air above a device. An infrared laser is focused on the destination in space, generating a small bubble of plasma which emits visible light. Up to now (August 2008) the experiments only allow a rate of 100 dots per second. One of the issues which arise with this 3D display system is the use of technologies that could be harmful to human eyes.

Comparison of 3D displaying technologies

Stereoscopic

Autostereoscopic

Volumetric

Holographic

Passive

Tracking

Multiview

Addressed media projection (air or solid)

Moving lightpoints

Layered

Features

User Benefits

HoloVizio -light field

Lenticular

Parallax barrier (controlled)

Different opt. Rasters and filters

Integral Imaging

Time-multiplex

Controlled pixel technology

Passive (moving screen)

Active (rotated led matirx)

Double

Multilayer

Continuous motion parallax

The 3D image doesn't "jump" between the views, horizontal perspective is perfect

N

Limited

TRUE, horizontal only

N

N

N

N

N

N

True, also vertical

True, also vertical

True, also vertical

True, also vertical

True, also vertical

True, vertical also possible

There's no contradiction between eye-convergence and focusing

No discomfort, seasickness or disorientation

Y

N

Y

N

N

N

Y

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Voxels can be individually addressed

The point of a given view does not move if the viewer is moving and is exactly there where it seems to be

N

N

Y

Limited

Limited

Limited

Limited

Limited

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Wide viewing angle, optional viewing distance

Collaborative use

N

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Limited

No eye or head tracking used

Not necessary to stand in one point, free motion possible

N

Limited

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

No latency

Y

N

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

No invalid zones in the field of view

The 3D image can be seen in the entire field of view

Not relevant

Y

Y

N

N

N

N

N

Y

Limited

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

The points can be generated anywhere in the field of view

Optional shaped objects or 3D view can be visualized

In a fixed position only

In a fixed position only

Y

Limited

Limited

Limited

Limited

Limited

Y

Limited

Y

Y

N

N

Y

Objects could appear behind and in front of the display screen

Y

Y

Y

Limited with depth

Limited with depth

Limited with depth

Limited with depth

Limited with depth

Y

N

N

N

N

Only with supplementary optics

Y

Ability to show hidden edges

Wide scale of displayed images, textures vs. wire frame images only

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

N

N

N

Y

Direction selective light emittance of each pixel

Window-like view, all light beams are present as in natural view

N

N

Y

N

N

N

N

N

Y

Y

N

N

N

N

Y

Full compatibility with optional software environment

Ability to display any 3D information and to use different 3D sw without restrictions

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

N

N

N

Y

Compatible with current displaying conventions

Easy replacement of desktop 2D monitors

Y

Limited

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

N

Y

Y

Limited

High refreshment rate possible

Motion picture, interactivity

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

Limited

Limited

Limited

Y

Y

N

Brightness

Visibility under various ambient lighting conditions

Good

Good

Good

Good

Fair

Limited

Good

Limited

Good

Limited

Limited

Limited

Fair

Good

Good

Resolution (X,Y)

Clear, sharp pictures

Good

Good

Good

Fair

Fair

Fair

Fair

Fair

Good

Limited

Limited

Limited

Good

Good

Limited by speckle

Depth resolution (Z)

Achievable depth of the 3D image

Good

Good

Good

Limited

Limited

Limited

Limited

Limited

Limited

Limited

Limited

Limited

Not relevant

Poor

Good

Color resolution

True colours

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

Good

View number dependant

Fair

N

Poor

Poor

Good

Limited

Good

Practical display sizes

System can be built from small to large sizes

Any

Any

Any

Any

Any

Any

Any

Y

Y

Limited

Limited

Limited

Any

Any

Limited

No moving parts

Reliability, proper lifetime, mobile applications, no noise

Y

True/Not true

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

Y

N

N

N

Y

Y

True/Not true (Scanning)

Vision safe technology?

3D image generation may involve methods which could be dangerous to human eye, casue strains or disconforts.

None

Overlapping reality

Y

View number dependant visual strains

Y

Y

Y

Laser and plazma radiation

Spinning hazard

Spinning hazard

Y

Y

Laser

Existing Displays

A wide range of organisations have developed 3D displays, ranging from experimental displays in university departments to commercially available displays. Companies involved include:

• Zero Creative
• iZ3D
• Zalman
• 3DIcon Corporation
• Alioscopy
• Asus
• Holografika
• MIT Media Lab
• NewSight
• Pavonine
• Philips
• QinetiQ
• SeeReal Technologies
• Sharp
• Spatial View.

See also

• Autostereoscopy
• Computer generated holography
• Holography
• Lenticular printing
• List of emerging technologies
• Stereoscopy
• Volumetric display

External links

• xyZ 3D Display
• HoloVizio Real 3D displays
• Meant to be Seen
• Stereoscopic Displays & Applications - key annual conference on 3D displays
• Complete market survey of stereoscopic hardware and software
• 3D Monitore (dt)
• Plasma projection in air