3D Displays – Trying To Shed Spectacles

It always feels great to see 3D movies and one is always thrilled to play 3D games. It always creates a wonderful animated effect of something occurring in a realistic manner. The colors look so natural and everything seems fun . But the only thought of wearing the clunky chunky 3D glasses makes one’s heart sink. The glasses at times lead to headache and dizziness.

But  no worries anymore. Technologists have now come up with the idea of  creating the same 3D effect without  those bothering  glasses. These gadgets that don’t require glasses are called “autostereo”. The basic criteria to observe 3D effect is that a person’s eyes must see  different  images that should be slightly unaligned. This is done in many ways. If this effect is created by interspersing the right and left views it  is called multiplexing. This effect is also created by alternately displaying  left and right views.



There were some  attempts made in this field previously. The 3D effect was created using parallax  barrier technology and other times by using lenticular LCD screens. But these methods had their own disadvantages. They lowered the resolution, consumed more power, would work effectively for one viewer neglecting its effect on the others. The latest in use is the wedge lens technology which is an edge over the other 2 methods. Unlike the other TV screens the wedge lens does not throw lights in all directions rather it focuses light through its lens in some specific directions . It alternately throws light for the left and right views knowing where the viewers are sitting. But the greatest challenge faced is that how the lens can figure out where the viewer is and throw light only in that particular direction. But there is Microsoft’s Xbox 360 console that uses near infrared cameras and sophisticated software to follow the viewers motion. This technology can be used with the wedge lenses and there is work going on in this field.

3M has come up with 3D Vikuiti system. This autostereo 3D system has a light guide and has two columns of LED placed on either side of the screen. These LEDs flash alternately 120 times  per second. The light guide always  guided and projected light  to the correct eye through the Vikuiti optical film. The optical film has  microscopic bumps that act as tiny lenses. When the light from left side LEDs flashes the light guide projected the light to the left eye of the viewer and similarly in case of right side. The appearance of the alternate flashes on the screen would be easier but then the LCD screen needs to be well synchronized to form an image and reflect  the left view to the left eye when left LEDs glow and same in case of right side. The film is 150 micromts. thick with the lenses measuring a mere 50 to 70 micromt. It has good effective resolution. But this 3D effect works in only 1 direction. If one rotates the screen the 3D effect simply disappears. It is also sensitive to parallex error. This effect requires a high speed (120 hz) LCD panel to deliver the sequential frames without jerkiness . The graphics need to be modified. All this adds on to the cost of the system .

Thus there seem to be some minor hindrances in our realization of the 3D Vikuiti screens. But the technologists do say that their work is in progress and by the end of this year we would be able to enjoy the ecstatic thrill of enjoying the realistic games and movies without those annoying glasses. So I think its  going to be great fun!