Still images and video can be viewed in 3D without special glasses

Oct 3, 2006 14:00 GMT  ·  By

NTT DoCoMo announced that, in collaboration with Associate Professor Yasuhiro Takagi of Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, it has developed a portable, seven-inch 3D display system. The displays enables still images, as well as video, to be visualized in 3D without the need for special glasses. In addition, and unlike similar displays, the images are visible off-center vertically, as well as horizontally.

The system allows 3D images to be viewed within a 60-degree horizontal angle and 30-degree vertical angle, and generates the images taking into account the location of the viewer relative to the screen. Through a camera embedded in the display's LCD screen, the system determines the actual position of the viewer, after which it projects 3D images using a lenticular (single-convex) lens attached to the front of the screen. As a result, the viewer sees an object that appears to leap out from the screen.

DoCoMo hopes to put the system to practical use for dynamic, highly realistic games and mobile Internet shopping. The system will be exhibited at the CEATEC show in Japan from October 3 to 7.