3D projection and pico projectors

When reading the article below you start understanding the great importance of small projectors. If you want to create a 3D screen )where you do not need those funny glasses' and want it to be viewable by many angles you need a lot of projectors and to have this in a house pico projectors would help a lot making it small enough.

Oct 14, 2009 13:35 Tetsuo Nozawa, Nikkei Electronics

Hitachi Ltd exhibited its 10-inch "Full Parallax 3D TV" at CEATEC 2009. It does not require special glasses, can be watched from any direction and has a resolution of 3D image as high as VGA (640 x 480 pixels), according to the company.

The Full Parallax 3D TV is based on a method called "Integral Photography with Overlaid Projection." Specifically, it consists of 16 projectors and a lens array sheet to cover them. The lens array sheet ensures parallax in any direction (not only in the horizontal direction). Because of parallax, the 3D image seen by the user differs in accordance with the angle from which the screen is viewed.

Aiming to exceed limit of pixel count

In general, the total pixel count of a 3D display that does not require special glasses is equal to the pixel count of 3D image multiplied by the number of viewpoints that show different images. In other words, there is a trade-off between the number of viewpoints and the resolution of 3D image.

If the number of viewpoints is focused too much, the resolution of 3D image deteriorates. But it is not easy to increase the total pixel count of a display. For example, the Science & Technical Research Laboratories (STRL) of Japan Broadcasting Corp (NHK) is now developing a 3D display using the "Ultra-high Definition TV" with a resolution of 7,680 x 4,320 (approximately 33 Mpixels) but seems having a hard time to achieve a high resolution.

Hitachi aims to go over the limit of total pixel count by using multiple projectors, each of which has a resolution of 800 x 600 pixels (SVGA). So, a display using 16 projectors has a resolution of 7.68 Mpixels, which is equivalent to 4K x 2K resolution. Considering its small size (10 inches), the new 3D display is much finer than a normal 4K x 2K display.

"We will be able to arrange projectors in a higher density by employing laser-based micro-projectors and increase the number of projectors by more than 10 times," Hitachi said.

Japan's National Institute of Information and Communications Technology (NICT) also employed the method of increasing the total pixel count by using projectors and exhibited a 3D display that does not require special glasses at CEATEC in two consecutive years. But NICT utilizes projectors to increase the pixel count only in the horizontal direction.

Touchable Holography .........they managed to get this done

Research in Japan is doing some great stuff. My previous post was on the 3D cubes and now this. Details from their work are below and might be a little technical but just look at the video and you'll be amazed (and beyond). This is simple (to some extend) and very cool.

Recently, mid-air displays are attracting a lot of attention in the fields of digital signage and home TV, and many types of holographic displays have been proposed and developed. Although we can "see" holograhpic images as if they are really floating in front of us, we cannot "touch" them, because they are nothing but light. This project adds tactile feedback to the hovering image in 3D free space. Tactile sensation requires contact with objects, but including a stimulator in the work space dilutes the appearance of holographic images. The Airborne Ultrasound Tactile Display solves this problem by producing tactile sensation on a user's hand without any direct contact and without diluting the quality of the holographic projection.




1 Introduction

Mid-air displays which project floating images in free space have
been seen in SF movies for several decades [Rakkolainen 2007].
Recently, they are attracting a lot of attention as promising tech-
nologies in the field of digital signage and home TV, and many
types of holographic displays are proposed and developed. You can
see a virtual object as if it is really hovering in front of you. But
that amazing experience is broken down the moment you reach for
it, because you feel no sensation on your hand.

Our objective is adding tactile feedback to the hovering image in
3D free space. One of the biggest issues is how to provide tactile
sensation. Although tactile sensation needs contact with objects by
nature, the existence of a stimulator in the work space depresses the
appearance of holographic images. Therefore some kind of remote-
controllable tactile sensation is needed. That is achieved by our
original tactile display [Iwamoto et al. 2008]. The following paper
explains the technologies employed for a “Touchable Holography.”

2 Principle

2.1 Holographic Display

We use “Holo [Provision 2009],” a holographic display which pro-
vides floating images from an LCD by utilizing a concave mirror.
The projected images float at 30 cm away from the display surface.
A user can get near to the image and try to touch it. Of course, his
fingers pass through it with no tactile sensation.

2.2 Tactile Display

“Airborne Ultrasound Tactile Display [Iwamoto et al. 2008]” is a
tactile display which provides tactile sensation onto the user’s hand.
It utilizes the nonlinear phenomenon of ultrasound; acoustic radia-
tion pressure. When an object interrupts the propagation of ultra-
sound, a pressure field is exerted on the surface of the object. The
acoustic radiation pressure P [Pa] is written as
P = E (1)
where E [J/m3] is the energy density of ultrasound.  [-] is a con-
stant ranging from 1 to 2 depending on the reflection coefficient
at the object surface. The acoustic radiation pressure acts in the
same direction of the ultrasound propagation. That is, roughly say-
ing, the ultrasound “pushes” the object. Eq.(1) suggests that the
spatial distribution of the pressure can be controlled by using wave
field synthesis. When the tactile display radiates the ultrasound, the
users can feel tactile sensation on their bare hands in free space with
no direct contact.

The current version of prototype consists of 324 ultrasound trans-
ducers. The resonant frequency is 40 kHz. The phase delays and
amplitudes of all the transducers are controlled individually to gen-
erate one focal point and move it three-dimensionally. The total output force within the focal region is 1.6 gf. The diameter of the focal point is 20 mm. The prototype produce sufficient vibrations
up to 1 kHz.

2.3 Hand Tracking

While camera-based and marker-less hand tracking systems are
demonstrated these days, we use Wiimote (Nintendo) which has
an infrared (IR) camera for simplicity. A retroreflective marker is
attached on the tip of user’s middle finger. IR LEDs illuminate the
marker and two Wiimotes sense the 3D position of the finger. Ow-
ing to this hand-tracking system, the users can handle the floating
virtual image with their hands.

3 Application

The developed system can render various virtual objects because
not only visual but also tactile sensation is refreshable based on
digital data. It is useful for video games, 3D CADs, and so on. Here
we show an example of demos. Fig. 1 shows a demo in which rain
drops fall from above. When the rain drop hits the user’s palm, he
feels tactile sensation created by the ultrasound. In another demo,
he sees and feels a small virtual creature running on his palm.

the next version of a showroom but there are many other possibilities for this

Thanks to inAVate who brought this to my attention. A great way of displying products in 3D. This could be the next showroom. Easy tu change and small change of people stealing your products since they just are 3D images of the real products. Due to the interactive part people can actually play a bit with it.

3D display cube creates images in real-time

05 August 2009

Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology has unveiled a new handheld, 3D communications tool. The gCubik, developed by the NICT earlier in the year, reproduces 3D images, inside a 10cm-per-side cube, that are viewable without special glasses. Now, the gCubik+i can generate the images in real-time allowing them to be manipulated using touchscreen panels and on-board motion sensors.

The gCubik with image of a duck

All the six faces of the cube display 3D images, allowing users to see the display from every possible direction. By adding special sensors, users can also interact with the inside images.

The gCubik was born out of a drive at NICT to develop 3D technology that does not require 3D glasses. The organisation said: "Our "gCubik", a cubic auto-stereoscopic display, which has been designed as a tool to support communication among multiple users, is a graspable display born from this new concept."

Each face of the display includes a touch panel. Speakers for posture and acceleration are included inside. Therefore, users can have simple interaction with the 3D images displayed. This now makes it possible to develop applications and begin discussions towards using the display as a communication tool.

The Institute hopes that, by allowing users to share 3D images instead of pictures, it can provide a new means for future communications. "We plan to propose a new interaction paradigm, and develop applications, for multi-user collaborative tasks that exploit the concept of ‘Graspable 3D Images’," the Institute said in a statement. "Furthermore, we plan to make the display which is wireless, even more compact and improve its image quality in preparation for commercial applications."

Technical explanation from NICT

And the gCubik with image of a ball

Each face of the display uses integral photography, which is one of the various methods to display 3D images without special glasses (auto-stereoscopic). When viewing a real scene, humans see a different image with each eye, which depends on the distance and the different position of the eyes (binocular parallax). When we move our heads, we see different images (motion parallax). These are some of clues on how humans perceive depth (3D). Integral photography uses a tightly packed micro convex lens array to record distinct 'elemental' images, and when these images are again viewed through the same micro-lens array, they reproduce the 3D integrated image of the scene with both binocular and motion parallax. The Institute’s system utilises the electronic integral photography which uses an LCD display, instead of the recorded photograph, to display the elemental images.

Integral photography makes use of the principle that convex lenses are designed so that parallel incoming light rays converge into its focal point. Conversely, all the ray lights coming from a light source at the focal point will come out of the lens as parallel rays in the direction of the line joining the light source with the lens principal point.

By arranging and displaying appropriate elemental images on the LCD pixels corresponding to each lens, each screen of the display functions as a window where different views of the scene can be observed depending of the viewing angle. By using integral photography (IP), horizontal and vertical motion parallax for 3D images can be observed without special glasses.

Besides, auto-stereoscopic displays using lenticular lenses are more widely known than the ones that use integral photography, but they only provide horizontal motion parallax, a subset of the parallax provided by IP.

Sonic Clears Path for 3D Movie Downloads...start saving money for your home cinema upgrade

It's coming to our homes and it's not even x-mass:) 3D video on demand. Ok you still need the silly glasses and I guess US only (at least for the next years) but a very interesting thing

Sonic Products and Technologies Including Roxio CinemaNow Provide Complete Solution for the Preparation, Digital Delivery and Viewing of 3D Entertainment in the Home

Novato, California (July 21, 2009) — Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC) is leveraging its broad range of Hollywood to Home™ digital media applications, technologies and services, including its Roxio CinemaNow® movie delivery service, to provide consumers a convenient way to access and enjoy 3D movies at home. Sonic's solution for the digital delivery of 3D entertainment includes professional tools for preparing content for electronic distribution and sell-through, services for delivery of device-optimized 3D content, and software for PC playback.

"The same consumers demanding the finest in home video quality and convenience are now expecting to soon enjoy the score of new 3D theatrical releases in the comfort of their homes," said Richard Doherty, Research Director for The Envisioneering Group. "All the studio heads, cinematographers and technical wizards that we enjoy a dialogue with are confident that 3D in the home will soon become the next entertainment breakthrough. Sonic's long experience in providing tools that empower Hollywood to deliver movies into homes on disc and savvy in streaming content to CE platforms through CinemaNow will surely help propel 3D out of the theatre screen and literally into living rooms around the world."

Sonic is teaming with a number of industry leaders to ensure the 3D content delivered can be enjoyed across a range of 3D-capable devices. To provide a stunning visual experience for PC users, Sonic has teamed with NVIDIA. 3D movies from Roxio CinemaNow will be optimized for NVIDIA® GeForce® graphics processing units (GPUs) and the Roxio CinemaNow player will support NVIDIA 3D Vision® and 3D Vision-Ready displays, including the Samsung SyncMaster 2233RZ and ViewSonic® FuHzion® VX2265wm currently in the market for 3D gaming.

"NVIDIA has pushed technological and design boundaries to deliver an unrivaled 3D gaming experience," said Ujesh Desai, vice president of GeForce business at NVIDIA. "Now, through our collaboration with Sonic and integrated support for Roxio CinemaNow content across our entire line of 3D Vision-capable GPUs, including the GeForce GTX 295, 285, and 275 processors, we hope to introduce millions of customers to the immersive world of 1080p 3D premium movies at home."

3D movies from CinemaNow will be delivered via the PC, which will perform the necessary decoding to display them on both 3D-ready PC displays and 3D-ready digital TVs and projectors. Unlike older anaglyph (colored glasses) solutions, this solution provides a true and compelling 3D experience, much like that created by today's digital-theater systems. Sonic is also collaborating with consumer electronics manufacturers in order to deliver 3D content directly to next-generation connected HDTVs and Blu-ray Disc players.

"Technical advancements by industry leaders such as Mitsubishi Electric, NVIDIA and Samsung have created the necessary display and processing platforms to bring the 3D cinematic experience home," said Dave Habiger, president and CEO, Sonic Solutions. "Now through Roxio CinemaNow we will enable consumers to conveniently access 3D entertainment instantly and enjoy its depth and impact on the small screen from the comfort of their couch."

Sonic has relationships with more than 250 content providers and a content portfolio that includes entertainment from all major Hollywood studios and independent distributors. Roxio CinemaNow offers a massive selection of premium video entertainment for rental or purchase, including new releases from major Hollywood studios often on the same day the DVD is available in stores. CinemaNow's cloud-based media services power devices from multiple manufacturers, forming a connected ecosystem that consumers can use to seamlessly choose, move and view video entertainment.

The CinemaNow ecosystem currently includes PCs, connected TVs, set top DVRs, Blu-ray Disc and mobile media players from leading manufacturers such as Archos, Dell, HP, LG, Microsoft, Nintendo, Pioneer, Samsung and TiVo. As well as being available on a range of consumer electronics, Roxio CinemaNow is currently powering internet movie stores for Lionsgate, Warner Bros. and Blockbuster, and is instantly accessible through Bestbuy.com.

About Sonic Solutions

Sonic Solutions® (NASDAQ: SNIC) is powering the digital media ecosystem through its complete range of Hollywood to Home™ applications, services, and technologies. Sonic's Roxio® products enable consumers to easily manage and enjoy personal digital media content as well as premium Hollywood entertainment on a broad range of connected devices. A wide array of leading technology firms, professionals, and developers rely on Sonic to bring innovative digital media functionality to next-generation devices and platforms. Sonic Solutions is headquartered in Marin County, California.

Forward Looking Statements

This release may contain forward looking statements that are based upon current expectations, including the launch, distribution, and market acceptance of the Roxio CinemaNow service. Actual results could differ materially from those projected in the forward looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in Sonic Solutions' annual and quarterly reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission. This press release should be read in conjunction with Sonic Solutions' most recent annual report on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and other reports on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, which contain a more detailed discussion of the Company's business including risks and uncertainties that may affect future results. Sonic Solutions does not undertake to update any forward looking statements.

Sonic, the Sonic logo, Sonic Solutions, Roxio, CinemaNow, and Hollywood to Home, are trademarks or registered trademarks owned by Sonic Solutions in the United States and/or other countries. All other company or product names are trademarks of their respective owners and, in some cases, are used by Sonic Solutions under license. Specifications, pricing and delivery schedules are subject to change without notice.

VIEWSONIC EXTENDS PROJECTOR OFFERINGS WITH THREE NEW 120Hz / 3D-ENABLED DLP PRODUCTS

According to the ViewSonic press release (below) they offer some affordable 3D projectors. Ok, resolution is not great but at least it is compatible with the nvidea 3D-vision. Still need some of those silly glasses but when using this as a projector for your interactive smartboard it can double as 3D projector (for example on educational purposes or entertainment).

Company delivers short throw and network managed eco-friendly projector products

Orlando – June 15, 2009 – ViewSonic® Corp., a leading global provider of visual display products, today at InfoComm 2009 announced the availability of the all new PJD6211, PJD6221 and PJD6381 flexible, eco-friendly projectors with enhanced 3D display capabilities. These projectors are ideal for classroom, corporate and gaming audiences as they come equipped with advanced network management capabilities, multiple inputs and 120Hz refresh compatibility for a truly immersive 3D experience.

PJD6381 – 3D ultra short-throw DLP projector
The PJD6381 has one of the shortest throw ratios available for a DLP projector on the market, with a ratio of .68, which helps reduce shadowing effects and is compatible with the wide range of interactive whiteboard options being used in school districts nationwide. The product has a 1024 x 768 XGA resolution, 2,500 ANSI lumens and a 2,500:1 contrast ratio to display detailed, brilliant images. Media can also be viewed in 3D with a 120Hz refresh rate as the projector is compatible with the two leading stereoscopic 3D technologies from Texas Instruments (DLP Link) and NVIDIA (3D-Vision™), allowing gamers and educators to see the most realistic graphics. The PJD6381 also has RJ45 network management software allowing users to manage all of their networked projectors, schedule on / off times and send email alerts to administrators notifying them of required maintenance, such as scheduled lamp replacements.

The PJD6381 will be available in August 2009 with an MSRP of $1,249.


PJD6211 and PJD6221 – 120Hz / 3D Ready DLP projectors
ViewSonic’s new DLP projectors are equipped with a 1024 x 768 XGA resolution, up to 2,700 lumens and a 2,800:1 contrast ratio to display bright, crisp images onto various surfaces. The PJD6221 includes RJ45 network management scheduling software that allows for control configuration and control remotely when connected to a centralized network. This network management tool is also compatible with existing ViewSonic DLP projectors, like the PJD6240 with a XGA 1024x768 resolution, 3,200 lumens and a 2,000:1 contrast ratio, perfect for use in meeting rooms or classrooms. The products are equipped with composite, S-Video and VGA inputs for increased connectivity with multiple devices. They also include a VGA output port for connecting an external display or secondary projector for multiple screen viewing.

The projectors are compatible with the two leading stereoscopic 3D technologies from Texas Instruments (DLP Link) and NVIDIA (3D-Vision) allowing educators and gamers to interact with amazing 3D content. Gamers in 2D mode can also take advantage of the blazing fast 120Hz refresh rate to eliminate shadowing and distortion of screen images.

The PJD6211 and PJD6221 will be available in July 2009 with MSRPs of $849 and $999, respectively. Additional short throw projector specs and video introduction can be found here.

“With these three new additions to our already extensive line of education projectors we are able to give administrators, businesses and gamers even more options through visual display technology,” said Jeff Volpe, vice president and general manager of ViewSonic North America. “ViewSonic’s new offerings allow alternative, energy efficient ways for users to view and enjoy various forms of media.”

All of ViewSonic’s DLP projectors are Energy Star® certified and feature ECO Mode™ configuration options. This can save up to 40% in energy consumption and extend the lamp life of the product up to 6,000 hours, decreasing the total cost of ownership.

Additional short throw projector purchase details, specs and a video introduction can be found here.

ViewSonic also offers its Finch Club resellers an opportunity to benefit from specialized product training and discounts through the company’s GovEd public sector program. To sign up, please visit www.finchclub.com. For additional information on ViewSonic products, please visit www.viewsonic.com or become a ViewSonic fan on their Facebook page.

About ViewSonic
ViewSonic® Corporation is a leading global provider of visual display products. ViewSonic develops, markets and supports a broad range of innovative products, including computers, LCD monitors, LCD TVs, projectors, digital photo frames and digital signage displays. For further information, please contact ViewSonic Corporation at 800.888.8583 or 909.444.8888; or visit http://www.viewsonic.com/.

Can "Games" play a role in customer interaction/support

Microsoft just announced Project Natal and the youtube clip embedded shows some of the capabilities. This clearly shows a different kind of interaction and you feel more attached as a gamer.




When taking this one step further. Would it be possible to create a "Game" that will take care of the client interactions when in need for support. The game should be developed from a different viewpoint but the interaction in a "human" manner will be there and there should always be a possibility to switch over to a life person for the questions that are not being answered in a game.

When creating a smart scenario this could be a big saver for companies that have a huge amount of helpdesk/call center employees. I admit the scenarios are different per job but the structure can be the same (and preferably would be). This means you just have to create new levels for a platform when there is a need to offer different support options

What will it be (multi)touch or 3D....or a combination?

OK, It''s a plain copy/paste but a very nice one from digitimes.com. Just came across:



Acer to launch 3D notebook at the end of October, new netbook for 3Q10
Yen-Shyang Hwang, Taipei; Joseph Tsai, DIGITIMES [Monday 8 June 2009]

Acer plans to launch a 15.6-inch 3D notebook, which the company jointly developed with Wistron, at the end of October 2009, according to Campbell Kan, vice president of Acer's mobile computing business unit.

The notebook features built-in software which can convert regular 2D movies to 3D, and will also directly support 3D movies.

Currently, users still need to wear stereoscopic glasses for the 3D to be effective, however, Acer is developing a model without the need for glasses, although it still has quiet a few technological obstacles to overcome, Kan noted.

The notebook will come equipped with Windows 7 and therefore Acer will not make an official announcement until Microsoft launches the OS, Kan added.

In addition to Windows and Android models, Acer is also working on its third-generation netbook, which will feature a similar concept as MIDs or smartbooks with strong network connectivity and convenience, and it targeting a launch in the second of third quarter of 2010, Kan noted.

Acer 3D notebook
Photo: Yen-Shyang Hwang, Digitimes, June 2009

Mitsubishi Demos '3D Touch Panel'

Sorry for the level of detail. This story is pretty technical but pretty interesting as well so I decided to put it in the blog. Don't worry if you do not understand everything. Just imagine what can be done with a 3D touch screen



Mitsubishi Electric Corp prototyped a capacitive touch panel that can detect the distance between a finger and the panel and demonstrated it at Interaction 2009, which took place from March 5 to 6, 2009, in Tokyo.

Mitsubishi Electric calls the touch panel " 3D touch panel" because it can determine not only the x- and y- (plane) coordinates of a finger but also its z- (normal direction) coordinate. The prototype has a 5.7-inch screen with a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels (VGA).

The prototype is intended for use in mobile devices with a small touch panel. For example, the company envisions mobile devices equipped with a "mouseover function," which changes the image of an icon when the mouse pointer is placed on it.

This time, Mitsubishi Electric had a demonstration of moving a finger toward thumbnail icons and icons on a map and changing their shapes.
"We think the mouseover function is more useful in smaller screens," the company's spokesperson said.

By calculating the time variation of capacity in the z-axis direction, "the acceleration of the finger approaching the panel can be detected," the spokesperson said. With this method, the panel can determine the speed of the approaching finger.

"If the backlight is designed to be red when the finger moves fast and blue when it moves slowly, emotional changes of the user can be reflected on the panel," the spokesperson said.
Switching between two detection methods. The prototype can detect the distance of an approaching finger while using ITO transparent electrodes.

When the finger is not in contact with the panel, the capacitance change is smaller compared with when the finger is in contact with the panel, requiring high detection sensitivity. Copper electrodes would provide a sensitivity high enough to detect an approaching finger, but they are not transparent. But, if transparent electrodes are used, the sensitivity becomes lower than that with copper electrodes because the resistance value of the panel increases.

Therefore, Mitsubishi Electric decided to switch detection methods depending on the position of the finger. When the finger is approaching the panel, it is defined as "proximity state." When the finger is in contact with or very close to the panel, it is "contact state." In the proximity state, priority is given to the sensitivity. And, in the contact state, the resolution is prioritized.
In the proximity state, the panel can detect a capacitance change of about 0.3pF, and about 8 to 19pF in the contact state, according to the company.

The resolution in the x-axis and y-axis directions in the proximity state is equivalent to 10mm. In respect to the z-axis direction, "it is possible to determine the distance of the finger as long as the it is less than 20mm," the spokesperson said. The resolution in the z-axis direction is 256 stages.
In the contact state, the resolution in the x-axis and y-axis directions is equivalent to 0.2mm, the company said.

In addition, the response speed varies depending on the position of a finger. In the proximity state, it is about 50ms and about 10ms in the contact state. In respect to power consumption, "there is no difference between the two states," the spokesperson said.

To improve the sensitivity in the proximity state, multiple sensors are connected to increase the sensor area. In general, sensitivity improves in proportion to sensor area.

Furthermore, a function called "sensor shield control" was added to reduce the parasitic capacity of the circuit. The electrodes in the x-axis direction and those in the y-axis direction are located ones on top of the others. When sensors are operating, the sensitivity lowers due to the increase of parasitic capacity caused by the electric potential difference between the upper and lower parts of the electrodes.

Therefore, Mitsubishi Electric reduced the parasitic capacity by applying signals of the same phase and potential. Also, the sensor shield control function eliminated the need for a shield layer that reduces electromagnetic noise generated from an LCD panel.
Only few changes made

The prototype is based on a capacitive touch panel that is available on the market, and "only a few changes were made to it," according to the spokesperson. Mitsubishi Electric just added switch elements to connect multiple sensors and improved the detection circuit to reduce its parasitic capacity, he said.

"Our research and development division does not consider that those improvements will significantly increase costs," he said.
The commercialization schedule of the new touch panel has not been determined yet. But when it is commercialized, "it will first be used for our products," the spokesperson said. The company plans to verify its resistance to environment as well as operability in actual devices for the commercialization.

The capacitive method employed for the prototype is a projection type, which is suitable for mobile devices and difficult to be applied to large screens. But Mitsubishi Electric is now working on measures to meet the requirements of screens that are 10 inches or larger. The new detection method cannot be realized with surface capacitive touch panels, according to the company.