A couple of weeks ago, a consortium led by electronics giants Sony, Sanyo, Sharp and others joined forces to set up a consortium to promote the adoption of 3D stereographic liquid-crystal displays (LCDs). Check for example this Slashdot story, "3D Display a Little Bit Closer to Reality."
Now, Graeme Wearden reports from CeBIT 2003 that Sharp expects to deliver true 3D flat screens monitors before the end of the year.
At CeBIT, the company is demonstrating a prototype device that projects a three-dimensional picture that can be seen by users without the assistance of special visual aids.
It has been designed to send a different image to each eye--so that the person looking at the screen sees in 3D, so long as they are standing at the correct distance from the monitor.
"The 3D monitor should be launched commercially before the end of this year, priced at around 3,000 euros (around $3,200)," a Sharp spokesman said.
How does this work?
The prototype on display was a 15-inch flat screen. Sharp explained that the screen contained a 'parallax barrier TFT panel' that splits the light generated by the monitor such that alternate columns of pixels are seen by each eye, so that each sees a slightly different image.
And the user has to be positioned directly in front of the monitor and at the correct distance away -- which appeared to be around 40 to 50cm.
I'm somewhat skeptical. It looks that you cannot really move from this "sweet spot" to truly appreciate the 3D effect. If some of you happen to be in Hannover, please check this prototype and send me your comments.
Source: Graeme Wearden, ZDNet (UK), March 17, 2003
12:49:19 PM Permalink
|
|
