Head-tracked 3D displays

There are several approaches to providing a 3D display, the generic types being: binocular, multiple-view, volumetric, and holographic. A binocular display is one where only two images are presented to the viewers. The viewing regions may occupy fixed positions, or may move to follow the viewers head positions under the control of a head tracker. This paper describes the authors development of single user and multi-user 3D displays that do not require the wearing of special eyewear (autostereoscopic) and employ head position tracking to give a large degree of freedom of viewer movement. This makes them particularly suited to TV applications. The single and multi-user versions of the display that incorporate an LCD and future development based on a laser-based 3D display that does not require an LCD are described. Head tracked displays are likely to provide the next generation of 3D display as they can occupy a window of opportunity between current displays with limited performance, and full moving-image holographic methods that are unlikely to be in general use within the next decade. A single viewer version has been built and is commercially available. The multi-user prototype will be developed and it is envisaged that it will be available for niche market applications within four years and for television use within around eight years. Entnommen aus TEMA