Glasses-Free 3D Movies In The Works
Researchers in South Korea have discovered a new way for moviegoers to enjoy 3-D movies without the hassle of wearing the bulky glasses, according to reports.
In a research paper published on Aug. 20 in the Optical Society's journal Optics Express, engineers at the Seoul National University have proposed using one projector on a modified screen to achieve a 3-D experience instead of the traditional two projectors.
The trick, according to researchers. is said to be a special filter that is placed directly opposite the projector to essentially block vertical regions of the screen. This would result in a slightly different, offset picture being sent to each eye.
Traditionally, when watching a 3-D film, two projectors are being used at once-ultimately displaying two images from two films on the same screen all at the same time. This can explain why the screen may appear to be fuzzy and distorted when the 3-D glasses are removed.
The new method would be similar to the method used for the Nintendo DS, where a filter enables the left-projector movie to be viewed by your left eye and for the right-projector movie to be viewed by your right eye.
The movie screen is covered in a special film that removes any need to wear traditional 3D glasses. The light-blocking technique means that resolution isn't as strong as an unfiltered projection, but the technique is reportedly still being developed.
"This is essentially the next step that was required for 3-D display technology without glasses," physicist John Koshel, who studies optical science at the University of Arizona and was not associated with the new work, told CNN.com. "This technology is still in its infancy, but it's a new step that was hidden for a long time."
The new method would allow movie theaters to keep their projectors where they've always been, behind the audience, and uses fairly simple optical technology.
Lead scientist Byoungho Lee said that this method "might constitute a simple, compact, and cost-effective approach to producing widely available 3D cinema, while also eliminating the need for wearing polarizing glasses."
