An Italian firm  has developed a prototype camera that can capture 3D imagery via a single lens using pulsed laser energy.

Although it doesn’t produce movie-style images, the FBK team see several potential uses for the camera. It could be incorporated into devices for elderly or disabled people to help them identify dangerous situations, such as those that could result in falls. It could also be used for Wii-like physically-interactive gaming, where the camera’s 3D sensing would eliminate the need for players to hold a controller.

[Gizmag via Crunchgear]

Think this 3D TV stuff is just a fad?  Sony doesn’t.

In Sony’s 2012 fiscal year, the mega consumer electronics company expects between 30 and 50 percent of all TVs that it makes will be 3D TVs.

This adds fuel to the 3D fire that Sony has been building with the introduction of 3D content on the PS3 via games and Blu-ray Discs.

PC World wraps up the full summary of word from Sony execs about the coming 3D-compatible sets:

The 3D-compatible sets will include a small piece of additional hardware that enables them to show 3D content but they’ll also work as conventional television sets, said Hiroshi Yoshioka, executive deputy president of Sony and head of the unit that includes its TV business, in an interview. Yoshioka didn’t elaborate on the additional hardware but said it would only add a little to the production cost of the TV set.

Check out the full breakdown over at PC World.

XpanD is a worldwide player in the theater-spec 3D glasses market, claiming a 90% market share in Asian cinemas and over 50% in Europe.  There are several XpanD-supported cinemas littered throughout the US; however, the company is sending a message to RealD that it will make a harder push into North America in 2010.

XpanD is also touting a strong offering for its 3D tech in consumer electronics for 2010.

More details in the press release below.

XpanD News Release

LOS ANGELES–(BUSINESS WIRE)–XpanD, the world leader in active-shutter 3D glasses for cinema, home theater, video games and other applications, has established itself as the standard for the film production, distribution and exhibition industries globally. XpanD’s extensive market penetration globally positions it as the natural partner for the world’s professional and consumer technology makers and distributors. XpanD has an estimated 90-percent 3D market share in Asian cinemas and a share of more than 50-percent in Europe, with a reported 75-percent share of the 3D sector in France, Europe’s largest cinema market. Strategically entering the North American cinema and CE markets in 2010 will solidify XpanD’s position as the global market leader in the burgeoning 3D market, which XpanD has been at the forefront since the new generation of 3D began in 2008.

With manufacturing facilities in Asia, Europe and North America, XpanD’s global reach has accomplished two key economic achievements: XpanD now sells over 1.5 million of its stylish, eco-friendly, and completely immersive X101 3D active glasses each year; and that has enabled the company to make the 3D glasses affordable for cinema owners and home users while providing 3D quality that was originally available only at a professional cost. XpanD has the extraordinary combination of experienced and visionary leadership, state-of-the-art technology, and economies of scale that will provide a backbone for the cinema and consumer electronics industries as they further transition into the 3D future.

“We believe that our independence, coupled with XpanD’s fiscal strength and depth, makes the company a strong prospective partner for studios, exhibitors, OEMs and other technology partners,” states Maria Costeira, CEO of XpanD. “Taking entertainment into the realm of 3D will be an undertaking at the level of transitioning from silent to sound, or taking film and television from black and white to color. It will require teamwork among leaders. XpanD plans to lend its unique capabilities to this unique effort, which will revolutionize the way people experience visual images.”

“While our competitors that sell active glasses to the professional market decided to provide the cinema market with a sufficient, but not revolutionary, 3D solution, we at XpanD provide the cinemas with active 3D–the best available 3D solution–as acknowledged by our competitors as well,” Costeira adds. ”The early adopters in the cinema world embraced XpanD due to the exceptional quality; the second generation of exhibitors embraced XpanD due to the long-term cost savings; and the last generation of exhibitors embraced XpanD due to the re-usable green technology that is part of their corporate policy. In the consumer electronics space, 3D active technology is already the winner as it was embraced by the world’s largest manufactures like Panasonic, Sony, Mitsubishi and Samsung. This wall-to-wall embracement will allow XpanD customers to use their active glasses in XpanD cinemas and at home.”

For more information on XpanD, please visit www.xpandcinema.com

X6D Limited is a global company whose products and services are marketed under the XpanD brand name. XpanD was created by industry veterans in theatrical exhibition, entertainment, film production and distribution, and specialty film and digital technologies and is funded by a European investment fund. XpanD technology is used by over 2,000 3D cinemas in more than 50 countries and is the default 3D solution for post-production houses, educational and professional 3D applications. XpanD designs, manufactures and OEMs a range of consumer electronics 3D solutions.

Engadget has published a hands-on review of the Tachyon XC 3D Helmet Cam.

It’s a pair of generally pedestrian cameras that, when joined at the hip, combine Voltron-like to do something rather more interesting: capture 3D renderings of your extreme endeavors.

Here’s another video from Tachyon of footage from the 3D cam (get your 3D glasses out):

New York in 3D from Tachyon XC on Vimeo.

Sony has developed a high frame rate single lens 3D camera, which purportedly will capture high quality 3D images at 240fps. The new camera is just a concept at this point and relies on an optical system that will simultaneously capture left and right images through a single lens which then reflects light to two mirrors and, in turn, two imaging sensors.

Sony is expected to show a prototype at CREATEC JAPAN 2009 in Japan on October 6.

More details in the press release below.

Sony Corporation today announced the development of a single lens 3D camera technology capable of recording natural and smooth 3D images of even fast-moving subject matter such as sports, at 240fps (frames per second). This technology combines a newly developed optical system for single lens 3D camera which captures the left and right images simultaneously, together with existing high frame rate (HFR) recording technology to realize 240fps 3D filming. Sony will demonstrate a prototype model incorporating this technology at “CEATEC JAPAN 2009”, to be held at Makuhari Messe convention center in Chiba city, Japan, from October 6th.

Newly Developed Single Lens Optical System

In existing half mirror 3D camera systems with separate lenses for the left and right eyes, the parallax range is adjustable, enabling the depth of the 3D images to be modified . However, when operating the zoom and focus functions of such systems, the sensitivity of the human eye, in particular to differences in the size and rotational movement of dual images, as well as any vertical misalignment or difference in image quality has meant that complex technology has been required to ensure that each camera lens is closely coordinated, and there are no discrepancies in the optical axis, image size, and focus. The introduction of a single lens system resolves any issues that may occur as a result of having different optical characteristics for each eye. Furthermore, by using mirrors in place of shutters, incoming light can now be simultaneously separated into left and right images and recorded as it reaches the parallel light area (the area where diverging light from the point of focus on the subject matter becomes parallel) of the relay lens. The separated left and right images are then processed and recorded with the respective left and right image sensors. As there is no difference in time between when the left and right eye images are captured, it is possible for natural and smooth 3D images to be captured, even of scenes involving rapid movement.

240fps 3D Filming

Optical tests have shown that a frame rate 240fps represents the limit of human visual perception, and beyond that it becomes difficult to detect differences in terms of blur and “jerkiness” of moving images (where images that were continuous are now seen as a series of distinct snapshots). By developing a 240fps frame rate CMOS image sensor with properties close to the human eye, which is capable of capture natural images of even fast moving subject matter, Sony has succeeded in further enhancing the quality of 3D video images.

The combination of Sony’s new single lens 3D system and its 240fps high frame rate technology has realized a single lens 3D camera system, based on universal properties of the human eye, which enables natural and smooth 3D images with no accommodation-vergence*1 conflict to be recorded.

Technological Features

1. New single lens optical system
- Captures left and right images simultaneously to deliver natural and smooth 3D images with no accommodation-vergence conflict.
- Eliminates the need for lens synchronization, ensuring easily accurate control of 3D zoom and focus functions.
- When polarized glasses are not used, viewers with still be able to see natural 2D images, as the disparity of the images for left and right eyes are within the range that human eyes can recognize as a blur.

2. 240fps image capture to realize high quality motion images
- Realizes high quality capture of 3D content including fast-moving subject matter such as sports.
Prototype to be demonstrated at “CEATEC JAPAN 2009”

Within the growing 3D cinema industry, Sony has supported and driven the expansion of 3D by providing a wide variety of professional equipment for the shooting, production and screening of movies in 3D. The number of digital 3D screens is increasing rapidly, and is expected to reach 7,000 worldwide by the end of 2009*2 In addition to 3D movies, Sony’s range of professional 3D products and technology is also driving the growth of 3D production and distribution across a range of entertainment industries, from theatre and music performances to sport and beyond. Furthermore, Sony is also aiming to continue to lead the way in delivering new 3D viewing experiences by bringing 3D to the home in 2010.

3DIcon is a 3D projection and display technology developer with lofty goals in commercial applications of 3D tech.  Those commercial applications will certainly trickle down to the consumer market if and when they come to fruition.  3DIcon recently got a funding boost for their financial partner and are striving to move closer to 3D bliss, including continued work on their CSpace project, as well as new 3D technologies.

3DIcon just issued a press release that provides a progress update on these developments and generally fires us up with where 3D is going in pursuit of that 3D unicorn we all want to see in our living rooms.

3DIcon Press Release

TULSA, Okla.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–3DIcon Corporation (OTCBB: TDCP), the developer of groundbreaking three-dimension projection and display technologies, today provided a status report and announced several significant steps it is pursuing as a part of its business plan.

3DIcon (www.3DIcon.net) believes that its technology has a place in the leading edge of the growth of the 3D industry. In a snapshot:

The company continues to work to access the potential of CSpace®, with the current focus on completing the development of a larger, more responsive, higher resolution image space. To that end, we are in discussions with and plan to submit a proposal to a Department of Energy national laboratory in October for their assistance in combining their extensive work in image materials with our efforts.

We have been specifically focused on the medical imaging industry for the past several months, with key meetings being held with a Midwestern medical imaging foundation for a collaborative effort in development of three-dimensional displays for use in surgical arenas, evaluation and patient education for CSpace, and exploratory discussions with a company in the business of converting 2D data to 3D in the medical field.

Our continuing research efforts have led us to a possible shortcut in the effort to develop a three-dimensional display for commercialization. This path would utilize materials and methodologies different from our current CSpace project, and funds are being sought and will be appropriated specifically for its evaluation and development. If proven, it could lead to a working 3D display in substantially less time than originally anticipated.

While the capital markets have been very difficult for all companies seeking growth financing, our efforts to fund the company and our research continue. Our current financing partner, Golden State Investors, has recently agreed to increase its funding efforts, and the company continues to evaluate other means of financing, such as grants. The company recently increased its authorized shares to facilitate financing discussions. The company recognizes shareholder concerns about dilution and will act prudently in its fund-raising efforts.

About 3DIcon Corporation

3DIcon Corporation (the “Company”) is a developer of groundbreaking 3D projection and display technologies that are being designed to produce full color, 360° volumetric images. The Company recently completed a working prototype of its flagship technology, CSpace®, a breakthrough in 3D imaging, along with concluding a key licensing agreement for the CSpace technology. 3DIcon has also launched its first software product, Pixel Precision®, which targets the R&D market for developers using Texas Instruments’ DLP® line of products.

Recently, rumors of a 3D version of the Xbox have surge accross the web on various tech and video game blogs.  This would be a very immersive experience, much more so than watching television and movies in 3D. The rumors suggest that the Xbox 3D games would be viewable as stereoscopic 3D games, which means you’ll need glasses to “get it.”

It doesn’t take much to imagine being “in” a game as opposed to watching a movie in 3D.  While movies are certainly entertaining in 3D, certainly as technology is improving (Disney’s Up! in 3D was the best I’ve seen yet), there is still a very “spectator” feeling that goes along with them.  The interaction of a video game, particularly the popular, fast-paced first person shooter games like Halo 3, would be incredibly intense in 3D.

The thought of a 3D video game system opens up endless potential for these experiences.  Some company has to be the first to jump off the 3D bridge.  If it’s a hit, it is going to be huge.  Maybe Microsoft will take the leap of faith on 3D.   We’ll be following this one as the rumors progress.  So, stay tuned.

[via Gizmodo]

Musion has been working on the 3-D Holographic Projection technology for a while now.  Now, for the first time, Musion going to beam some holographs across the Atlantic ocean in real time.  Check out the video above for a demonstration of the Musion Eyeliner technology.  More details about the tech and Transatlantic broadcast in the press release below.

DALLAS & LONDON – Musion, an exclusive master global licensor for the Eyeliner™ telepresence system, today announced the world’s fastest high definition (HD) video public broadcast system will be demonstrated at InfoComm09, June 15-19, 2009, in Orlando, Fla. With the technological support of MASERGY, Christie, Illusio Technologies, AV Concepts and HaiVision, the demonstration titled, “Experience a New Dimension: 3-D Holographic Projection,” will transmit live, interactive holograms for the first time from London, Dallas and Montreal.

Musion Systems, the holographic screen projection company behind the virtual images of Sir Richard Branson, cartoon band Gorillaz, Madonna, Al Gore and HRH Prince Charles, in cooperation with Illusio Technologies, will be showcasing its much vaunted life-size 3-D Telepresence (TP) solution. For the first time, a live broadcast of a 3-D hologram will be transmitted across the Atlantic, from London to Orlando, as well as other locations in the U.S. and Canada, for simultaneous transcontinental communication. The showcase-full “rock ‘n’ roll” display stage measuring 20 feet wide and 15 feet high will be housed in Conference Room 304H, located on the third floor of the Orange County Convention Center, on June 17, 18 and 19 from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Registered conference attendees can register for the event, which runs every 30 minutes, at infocommdemo@musion.co.uk.

“Previously a sci-fi technology limited to Star Trek and Star Wars, 3-D holograms are now a reality and can be used as a tool for live, interactive meetings between speakers and their audiences who are based in different locations,” said James Rock, director of Musion.

Thanks to patented technology from Musion Systems, called Eyeliner, and the combination of the best technology providers in their fields, speakers, appearing as 3-D holograms, are able to see, view and interact with their remote audience, making this an ideal tool for trade show and retail displays, keynote speeches, visitor attractions, lecturers, courtroom witnesses, preachers, musicians, comedians and other forms of entertainment, especially those that require a two-way communication between the speaker and audience.

The Musion show will include the first ever ‘Transatlantic Busk,’ where professional and student artists in London and Montreal will perform music, song, comedy and dance live to the audience in Orlando. Each performance will be followed by a collection hat being passed around for the audience to deposit a token of their appreciation. This is believed to be the first time an artist performing live in one location is financially compensated in real time by a watching audience located remotely. Artists will be paid their busk returns immediately – in line with true busking tradition. Other activities include a daily streaming House of Worship service from Pastor Erik Pattison and a live holographic auction hosted in London with bidders in Orlando.

These technological advancements are only possible through partnering with a combination of the most advanced technology providers in their specific fields:

• The unique and patented 3-D holographic technology developed by Musion, will be staged by its strategic U.S. reseller, Illusio Technologies, Inc.
• Display projection will be powered by Christie, combining HD resolution and rich color saturation to enable smaller objects to enlarge to giant size proportions with incredible eye-popping detail. Christie’s Vista Spyder will also be used to process, manipulate and optimize the imagery.
• MASERGY will provide a high-speed global network connection that optimizes the delivery of an HD video signal, for a jitter-free, life-like experience.
• HaiVision will be supplying the low latency transmission codecs which combine high definition video compression with the lowest latency performance available.
• AV Concepts, a national rental and staging partner, will manage the technical production.

The two-way signal latency of fewer than 200 milliseconds (2/10ths of a second) is around six times faster than satellite and promises to finally deliver streaming HD video content with the signal immediacy of radio. The 3-D image is created by Musion’s unique HD video image capture processes and patented Eyeliner® Foil apparatus. Smooth motion is on account of Musion’s faster frame rate of 50 interlaced frames per second, which creates the natural image edge blurring necessary for 3-D images to look realistic. This incredible quality is possible because MASERGY’s global network was purpose-built to deliver superior video performance at all times and under all network conditions.

Evans & Sutherland has a laser projection system that is capable of displaying 3D video at 4K x 4K resolution, which is a massively high-resolution image – particularly for 3D.

One of most important advantages of the E&S Laser Projector is the characteristic of a “Gap-free” pixel. Most forms of video display technology have visible breaks, or gaps between neighboring pixels. As you can see in the illustration, CRTs have gaps between the raster scan lines. LCD and DLP-based projectors have gaps in both the vertical and horizontal directions. While they have always been a fact of life, these gaps contribute to aliasing, or unpleasant distortions of the image.

[via ES.com]

More details on the E&S laser projector, which will be shown off at InfoComm 2009 this week, in the press release below.

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH, June 9, 2009, Evans & Sutherland Computer Corporation (E&S) (NASDAQ: ESCC) announced today it will demonstrate for the first time its revolutionary new 3D capable laser projection system at the InfoComm 2009 tradeshow, booth 3813, June 17-19 in Orlando, Florida. This newest E&S Laser Projector (the ESLP™ 8K) is the world’s highest resolution production video projector, and it provides superior 3D images at an astounding 4K x 4K resolution. It will offer museums, universities, research labs, control rooms, creative studios and indoor venues worldwide with a 3D experience that brings viewers into worlds both real and imaginary in a way that they have never experienced before.

The ESLP 8K offers unique advantages when it comes to displaying 3D stereographic video. Because of its zero-persistence characteristic, the projector can effortlessly switch between left-eye and right-eye views at 120 Hz or more, without any “bleed” between the left and right views. This results in a noticeably cleaner separation and 3D effect, when compared to using active stereo glasses with an LCoS or LCD projector.

For customers that have a need to switch between 2D and 3D images based on the video content being displayed, the ESLP 8K comes with flexible control software that allows users to change the display format from 3D to 8K x 4K quickly and easily. This capability will also be on display at InfoComm 2009. The ESLP 8K will be available in the second half of 2009.

NanoPixel™ Technology Generates Superior Picture Quality

The ESLP 8K laser projector system displays content the equivalent to sixteen times HD 1080p resolution, or the difference between 2 million pixels and 32 million. It is powered by a set of revolutionary laser light sources which offer multiple benefits, including low cost of operation. The hue of the lasers does not degrade or shift over time. Furthermore, the lasers yield a much wider useable color spectrum (200% of NTSC/HDTV) than is available in conventional LCoS, DLP, LCD, or other lamp-illuminated projectors.

E&S’ unique NanoPixel silicon imaging chip is at the core of this high-resolution machine. Its 8,192 microscopic moving ribbons provide an image free of artifacts, with no visible gaps between pixels and absolutely zero persistence (smearing) in moving images. The control of these ribbons is fine enough to yield a 36-bit/pixel (12-bit/color) useable precision in intensity.

Environmentally Sensitive

Despite its capability, the ESLP 8K comes with a surprisingly small environmental footprint. Its unique solid state laser light sources require only modest, quiet cooling and allow the projector to be powered from an ordinary wall outlet, thereby using significantly less power than other lower resolution 2K and 4K projectors. Furthermore, the laser light sources do not require periodic replacement (and disposal) as is the case with conventional lamp-driven projectors.
ESLP 8K Available for Traditional and Custom Applications

The ESLP 8K projector is targeted for commercial use in control rooms, visualization centers, education, simulation, editing, design studios, and other demanding applications all over the world. E&S will also continue to draw on its extensive research and development capabilities to meet the needs of its customers for customized and unique applications for the new

ESLP 8K projector.

Evans & Sutherland, a company that has been setting the standard in advanced computer graphics for the past four decades, is poised to continue the trend at this year’s InfoComm09. The E&S Advanced Displays exhibit will be located at booth number 3813 in Hall B on the main show floor, and will showcase the ESLP 8K. The laser projector will be featured at the booth with a flat-screen forward projection display showing both 3D video at 4K and ultra-high resolution video at 8K, where InfoComm attendees will be able to experience the technology first-hand.

CyberLink showed up at Computex 2009 to show off their HD 3D movie playback tech that allows us to view 3D movies on our computers using the video decoder software PowerDVD.  No word of exactly when it will hit, but according to CyberLink, it will be available on your PC very soon.

More details in the following press release.

TAIPEI, Taiwan – CyberLink Corp. (5203.TW), innovative solutions provider for the connected digital lifestyle, is showcasing for the first time its high definition 3D movie playback technology using PowerDVD at Computex 2009. The new 3D movie playback technology will allow consumers to experience stereoscopic 3D effects by using PowerDVD. 3D cinemas will soon come to a PC near you.

“We are excited to showcase cutting-edge technology for home movie entertainment,” said Alice H. Chang, CEO of CyberLink Corp. “The advanced 3D technology will soon allow consumers to enjoy amazing 3D effects and build a next generation of home theaters right from their multimedia PCs.”

CyberLink 3D video technology is planned to be built into PowerDVD and other video decoder software such as PowerCinema. The Computex showcase demonstrates how users will soon be able to enjoy life-like 3D movies right from their desktop and notebook PCs in the near future.