Holographic images are no longer exclusive to science fiction films thanks to the ICT Graphics Lab at USC.  Three-Dimensional displays have proven to be quite difficult to emulate, suffering from problems such as small viewing areas and high costs.  Using spinning mirrors, high-speed DLP projections and very precise mathematics, the crew at USC are able to display nearly 5,000 individual images reflected every second which come together to create a real-space three-dimensional object. In this case, they’ve displayed a Star Wars imperial tie-fighter.

They’ve also created a formula that renders specific projections at different heights and traces each projected beam back to the display. This way, the projection always finds the correct position of the viewer. So regardless of where you’re standing, the tie-fighter will always be a tie-fighter.  This is a huge breakthrough in three-dimensional holographs that could eventually lead to Cortana-like women everywhere.

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In yesteryear, we’d be playing Rad Racer with those chunky black glasses with the blue and red lenses thinking all along, “Wow this is real 3-D! The cars just jump out at me, man!” However, this is not the case. The company Holografika has created “HoloVizio” technology which provides multiple viewers with a three-dimensional display that changes as people shift their perspective of the screen.

Holografika claims that most of the three-dimensional gizmos on the market are not true 3-D as they do not meet the following criteria:

• No glasses needed, the 3D image can be seen with unassisted naked eye
• Viewers can walk around the screen in a wide field of view seeing the objects and shadows moving continuously as in the normal perspective. It is even possible to look behind the objects, hidden details appear, while others disappear (motion parallax)
• Unlimited number of viewers can see simultaneously the same 3D scene on the screen, with the possibility of seeing different details
• Objects appear behind or even in front of the screen like on holograms
• No positioning or head tracking applied
• Spatial points are addressed individually

The HoloVizio does not try to fool the brain into thinking it’s seeing a three-dimensional image, but rather attempts to recreate the properties of a window, a two-dimensional surface that displays shifts in perspective and changes in light pattern. With this technology in your household, watching “Brazil” just got a heck of a lot more interesting.
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Japanese researchers have devised a prototype that renders 3D images by using pictures taken by 64 cameras placed on an 8 x 8 grid. The 3D display is comprised of a small assortment of shapes and colors.  The images taken by the cameras look three-dimensional to the naked eye and researchers say it’s, “almost real time.”

By taking 60 angled shots from 60 different directions using the camera grid, the rendering system is able to display images of objects and adjust the 3D effect accordingly.  Devices like these serve a lot of potential, but at a price tag of $5000, this 3D rendering system is far from commercialized.
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If you’ve been looking for that special something to pick up for Mom on Mothers Day, we present the chance to incorporate their love for canines, 3D wiring projects, and gardening. The Dog Breed Topiary frames from the Gardeners’ Supply Store allows you to purchase a three dimensional model of the breed of your choice to fill with sphagnum moss and ivy for your own little garden fanaticism.

The frames don’t contain anuses, so there is no need to worry about the topiaries taking a shit on your prize winning lawn. Best of all, the $60 frames almost look better without all of that gardening shit inside of them. So you can just use it as a creepy lawn ornament.

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Thanks to an innovative design and well-thought form-factor, the Transformer concept phone by Shkinder Maxim can do much more than your average mobile device. The Transformer has the capability to act as a mobile phone, photo/video camera, multimedia player, projector, and is even working on support for holographic imaging and 3D scanning.

Featuring 2 independent swiveling and flipping displays, the Transformer can accomplish multiple functions without much change to navigation or form. The concept also talks of a possible 3D scanning system which would store a 3D image of an object in the memory banks and project an exact image of the 3D model using holographic imaging, much like R2D2 does for Princess Leia in Star Wars. (more…)

Game developers and hardware manufacturers have been trying so hard all of these years to achieve a realistic 3D effect. They have constantly been improving the quality of the 3D images we see. But there is some inherent problem to all of this: we are viewing the content on a monitor, which is a 2D surface. Only a plane, a monitor does not allow for the viewing possiblities of open space. Neurok Optics’ new 22 in. iZ3D Widescreen 3D LCD monitor is the next step in battling 2D away. While it might not give you the “fall out of your chair” feeling that a beautiful IMAX 3D theatre might, it’s still pretty cool. The monitor makes you use passive, polarized 3D glasses that they claim relieve the problems of fatigue and eyestrain. For basic specs, the iZ3D runs at a native resolution of 1680 x 1050. It features a  nice 170-degree viewing angle, 600:1 contract ration, and 16.7 million colors. Don’t worry if you need to use the monitor for “normal” use, it has the ability to change back into boring 2D mode. — Nik Gomez

Neurok Optics iZ3D 3D LCD monitor for gamers [via Gadgetell]