Autostereoscopic, full-resolution CRT display

The hardware for this display is contained within a relatively thin layer, which can be either produced as a stand-alone product to be placed in front of an existing screen, or built into the front of a standard display device at assembly.

In its most basic form, the system consists of two layers of vertical polarizing strips arranged in alternating polarizations (each orthogonal to that of its neighbors). The layers are placed in front of the display and aligned such that the polarizations of a particular area of the screen match in the line of sight of one of the viewer's eyes but not the other. We can control, down to the pixel level, what is seen by each eye.

Full resolution, minimal flicker

By using appropriate liquid crystal elements, we can dynamically control which eye can see a particular region of the screen. If we arrange the strips such that all the regions are visible to one eye but not the other, and then switch rapidly between them, we create a field-sequential stereo display similar to that provided by LCS glasses. This makes the system compatible with nearly all existing stereoscopic media and software, as well as all rendered 3D content created under the OpenGL and Direct3D standards.

Eliminating the sweet spot

If the layers are constructed using static polarizing material, the result is a very inexpensive solution. Alternatively, if we use liquid crystal panels consisting of individually addressable elements, we can achieve full and instantaneous control over each area of the screen. This means we can provide an uninterrupted image to each eye. We are able to dynamically aim each image in the stereo pair at electronic switching speeds and with no moving parts.

Furthermore, the same inputs that enable us to dynamically aim the images can be used to provide full "look-around" capabilities to give a true-to-life experience.

Current status

We have a working prototype demonstrating autostereoscopic 3D on a CRT display, with dynamic tracking and look-around capabilities. We are now applying the relevant portions of this technology to the development of our new full-time, full-resolution flat-panel stereoscopic display.

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