Full Parallax 3-D TV with Programmable Display Parameters

Multi-user 3D film on a time-multiplexed side-emission backlight system

The desirable features for a portable 3D display include displaying 2D and 3D images without resolution degradation for multiple users, a 2D/3D switchable functionality, and, in particular, a compact volume. To produce a portable 3D display with these desirable features, we propose here a multi-user 3D film combined with a side-emission backlight system that has a directional-sequential light distribution. According to the simulation and experimental results, the multi-user 3D film successfully uses an inverted trapezoid structure to separate the rays of each light source and increases the number of observers from one to three. Additionally, the specification of the inverted trapezoid structure can be determined via equations for different designated viewing positions of the side observer and for the ratio of light intensities for the central and side observers.

Resolution-enhanced integral imaging in focal mode with a time-multiplexed electrical mask array

The inferior resolution of the three-dimensional (3D) image is one of the main problems to be resolved for realizing a commercial autosteresosopic 3D display device. In this paper, a time-multiplexing technique using electrically moving masks is proposed to enhance the resolution of the 3D image realized by integral imaging in a focal mode while preserving the viewing angle of it.

A 3D integral imaging optical see-through head-mounted display

An optical see-through head-mounted display (OST-HMD), which enables optical superposition of digital information onto the direct view of the physical world and maintains see-through vision to the real world, is a vital component in an augmented reality (AR) system. A key limitation of the state-of-the-art OST-HMD technology is the well-known accommodation-convergence mismatch problem caused by the fact that the image source in most of the existing AR displays is a 2D flat surface located at a fixed distance from the eye. In this paper, we present an innovative approach to OST-HMD designs by combining the recent advancement of freeform optical technology and microscopic integral imaging (micro-InI) method. A micro-InI unit creates a 3D image source for HMD viewing optics, instead of a typical 2D display surface, by reconstructing a miniature 3D scene from a large number of perspective images of the scene. By taking advantage of the emerging freeform optical technology, our approach will result in compact, lightweight, goggle-style AR display that is potentially less vulnerable to the accommodation-convergence discrepancy problem and visual fatigue. A proof-of-concept prototype system is demonstrated, which offers a goggle-like compact form factor, non-obstructive see-through field of view, and true 3D virtual display.

Advances in three-dimensional integral imaging: sensing, display, and applications [Invited]

Three-dimensional (3D) sensing and imaging technologies have been extensively researched for many applications in the fields of entertainment, medicine, robotics, manufacturing, industrial inspection, security, surveillance, and defense due to their diverse and significant benefits. Integral imaging is a passive multiperspective imaging technique, which records multiple two-dimensional images of a scene from different perspectives. Unlike holography, it can capture a scene such as outdoor events with incoherent or ambient light. Integral imaging can display a true 3D color image with full parallax and continuous viewing angles by incoherent light; thus it does not suffer from speckle degradation. Because of its unique properties, integral imaging has been revived over the past decade or so as a promising approach for massive 3D commercialization. A series of key articles on this topic have appeared in the OSA journals, including Applied Optics. Thus, it is fitting that this Commemorative Review presents an overview of literature on physical principles and applications of integral imaging. Several data capture configurations, reconstruction, and display methods are overviewed. In addition, applications including 3D underwater imaging, 3D imaging in photon-starved environments, 3D tracking of occluded objects, 3D optical microscopy, and 3D polarimetric imaging are reviewed.