Who Needs 3D Viewing?
| If we’re not getting used to 3D now, we soon will be. 3D is a mass market phenomena and is increasingly being adopted in a widening range of applications, with new 3D ready or compatible products being released almost daily. According to Insight Media, the market for 3D display technologies is currently estimated at $600M for products now on the market, most of which require viewing devices such as Stereoscopic glasses. As new technologies emerge, the size of the market is expected to reach over $1 billion by 2011 for current applications alone. The way 3D has impacted the world of cinema is clear, but there are other applications where 3D breaks new boundaries, improving the aspirational, viewing, learning or commercial experience for those involved. |
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EDUCATION
3D modelling and viewing creates informative and captivating learning with its more efficient method of passing on spatial knowledge and the benefits that 3D creates a more rewarding viewer experience and greater interest.
Popular applications of 3D in education
Applications include Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Anatomy, Geography, Mathematics, Engineering, Architecture and the Arts. NEC 3D ready value and ultra short throw projectors together with a NEC 3D starter kit represent the ideal introduction to 3D for the classroom. A simple, low cost PC based solution that includes the projector, viewing glasses, 3D player and other 3D media. Single projector set ups with multiple viewing glasses for the whole classroom are also available. Working together with Texas Instruments, NEC are piloting 3D installations into educational establishments across Europe. |
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GAMING
Gaming represents one of the biggest drivers in the growth and more widespread acceptance of 3D viewing, with games consoles also taking a key role in the playback of 3D modelling and playback of 3D educational content.
PC based gaming
Nvidia pioneered Stereoscopic 3D with their 3D Vision Technology. Displays and projectors need to be “Nvidia certified”. The Nvidia 3D Vision set includes shutter glasses with an infrared emitter. NEC NP216 projectors are fully Nvidia certified thus providing the ideal large display playback compliment to the home based PC 3D set up.
Game consoles
Games consoles from all the leading names are playing a big part in the move to 3D at home and it is anticipated that playing 3D discs at home will become standard practice. |
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ENGINEERING SIMULATION
3D is an excellent medium to make more representational models, visuals or movies in Design, Engineering, CAD/CAM and Simulation applications. 3D models enable the viewer to fully appreciate the final appearance of an engineered product.
In markets where style and appearance play a big part in the success of a product’s introduction to the market such as the automotive industry or consumer electronics, the ability to view the product in virtual 3D can mean refined adaptations to the design without the expense of creating prototypes, enabling product development workgroups or market research studies to provide more valuable feedback before the button is pushed on product development. |
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PHOTOGRAPHY
With the release of low cost 3D cameras, as well as professional standard 3D camera solutions, 3D photography is now available to all. Cameras work by taking two images from slightly different angles. The resulting pair of images from a ‘3D photo’ are stored in a 3D file format or can be exported as .jpeg or .wmv format.
Using a special 3D media player the 3D pictures can then be viewed on a 3D display advice, such as a NEC 3D projector with 3D viewing glasses. |
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VIDEO
Capturing and Editing 3D Video
Studio quality 3D video cameras are also available, bringing production quality 3D to the larger market. Like standard 3D cameras, they work by taking two images from slightly different positions, essentially they are a video camera with two lenses. Video editing software already caters for editing in 3D and a standard 3D TV or 3D projector can be used to test output during the creative process.
Broadcasting
Major broadcast channels started to do test broadcasting to limited audiences in venues such as cinemas or pubs and bars during the last World Cup. The additional cost of 3D production, the challenges of providing 3D viewing solutions to all and bandwidth requirements are the major limitations to bringing 3D to the mass market.
Blu-ray 3D standard and Consumer TV’s
All major consumer electronic brands have announced big plans for 3D TV models. 3D consumer televisions are already broadly available in retail channels. 3D Blu-ray players will gradually become available with more 3D Blu-ray DVD’s being shipped into 2011. |
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