Tech Next

A new technology developed on thin-film by 3M enables mobile devices like cell phones to view 3-D images without the special glasses. The technology named Vikuiti 3-D, guides slightly-different images to viewer’s right and left eyes. The device is to be held still relatively. The viewer will experience an “auto-stereoscopic effect” (sense of depth of the image).

The optical trick is the same as in Philips’s WOWvx 3-D TV. However, to make it work on mobile devices is a new challenge.In Vikuiti 3-D technology, reflective structures (prism-shaped) are embedded on back of polymer film. Tiny micro lenses are on front patterned.

This component guides lights through the liquid-crystal display in the front of film. Light passes the film from the 2 LEDs, one placed to right and one to left. Light from the LEDs bounces off waveguide & strikes the film at different angle, which causes the embedded optics in the film to bend the light in 2 different directions.

Both the LCD and the LEDs panels are switched very fast (120 times per second) to trick the brain of the viewer to see 2 images at one time.

6 Responses to “Cell Phones Goes 3-D”