Researchers use flat lenses to extend viewing distance for 3D display
Researchers have demonstrated a prototype glasses-free 3D light field display system with a significantly extended viewing distance thanks to a newly developed flat lens. The system is an important step toward compact, realistic-looking 3D displays that could be used for televisions, portable electronics and table-top devices.
Light field displays use a dense field of light rays to produce full-color real-time 3D videos that can be viewed without glasses. This approach to creating a 3D display allows several people to view the virtual scene at once, much like a real 3D object.
“Most light field 3D displays have a limited viewing range, which causes the 3D virtual image to degrade as the observer moves farther away from the device,” said research team leader Wen Qiao from Soochow University. “The nanostructured flat lens we designed is just 100 microns thick and has a very large depth of focus, which enables a high-quality virtual 3D scene to be seen from farther away.”
In Optica, an Optica Publishing Group journal, the researchers report that their prototype display exhibits high efficiency and high color fidelity over viewing distances from 24 cm to 90 cm. These characteristics all combine to create a more realistic viewing experience.
“We developed this new technology in hopes of creating displays that could allow people to feel as if they were actually together during a video conference,” said Qiao. “With the continued development of nanotechnology, we envision that glasses-free 3D displays will become a normal part of everyday life and will change the way people interact with computers.”
Creating multiple views
Light field displays create realistic images by projecting different views that allow the 3D scene to look the same when looked at from different angles. The focal length of the lenses used to create these views is the limiting factor when it comes to viewing distance. More