X3D Technologies has introduced a new system that connects to a PC’s TV receiver card and creates a virtual 3-D image in real-time from existing broadcast TV signals. The technology was demonstrated at the Internet World conference in New York last week.
The New York company said it would like to convince broadcasters and cable operators to make its new X3D TV Gateway software part of their digital television offering. The X3D system for gaming consists of a pair of glasses and a hardware device. Set-top box versions of the TV Gateway software will be included in a single chip by January, according to company representatives.
The X3D system uses spatial motion detection and time-frame sequencing to compare corresponding frames and extrude the moving elements in a scene. Still frames or “talking-heads” appear as they would ordinarily.
The perception of depth of field is replicated with the special lenses that alternate many times per second between clear and opaque (i.e., blocks light). During use, a left-eye image is first displayed on a monitor, and the glasses’ left lens is clear, while the right lens is dark. The image on the monitor is then switched to the right eye view, and the lenses of the glasses are reversed (left lens dark and right lens clear). The result is that images appear to be floating in front of the monitor, creating the 3-D experience.
For more information, visit www.x3dworld.com.