Coming 3D Revolution - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

Baraka_Guru · 06-18-2008, 07:28 AM

"[...]this new generation of 3D technology has the potential to be more disruptive than the introduction of the television set."

Quote:

The coming 3D revolution: Hype or reality?

One of the benefits of being a consultant is that you sometimes get to see really cool stuff before it hits the market.

I recently visited Kerner Optical--the stealthy special-effects unit that split off from Industrial Light & Magic a couple of years ago.

Among other things, Kerner is now focused on developing disruptive technology for a broad range of 3D applications. Without getting into specifics (because I can't) or technical gobbledygook--which you can get by checking out the company's research website--this stuff goes way beyond the current state of 3D movies, video games, virtual reality, and TV.

A recent James Cameron presentation provided some hints on what might be coming, but as some readers of this story observed, he stopped short of getting into any real specifics. Make no mistake, just like Kerner and others, Cameron has a lot invested in the 3D world. Still, I viewed his talk as more of a "heads-up and be prepared for what's coming" sort of thing. And something is indeed coming. But before we get into that, a brief caveat.

Some time ago, I wrote a post called "Top 10 technology flops" where I essentially trashed over-hyped technology that was destined to change the world and, well, didn't. So the last thing I want to do is overhype this.

In fact, you can read an entire history of 3D film-making here, and none of that technology is part of our current day-to-day lives. That said, I'm here to tell you that the 3D technology being developed today isn't your father's 3D technology.

The new stuff bears about as much resemblance to Creature from the Black Lagoon with the funky glasses as the consumer electronics and entertainment world of today resembles what my folks had back in the early '60s: a transistor radio, a hi-fi record player, and an 11-inch black-and-white TV with six whole channels of content.

Moreover, this new generation of 3D technology has the potential to be more disruptive than the introduction of the television set. You see, we currently spend a good portion of our waking lives communicating via two-way voice and viewing and interacting with flat video images. When you bring 3D imaging into the picture (no pun intended), the way we work, learn, play, shop and communicate changes. That covers a lot of ground.

Remember, we're not just talking about computer graphics, virtual reality, and displaying 2D content in 3D. We're talking about actual 3D data acquisition and display, and without the funky glasses. We're talking about the potential to visually immerse and interact with 3D versions of the Web, computer applications, games, TV, and, of course, movies. And let's not forget communications. This will take personal and business communications and conferencing to a whole new level. Add sensors and the visual experience can become physical as well, i.e. full immersion and interaction.

Some of the more advanced forms of the technology are already being used in scientific and medical research. And you know what that means. If there's a big market for it, the technology will eventually come down the cost, size, performance, and power learning curve. And the next thing you know, it'll be in your living room.

Of course, there are hurdles to overcome: hardware, software, display, power, eye fatigue, and communication bandwidth. It won't all happen overnight. But it will happen. And unless you're a really old fart, it will all happen in your lifetime.

If you have rugrats running around the house, bumping into and chewing on everything in sight, they will almost certainly raise their children in a computing and entertainment world that isn't reduced to a flat image. They will interact with objects and people thousands of miles away as if they're right in front of them.

Based on what I've seen, this isn't hype. It's the real thing.

(link)

This is interesting stuff. I wonder what the details are, and just how far the technology is going. Will this be a holodeck technology? Something like the computers in The Minority Report?

What do you think the potential is for 3D technology? Is what we see in Sci-Fi just a fantasy? How do you think this would change our lives? Would this be the biggest thing since the advent of the television?

I'm quite excited at this prospect. I look forward to the day when we can communicate on a visually intense platform that looks like you're there, whether this is in video games or on the Web. Sure, there are caveats, but that would be nothing new. Also, imagine your television and movie-going experiences if you had true mindblowing 3D....action movies where you actually flinch in fear of getting hit, or feeling like a voyeur in people's "private" relationships as you "step into" their stories.

The article cites the apparently top-secret work of Kerner, a company that spun out of Industrial Light & Magic.

Kerner Optical
Kerner Optical Research & Development

I'm going to explore their stuff to see if I can learn more about what's coming down the pipes. Generally, this is interesting stuff. I hope it isn't all hype. It will revolutionize the way we communicate.

What do you think?

Cynthetiq · 06-18-2008, 07:37 AM

I don't have much time to read all this right now. I'll catch up in a moment. I just wanted to say that 2 movies come to mind that really blew me away with 3D effects

Magic Journeys and Captain EO.

I didn't care for the Captain EO but the effects were cool. Magic Journeys title was very impressive, where the title lifted off the screen and looped in front of your face. It was amazin.

Otherwise, most 3D has been boring to me, even the IMAX ones.

Hain · 06-18-2008, 08:55 AM

I had read some articles about this, and it was called the HoloVizio. Embedded below is the article. There are two videos of the new system at the article itself. Remember Stark designing his Mark 2 suit in Iron Man, yeah, we are getting near there.

Quote:

View: Star Trek HoloDeck 1.0 - HoloVizio 3D Makes Its Debut
Source: Scientificblogging (http://www.scientificblogging.com)

Abstract: "The HoloVizio is a 3-D screen that will allow designers to visualize true 3-D models of cars, engines or components. Better yet, gesture recognition means that observers can manipulate the models by waving their hands in front of the screen. The function offers enormous scope for collaboration across the globe."

Quote:

[ANCHOR]Star Trek HoloDeck 1.0 - HoloVizio 3D Makes Its Debut[/ANCHOR]
8 June 2008 - 2:05pm
by News Account
from Scientificblogging, http://www.scientificblogging.com

Star Trek: The Next Generation's holodeck allowed crewmembers to walk through their childhood home, re-enact famous historical events or watch performances of famous plays. It was also a consistent source of story lines for Star Trek writers who had nothing left to fall back on, because the holodeck offered so many opportunities to just make things up that didn't rely on logic or the Star Trek universe's core mythology.

Of course, if leisure time permitted they could also learn new skills or execute training drills by simulating surgery, flight, and engine repairs in a truly realistic environment but most of the time it involved being Sherlock Holmes or something like that.

Virtual life seemed pretty good on TV but it's still just science fiction for us. However, last year researchers took the first steps towards it with the COHERENT project, an EU-funded research project to create a commercial, true 3-D display.

They could have called it Holodeck 1.0. They went with HoloVizio instead.

No glasses needed, the 3D image can be seen unassisted.

The HoloVizio is a 3-D screen that will allow designers to visualize true 3-D models of cars, engines or components. Better yet, gesture recognition means that observers can manipulate the models by waving their hands in front of the screen. The function offers enormous scope for collaboration across the globe.

"The aim of the COHERENT project was to create a new networked holographic audio-visual platform to support real-time collaborative 3-D interaction between geographically distributed teams," explains Akos Demeter, spokesperson for the project.

Two applications drove the design of the basic networked audiovisual components – a collaborative visualisation system for the medical sector and a collaborative design review system for the automotive industry.

The researchers based the display component on innovative holographic techniques that can present, at natural human interaction scale, realistic animated 3-D images simultaneously to an unlimited number of freely moving viewers.

The upshot is that users do not need goggles, and the 3-D image is maintained as they move about – both in contrast with early attempts at holographic displays. But the real star of the Coherent project is not simply the display. The researchers made exciting advances in enabling applications that show the system's real potential.

Viewers can walk around the screen in a wide field of view seeing the objects and shadows moving continuously as in the normal perspective. It is even possible to look behind the objects. Hidden details appear while others disappear (motion parallax).

The COMEDIA application, for example, uses raw data from medical imaging devices to create 3-D models of anatomy. The development, led by Coherent partner CRS4 Visual Computing, demonstrated the system to 50 clinicians in Italy.

"The strength of the COMEDIA system is related to the collaboration, discussion and evaluation of clinical cases, since it provides users with an immediate 3-D understanding of the anatomy shown," explains Demeter.

COMEDIA led to the 'Holo-Heart' series of seminars last year.

CRS4 also developed rendering and visualisation software that may reveal the artistic secrets of the great masters, like Michelangelo. A scan of his famous David revealed that the eyes diverge.

It is impossible to see this by standing in front of the statue, because of its height and the position of the left forearm. But it becomes clear when viewed through the COHERENT system, and theorists posit that Michelangelo wanted to present two different faces of the same character.

Coherent also led to the development of the COLLAUDA application for collaborative automotive design. The application, developed with CS Systemes d’Information and Peugeot in France, led to a series of demonstrations to potential end users.

The demonstration led to a new project collaboration, named ARIVA, which starts in June 2008.

Finally, COHERENT's researchers explored the potential for applying holographic systems for oil exploration, using Shell's data. The system displayed real examples of subsurface data. Holografika, the Hungarian research company behind the Holovizio system, developed a lot of the core technology used by the project.

In all, the team developed useful applications for a leading edge, emergent technology, explored excellent commercial opportunities and perfected holographic and allied systems for real-world use. The research also stimulated enormous interest in the area and prompted a wave of activity in the sector. But history, perhaps, will remember the Coherent project as the precursor to a real world holodeck.

The project received funding from the EU's Sixth Framework Programme for research.

More on the COHERENT project.

More from Cordis.

Go to Star Trek HoloDeck 1.0 - HoloVizio 3D Makes Its Debut from Scientificblogging (http://www.scientificblogging.com).This post was created with FASS.

telekinetic · 06-18-2008, 06:57 PM

3D was the new Hotness at Infocomm (just got back from it). Samsung had a really sweet display, and there were about fifteen other companies displaying one, ranging in size from a 37" display to a whole wall, and ranging in quality from pretty rough to crystal clear 1080p perfect, except in 3d. All of them look like crap if you move your head, but if you hold still, some of them look pretty damn amazing.

The best sets I saw simulated a spatial volume about 24" deep and that came out from the panel about 12". Amazing. With a good CG video they were pretty breathtaking.

It's coming. You'll see it first on advertising. Most of the demo films I saw were CG commercials formatted for digital signage (the mall, etc).

spectre · 06-18-2008, 07:32 PM

I was lucky enough to see some of the 3D tech that the researchers where I went to school at were working on. It's still quite a ways from being a holodeck, but they're definitely doing some cool stuff.

06-18-2008, 07:37 AM	#2 (permalink)
Cynthetiq Tilted Cat Head Administrator Location: Manhattan, NY	I don't have much time to read all this right now. I'll catch up in a moment. I just wanted to say that 2 movies come to mind that really blew me away with 3D effects Magic Journeys and Captain EO. I didn't care for the Captain EO but the effects were cool. Magic Journeys title was very impressive, where the title lifted off the screen and looped in front of your face. It was amazin. Otherwise, most 3D has been boring to me, even the IMAX ones. __________________ I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not. What's the best nation in the world? DO-NATION!

06-18-2008, 06:57 PM	#4 (permalink)
telekinetic zomgomgomgomgomgomg Location: Fauxenix, Azerona	3D was the new Hotness at Infocomm (just got back from it). Samsung had a really sweet display, and there were about fifteen other companies displaying one, ranging in size from a 37" display to a whole wall, and ranging in quality from pretty rough to crystal clear 1080p perfect, except in 3d. All of them look like crap if you move your head, but if you hold still, some of them look pretty damn amazing. The best sets I saw simulated a spatial volume about 24" deep and that came out from the panel about 12". Amazing. With a good CG video they were pretty breathtaking. It's coming. You'll see it first on advertising. Most of the demo films I saw were CG commercials formatted for digital signage (the mall, etc). __________________ twisted no more Last edited by telekinetic; 06-18-2008 at 07:33 PM..

06-18-2008, 07:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
spectre Junkie	I was lucky enough to see some of the 3D tech that the researchers where I went to school at were working on. It's still quite a ways from being a holodeck, but they're definitely doing some cool stuff. __________________ "Fuck these chains No goddamn slave I will be different" ~ Machine Head