Microsoft Research : Interactive Displays - Applied Sciences Group (ASG) explores a see through 3D desktop

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

Presented at Microsoft TechForum 2012 : In the first of two demonstrations given at TechForum by the Applied Sciences Team, this is a project that is looking at what’s possible with a Samsung transparent OLED screen, Kinect sensors and some software magic. 

What you get is the ability to manipulate objects that lie behind the transparent screen - as well as objects on the screen with something called “view-dependent, depth-corrected gaze”.

After spending any time with Stevie Bathiche and his team you get used to such terminology. Much of the team's work explores the use of Kinect for tracking your eyes and delivering an image back to them that tracks your movements and gives depth and perspective.

The effect in this demo is you have a digital desktop that has depth allowing you to virtually place objects in space behind the screen, while also enabling the manipulation of objects on the screen from behind.

As with many of these types of demos, the video does a far better job of showing you what is going on than my words can. It’s another example of how the boundaries between physical and digital worlds are blurring.

We hope you liked our article. Feel free to comment below and let us know your thoughts. Discover other interesting presentations and research studies from Microsoft Research and don't forget to share it with your friends.

*by andreascy*

Next Generation 3D Holographic Projection Displays

Posted by Andreas Christodoulou

Description :

The Hollywood film industry went to a whole new level after 3-D movies like James Cameron’s “Avatar” to the latest “Underworld Awakening”. The perspective of watching movies through a whole new dimension is believed to have brought movie fans closer to reality.

But, people often complain about headaches and other eye problems after watching a movie continuously for 2 to 3 hours. But, due to the awesome movie effects, most companies are ignoring this problem and are introducing more and more 3D enabled gadgets like 3D televisions and smart phones. 

Smart phones like LG Optimus 3D and HTC evo 3D give us a glass free 3D effect using auto-stereoscopic technology. Even gadgets like these produce headaches and eye pain after constant viewing for hours. The case is same with the 3D smart TV or watching a 3D movie with glasses in a theater.

These problems can be overcome by the newly developed holographic displays. They produce a 3D display that can be viewed with ease, without pain in our eyes. The technology is in its early stage developments and hence only low quality holographic displays have been shown till now.

A group of researchers from a Belgian firm “Imec” have created a MEMS (Microelectromechanical) chip that can be used to make holographic displays. 

First, a wafer of silicon is taken and a layer of silicon dioxide is grown on it. Then the silicon dioxide is etched away such that grid pixels of size 150 nm, which are shallower than the surrounding silicon dioxide layer, are formed. The entire grid is then topped with fine layer of reflective aluminum. Then a beam of laser light is made to fall in this wafer in an angle such that the light is interfaced with itself. 

Usually, the pixels are moved to make the illusion of image movement. Instead of this method, a chip covered with tiny MEMS is designed to easily create a moving holographic image. The MEMS is made to move up and down on the chip’s surface to produce the image.

If this technique is successful in making high quality holography then the problems associated with 3D viewing will be eliminated and we can get a comfortable 3D vision. This will surely pave way to watching 3D movies with ease.

READ NEXT: Why Curved Screens are the Next Innovative Trend

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*by andreascy*