Topic: NEC
Category: Mobile Phones
Technorati: Linking Blogs

Is it me, or is 3D display technology actually taking off?

NEC has developed a 3D LCD display with "the world's highest level of detail," (NEC) at 235ppi (pixels per inch). This system supports three-dimensional images that can be seen with the naked eye - they do not require the use of special glasses - and the system is intended for use o­n cellular phones. Though there are systems that use a parallax barrier for the display of three-dimensional images to the naked eye, NEC's development uses a lenticular lens.

A leticular lens is a lens array consisting of an elongated lens placed sideways, which has been generally used in printed materials up until now. With the use of this lens, pixels intended for the left eye reach the right eye, and pixels for the right eye reach the left eye - but because there is no setup such as parallax barrier to block the light, it has the advantage of not dropping the overall brightness.

However, o­ne of the problems with the display of three dimensional images has been the deterioration of resolution. This is because all of the pixels of the screen are divided between the two eyes - so in theory, both lenticular lens and parallax barrier setups have half of the horizontal resolution as typical 2D displays.

To combat this problem, NEC has independently developed "HDDP (Horizontally Double-Density Pixels)" for o­n LCDs. This technology consists vertically dividing a square into two parts, and then doubling the horizontal resolution. NEC has successfully experimented with a LCD that has a 470ppi horizontal and 235ppi vertical pixel density - when displaying in 3D, both of these densities become 235ppi.

Although adjoining pixels will be displaying the left and right eye images while using 3D display, the same image can be displayed o­n these pixels when in 2D display mode. The entire display can be switched between 3D and 2D modes, but perhaps more importantly, part of the 2D display can also be switched to 3D display.

NEC is largerly contributing to this development for use as 3D LCDs for mobile phones, and they have said that they will actively conduct research and development from now o­n. Furthermore, NEC has said that for now, a product actually containing this technology remains undecided.



Inspired by:
http://pcweb.mycom.co.jp/news/2004/08/31/005.html

Press Release:
http://www.nec.co.jp/press/ja/0408/3002.html