Probably not everyone likes to watch 3D movies in theaters, and one of the reasons for this may be the sometimes annoying need to wear glasses. People who wear prescription glasses have to put on one more over them - cheap plastic ones that are often scratched. That is why the news was received with such optimism that the specialists of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have developed a 3D screen for cinemas without the need for glasses.
Probably, some users have had experience of acquaintance with 3D technologies without the use of glasses - one of the most accessible ways is Nintendo's 3D games. But even the latest generation of advanced portable 3D devices are designed for just one user, who essentially has to look at the display from a specific angle. This is not suitable for a cinema with hundreds of seats, each with a different viewing angle.
MIT's Computer Technology and Artificial Intelligence Lab decided to create a display that allows people to watch the 3D effect in cinemas from anywhere in the auditorium - no glasses are required. Together with scientists at Israel's Weizman Institute of Sciences, they created a prototype called "Cinema 3D", which uses a complex system of lenses and mirrors to create a number of parallax barriers that take into account the angle of view depending on the position of the seating position.
Researchers have found that it is quite realistic to apply this in cinemas, since, unlike at home, it is well known where the permanently installed spectator seats are located, and people, as a rule, do not move from their seats and thus hardly change the viewing angle while watching a movie.
Another advantage of Cinema 3D is that it retains high resolution, providing clear images for every viewer.
The prototype is not yet ready to enter the market - it needs 50 sets of mirrors and lenses. But it has demonstrated that the technology can be put into practice, and the researchers hope that over time, they can develop it into a commercially viable product. This will help stimulate the rapid development of 3D content.
