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Sony Demo'ing 360 Degree 3-D Tabletop Display
JoshuaInNippon writes "Sony announced via a Japanese press release that they will be showing off a prototype of a tabletop 360 degree 3-D display that can be seen in any direction without special glasses at the Digital Content Expo 2009 in Tokyo, from October 22-25. The device is quite small, at just over 10 inches tall and 5 inches in diameter. The display, using LEDs, currently supports an image that is 96 pixels wide by 128 pixels tall, with 24-bit full color. Sony also says it could have a number of applications, such as a digital sign, a digital frame, a medical display, or a virtual pet. Looking at the product image, who else wants to bet on the latter?)"
How about an application that, using the webcam, grabs an image of the user's face and then wraps it onto a 3d model of a little head on this display.
Your own tiny, somewhat distorted face would stare at you for a while, and then begin a high, thin, tormented wailing, smashing itself against the confines of the display tube. It's like a screensaver; but with more sanity damage.
Fun, but kind of useless at that size, unless you're R2D2 and have a vital message for an older Jedi warrior. I can envision floor and ceiling mounted projection units mounted flush that will do this sort of thing to display mannequins, advertisements, and battle station blueprints. I would think with a large enough angle from the floor and ceiling you wouldn't need any side projectors.
If you had such a 360 degree 3d display, what would you use it for?
I don't know about anyone else, but I would use mine to project a 3d representation of a crudely drawn penis.
"Our two-party system is like a bowl of shit looking at itself in a mirror." - Lewis Black
96 pixels wide by 128 pixels tall
If this thing is a 3D display, shouldn't there be another pixel dimension quoted here?
Judging by the quoted figures, they were probably too embarrassed.
Journalist: "So what are the 3 dimensions that you can display in ?"
Sony : "It's 128 pixels by 96 pixels by mumblemumble but it's still very experimental. And look at the vibrant colours !"
Journalist : "Sorry I didn't get that last figure"
Sony : "Did you notice the refresh rate, oh yes it's 128x96xmumble, look, we have a great tree model, let me load it for you"
Journalist : "sorry, times what ?"
Sony (squeaky) "times three..."
(in an overly enthusiastic voice) "Look, the branches are moving, doesn't it look like..."
Journalist : "Wait, not only is it a bit small to start with but that's barely 3D, it's more like 2 1/2 D"
Sony : "Who are you, what are you doing here ? Security !"
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