Sharp Corporation and Sharp Laboratories of Europe, Ltd.*1 have succeeded in developing a new LCD capable of displaying 3D images, which does not require the use of special glasses. This LCD is electrically switchable between 2D viewing (planar mode) and 3D viewing (stereo mode). This innovative display can lead not only to the development of dedicated 3D display equipment that provides a realistic sense of depth and presence, but can also be used in existing LCD application products, opening up new worlds of enjoyment far beyond what is currently available. For example, in the PC field, it functions as an ordinary 2D display for applications such as word processing or spreadsheets. Switching to 3D display mode, it lets users enjoy specialized 3D content such as computer graphics or games with an amazingly vivid sense of depth and immediacy. Principle of Operation of 3D LCDs ? A 3D display requiring no special viewing glasses is generated by controlling the path of travel of light from the display so that slightly different images reach the left and right eyes; in other words, the right eye sees only the image intended for it, and the left eye only the image intended for it. ? This newly developed 3D LCD employs a technique called the "parallax barrier," an older, well-known approach to generating a stereo display. The 3D LCD combines a conventional TFT LCD with a Switching LCD, a proprietary Sharp development. ? This Switching LCD establishes an optical parallax barrier, and by controlling the path of travel of light, makes it possible to separate the display images so that slightly different images reach the left and right eyes. ? By displaying the image intended for the left eye and the image for the right eye as a stereographic pair on a TFT LCD, each eye sees only the image intended for it and the brain combines the images and perceives them as a 3D representation. ? In addition, the Switching LCD electrically controls the parallax barrier to make it transparent, eliminating its ability to separate light paths. This way, the right and left eyes can see the same image when viewing ordinary 2D content. In other words, the display can also function as a conventional standard imaging device.

Source: Sharp