Synthetic 3D Imaging - Potential Projects List

Volumetric display

Build a simple volumetric display using whatever hardware you can find. A few points in space is convincing enough. There are a dozen different ways to do this.

Computational holography

Compute holographic fringes and print them out on film using a high-resolution printer, e.g., a 2540 dpi printer. There are many issues to explore: the limitations on image volume and viewing angle, algoithm comparisons, methods for binarization, speed of computing, effectiveness of different types of images.

Holographic imaging

Make some optical holograms. This will require access to a suitably equiped lab with a laser and optics. (I have some film.)

Comparison of depth cues

Compare the relative strengths of depth cues by doing simple experiments on a number of human subjects. This can employ any 3D imaging technique that you have access to, and can also focus on pictorial depth cues.

Web-based hologram formula solver

Using Java or CGI scripts, write an interactive tool for solving the two main equations in holographic imaging: the grating or "sine-theta" equation and the "one-over-R" equation. The optical recording step and the optical reconstruction step are related by these two equations. For a more advanced treatment, make an interactive graphical user interface in which the user can click and drag a source (e.g., object, reference, illumination) and see the resulting effect on the rest of the two-step system.

3D image relay system

Using two fresnel lenses, create a very realistic 3D image from a real object. This helps us to understand the limitations of a synthetic 3D display. (I can lend the lenses.)

Animated or interactive stereoscope

Displayed on a CRT; viewed with a stereoscope.

LCD plus parallax barrier = autostereoscopic display

Add depth to that laptop or LCTV.

Lenticular hardcopy

Lenticular screens solve the dimness problem that plagues parallax barriers.

LCD plus lenticular screen = autostereoscopic display

Brighter is better.

Interactive test of disparity budget

Using a stereoscope, interactively render stereo pairs to test the limits of the disparity budget, the positioning of cameras, etc.

Interactive or animated anaglyphic display

Use the red-blue glasses that you all have to make an interactive 3D display system.

Two-view renderer

Demonstrate a "speed-hack" or two that increase rendering speed by exploiting the similarities between left and right views.

Shear camera rendering

Implement a shear camera, and compare its performance to the "toed-in" geometry that many have been using.

Interactive Pulfrich effect 3D

Simple but interesting 3D effect that exploits the time-delay associated with reduced brightness in one eye (see the Superbowl halftime in 1989?). Simple create animations (or interactive scenes) in which object rotations and/or lateral camera moves cause objects to appear to have depth, given that the viewer is wearing easy-to-make Pulfrich glass (basically, cheap sunglasses missing one of the lenses!).

Autostereoscopic display

Build one of the simpler display systems described in the literature.

A really great parallax barrier hardcopy

See PS5 and PS6.

Any 3D-related idea that you have.

Be creative!