3-D Stereo Technology

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What Does 3-D Stereo Technology Mean?

Three-dimensional (3-D) stereo technology (S3-D) is a technique that generates an illusion of depth in a moving image, separately displaying two offset images to the right and left eye of the observer.

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The two offset images are seen as two-dimensional (2-D) to the viewer and synthesized by the brain as a single 3-D image. A 3-D moving image may be created in several ways – most, except autostereoscopic 3-D, require the viewer to wear 3D glasses.

S3D is also known as stereoscopic 3-D.

Techopedia Explains 3-D Stereo Technology

There are different techniques used to create an illusionary 3-D image with the use of lenses:

  • Polarization 3-D using active polarized lenses
  • Polarization 3-D using passive polarized lenses
  • Anaglyph 3-D using passive red cyan lenses or with chromatically opposite colors
  • Alternate-frame sequencing using active shutter lenses and special radio receivers
  • Head-mounted display (HMD) using a separate display optic positioned in front of one or both eyes, some increased resolution and field of view with multiple micro-displays

Autostereoscopic 3-D display adds 3-D depth without glasses.

S3-D displays two offset images and creates a parallax, which produces a lack of equality between a set of eyes and invariably causes a stereoscopic cue to the brain. Because each eye sees something different, parallax causes retinal disparity.There are different levels of retinal disparity, depending on the level of 3-D technology used.

Some television sets can produce a 3-D effect with the use of liquid crystal display (LCD) shutter glasses that produce a stereoscopic image. Only a few high-end TVs can also produce glasses-free 3-D imagery.

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Margaret Rouse
Technology Specialist
Margaret Rouse
Technology Specialist

Margaret is an award-winning writer and educator known for her ability to explain complex technical topics to a non-technical business audience. Over the past twenty years, her IT definitions have been published by Que in an encyclopedia of technology terms and cited in articles in the New York Times, Time Magazine, USA Today, ZDNet, PC Magazine, and Discovery Magazine. She joined Techopedia in 2011. Margaret’s idea of ​​a fun day is to help IT and business professionals to learn to speak each other’s highly specialized languages.