Computer Graphics World
03/14/06
Fakespace introduces 8 megapixel active stereo projection system
March 14, 2006—Fakespace Systems announced the availability of the Beacon
8MP, a stereoscopic projection system with 8.85 megapixel native resolution.
The spatial detail possible with the Beacon 8MP is suitable for terascale data and
image critical applications such as scientific research, vehicle design reviews and
geophysical interpretation and drill planning.
Two of these projectors will be used to create a 10'x10', 14 megapixel display at
the Virtual Reality Applications Center (VRAC) of Iowa State University
during the Human Computer Interaction Forum, April 12, 2006.
The Beacon 8MP uses patent-pending shutter technology developed by
Fakespace to produce active stereo image quality and ultra-high resolution
without the need to tile multiple projectors of lesser resolutions. At the core of the
Beacon 8MP projector are two light engines that each display 4096 x 2160
resolution and 5,000 lumens of brightness.
Electronic shutters placed in front of each light engine alternate on and off in
rapid succession to generate separate left eye and right eye images. When the
Beacon shutters are synchronized with electronic shutter glasses, high-quality
active stereo images can be viewed.
The Beacon 8MP eliminates the artifacts of projector blending and tiling for
continuous detail across the entire projected image. If active stereo-capable DLP
projectors were used to create this resolution, up to six DLP projectors would be
required, and they would have to edge matched into a tiled array. Edge matching
results in visible lines between projectors that are acceptable for some
applications, such as automotive styling. Also, uneven brightness and colors
appear across the entire image due to hot-spotting of multiple projectors.
An alternative to this is edge blending, which would require up to 12 DLP
projectors. While edge blending eliminates the visible line between projectors, a
reduction in pixels results due to the overlap of projectors. Further, electronic
and/or optical blending technologies can still introduce visible brightness and
contrast artifacts that require periodic maintenance.
Fakespace also offers the new 8.85 megapixel resolution in a polarized (passive)
stereoscopic configuration, where light-weight paper or plastic glasses can be
used. However, the Beacon technology creates significant advantages for
applications where image quality is imperative. The alternate light engine
shuttering presents just one image for each eye on the screen at one time. There
isn't any possibility of crosstalk (ghosting) that can occur with polarized systems
where both left and right eye images are on the screen all the time. Crosstalk is
very fatiguing for the viewer and reduces the amount of time viewers can work in
immersive environments. Further, image contrast improves when only one image
is on the screen at a time.