North_TJ@cc.curtin.edu.au (Tim North) (10/02/90)
In article <9009280355.AA23389@lilac.berkeley.edu>, Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET (Murph Sewall) writes: > > VAPORWARE > Murphy Sewall > From the October 1990 APPLE PULP > > A Real 3-D Display. > Texas Instruments has shown a "bubble" display two feet in > diameter which "floats" three dimensional images within a > volume. Multiple viewers can see the display from any side > without special goggles or eyeshades. Dubbed "Omniview," > TI's patent application describes the technology as a > "real-time, auto-stereoscopic, multiplanar 3-D display > system." Initial commercial applications may appear as > early as next year. - InfoWorld 20 August > You've GOT to be kidding! ACKK! Is this for real? Whoa man, what centuru is this?! I mean this isn't for reeee-al is it? Quick, what day is it -- nope not April first... Somebody tell me it isn't possible yet -- please! Tim North --------------------------------------------------------------------------- SNAIL : Dept. Computer Engineering, Curtin University of Technology. Perth, Western Australia. Internet: North_TJ@cc.curtin.edu.au ACSnet: North_TJ@cc.cut.oz.au Bitnet: North_TJ%cc.curtin.edu.au@cunyvm.bitnet UUCP : uunet!munnari.oz!cc.curtin.edu.au!North_TJ ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
swarren@convex.com (Steve Warren) (10/02/90)
In article <3808.2708cdc4@cc.curtin.edu.au> North_TJ@cc.curtin.edu.au (Tim North) writes: >In article <9009280355.AA23389@lilac.berkeley.edu>, Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET >(Murph Sewall) writes: [...] >> A Real 3-D Display. >> Texas Instruments has shown a "bubble" display two feet in >> diameter which "floats" three dimensional images within a [...] >You've GOT to be kidding! ACKK! Is this for real? Whoa man, what centuru is >this?! I mean this isn't for reeee-al is it? Quick, what day is it -- nope not >April first... > >Somebody tell me it isn't possible yet -- please! This system is incredibly expensive. There is a 2 foot transparent plastic dome that houses a large mirror mounted on a spindle that runs up the vertical axis of the dome. The spindle rotates the mirror at high speed while lasers "paint" the image on the surface of the mirror. You can barely see the mirror, according to those who have seen this system. The image is contained within the mechanism of the dome (ie none of the image is projected out into space). The famous holographic chess-war from Star Wars could be accurately produced with a system like this. But there would be a dome around the chess-board, unlike the movie. -- _. --Steve ._||__ DISCLAIMER: All opinions are my own. Warren v\ *| ---------------------------------------------- V {uunet,sun}!convex!swarren; swarren@convex.COM
dale@bcm.tmc.edu (Dale A. Samuelsen) (10/02/90)
In article <3808.2708cdc4@cc.curtin.edu.au> North_TJ@cc.curtin.edu.au (Tim North) writes: > In article <9009280355.AA23389@lilac.berkeley.edu>, Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET > (Murph Sewall) writes: > > > > VAPORWARE > > Murphy Sewall > > From the October 1990 APPLE PULP > > > > A Real 3-D Display. > > Texas Instruments has shown a "bubble" display two feet in > > diameter which "floats" three dimensional images within a > > volume. Multiple viewers can see the display from any side > > without special goggles or eyeshades. Dubbed "Omniview," > > TI's patent application describes the technology as a > > "real-time, auto-stereoscopic, multiplanar 3-D display > > system." Initial commercial applications may appear as > > early as next year. - InfoWorld 20 August > > > > You've GOT to be kidding! ACKK! Is this for real? Whoa man, what centuru is > this?! I mean this isn't for reeee-al is it? Quick, what day is it -- nope not > April first... > > Somebody tell me it isn't possible yet -- please! > > Tim North > ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- Yup, it is indeed real. It was shown at SIGGraph '90. It did not appear to me to be something to jump up and down about. The device consisted of a plexiglass bubble, rotating vanes set at specific angles &/or , and a computer controlled laser. The laser projected an image on the rotating vanes inside the dome. Based on where the laser beam struck the vanes, the viewer percieved height, width, and depth. Your quote from their patent application is accurate. No special goggles were required. I do not recall whether the device was monochrome or not - it may have had 3 colors, but it certainly did not have the range of color one might expect from a video monitor. I suspect that it will have trouble with adequate solid modeling because of the length of time it would take the laser to draw a solid on the vanes. In addition, the resolution seemed low and it was noticable that the image was projected onto rotating vanes. The booth was enclosed and was a very low light situation. I do not believe that the technology as shown would work well in standard office lighting. Hope this helps. If anyone can shed further light on the technology, please follow up this post. I'd like to hear another perspective. Dale Dale A. Samuelsen Baylor College of Medicine dale@bcm.tmc.edu --Any opinions expressed are mine alone and do not necessarily represent those of Baylor College of Medicine.
bgribble@jarthur.Claremont.EDU (Bill Gribble) (10/02/90)
In article <3808.2708cdc4@cc.curtin.edu.au> North_TJ@cc.curtin.edu.au (Tim North) writes: >In article <9009280355.AA23389@lilac.berkeley.edu>, Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET >(Murph Sewall) writes: >> >> VAPORWARE >> Murphy Sewall >> From the October 1990 APPLE PULP >> >> A Real 3-D Display. >> Texas Instruments has shown a "bubble" display two feet in >> diameter which "floats" three dimensional images within a >> volume. Multiple viewers can see the display from any side >> without special goggles or eyeshades. Dubbed "Omniview," >> TI's patent application describes the technology as a >> "real-time, auto-stereoscopic, multiplanar 3-D display >> system." Initial commercial applications may appear as >> early as next year. - InfoWorld 20 August >> > >You've GOT to be kidding! ACKK! Is this for real? Whoa man, what centuru is >this?! I mean this isn't for reeee-al is it? Quick, what day is it -- nope not >April first... > >Somebody tell me it isn't possible yet -- please! No, it's not possible, at least not the way you want it to be. I read a description of a free-standing 3d system under development last year (I didn't remember that TI was involved, but I'm assuming that this is what the TI system is.) What's going on here is some pretty good trickery: the system consists of a round disk, tilted at 45 degrees or so, that spins around rather rapidly. The result is that some point of the disk passes through every point of space enclosed by the disk's rotation in the period of 1 revolution. A laser then 'paints' the scene on the disk as it rotates. The result: A three-dimensional line image. If the disk rotates fast enough (say, 30 revs/sec or more) the viewer sees a complete scene reflected off the disk before his eye registes the movement of the beam; just like the laser shows on plane surfaces. Pretty neat, huh? They say it'll be great for air-traffic controllers, artists, and innumerable other types. Just keep little kiddies' fingers away from that disk! >Tim North ***************************************************************************** ** Bill Gribble Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA ** ** bgribble@jarthur.claremont.edu Never heard of it? You're stupid. ** *****************************************************************************
ech@cbnewsk.att.com (ned.horvath) (10/03/90)
From article <3808.2708cdc4@cc.curtin.edu.au>, by North_TJ@cc.curtin.edu.au (Tim North): > In article <9009280355.AA23389@lilac.berkeley.edu>, Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET > (Murph Sewall) writes: >> >> VAPORWARE >> Murphy Sewall >> From the October 1990 APPLE PULP >> >> A Real 3-D Display. >> Texas Instruments has shown a "bubble" display two feet in >> diameter which "floats" three dimensional images within a >> volume. Multiple viewers can see the display from any side >> without special goggles or eyeshades. Dubbed "Omniview," >> TI's patent application describes the technology as a >> "real-time, auto-stereoscopic, multiplanar 3-D display >> system." Initial commercial applications may appear as >> early as next year. - InfoWorld 20 August >> > > You've GOT to be kidding! ACKK! Is this for real? Whoa man, what centuru is > this?! I mean this isn't for reeee-al is it? Quick, what day is it -- nope not > April first... > > Somebody tell me it isn't possible yet -- please! > > Tim North Don't have a cow, man. Like most ooooh!-type stuff, this one seems obvious once you see how it's done. Take a vector display. Substitute a visible light beam for the electron gun. Mount it horizontally (shooting up). Spin a helical glass plate over it as a projection surface. Wrap a transparent box around it so nobody puts their fingers in the Cuisinart. The spinning helical projection surface effectively allows you to translate any point (x, y, z) to (x, y, t(x, y, z)), where t is time. Use three beams for RGB. Pretty slick. Now, what I'd like to know (since I've only seen "stills") is how bad the flicker is... =Ned Horvath=
billsey@agora.uucp (Bill Seymour) (10/03/90)
In article <3808.2708cdc4@cc.curtin.edu.au> North_TJ@cc.curtin.edu.au (Tim North) writes: :In article <9009280355.AA23389@lilac.berkeley.edu>, Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET :(Murph Sewall) writes: :: :: VAPORWARE :: Murphy Sewall :: From the October 1990 APPLE PULP :: :: A Real 3-D Display. :: Texas Instruments has shown a "bubble" display two feet in :: diameter which "floats" three dimensional images within a :: volume. Multiple viewers can see the display from any side :: without special goggles or eyeshades. Dubbed "Omniview," :: TI's patent application describes the technology as a :: "real-time, auto-stereoscopic, multiplanar 3-D display :: system." Initial commercial applications may appear as :: early as next year. - InfoWorld 20 August : :You've GOT to be kidding! ACKK! Is this for real? Whoa man, what centuru is :this?! I mean this isn't for reeee-al is it? Quick, what day is it -- nope not :April first... : :Somebody tell me it isn't possible yet -- please! Of course it's possible... They're using a spinning, tilted disk with lasers shining on it. The disk spins fast enough to be effectively invisible to your eyes, so you only see the laser hitting the disk surface. That gives you a very nice wire frame (or if you're quick enough with the laser, solid) 3D image. You're limited in colors, and the viewing area isn't a sphere, but it's certainly possible... Can anyone guess how long it'll be before we see a port of Battle Chess with two different color lasers? :-) :Tim North :--------------------------------------------------------------------------- :SNAIL : Dept. Computer Engineering, Curtin University of Technology. : Perth, Western Australia. :Internet: North_TJ@cc.curtin.edu.au :ACSnet: North_TJ@cc.cut.oz.au :Bitnet: North_TJ%cc.curtin.edu.au@cunyvm.bitnet :UUCP : uunet!munnari.oz!cc.curtin.edu.au!North_TJ :--------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- -Bill Seymour billsey@agora ***** American People/Link Amiga Zone Hardware Specialist NES*BILL ***** Bejed, Inc. NES, Inc. Northwest Amiga Group At Home Sometimes (503) 281-8153 (503) 246-9311 (503) 656-7393 BBS (503) 640-0842
casper@csuvax1.csu.murdoch.edu.au (Casper Boon) (10/04/90)
ech@cbnewsk.att.com (ned.horvath) writes: >From article <3808.2708cdc4@cc.curtin.edu.au>, by North_TJ@cc.curtin.edu.au (Tim North): >> In article <9009280355.AA23389@lilac.berkeley.edu>, Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET >> (Murph Sewall) writes: >>> >>> VAPORWARE >>> Murphy Sewall >>> From the October 1990 APPLE PULP >>> >>> A Real 3-D Display. >>> Texas Instruments has shown a "bubble" display two feet in >>> diameter which "floats" three dimensional images within a ---- stuff deleted ----- >>> early as next year. - InfoWorld 20 August >>> >> >> You've GOT to be kidding! ACKK! Is this for real? Whoa man, what centuru is >> this?! I mean this isn't for reeee-al is it? Quick, what day is it -- nope not >> April first... >> >> Somebody tell me it isn't possible yet -- please! >> >> Tim North >Take a vector display. Substitute a visible light beam for the electron gun. >Mount it horizontally (shooting up). Spin a helical glass plate over it as >a projection surface. >Wrap a transparent box around it so nobody puts their fingers in the >Cuisinart. >The spinning helical projection surface effectively allows you to translate >any point (x, y, z) to (x, y, t(x, y, z)), where t is time. >Use three beams for RGB. >Pretty slick. Now, what I'd like to know (since I've only seen "stills") is >how bad the flicker is... >=Ned Horvath= Another variant on this theme appeared in "The Australian" on the first of May of this year which refered to a project at MIT using holograms, the "trick" being to use sound to vary the refraction in a crystal that a laser passes through. Also surprisingly simple in concept, once you know how.... ================================================================ Casper A. Boon, casper@csuvax1.csu.murdoch.edu.au Computer Science Programme, Maths and Physical Sciences Department, Murdoch University, South Street, Murdoch, Western Australia, 6152. PHONE: (09) 332 2790 OVERSEAS: +61 9 332 2790 ================================================================ (PS Hi Tim..... :-)
sparks@corpane.UUCP (John Sparks) (10/05/90)
North_TJ@cc.curtin.edu.au (Tim North) writes: |> Texas Instruments has shown a "bubble" display two feet in |> diameter which "floats" three dimensional images within a |> volume. Multiple viewers can see the display from any side |> without special goggles or eyeshades. Dubbed "Omniview," |You've GOT to be kidding! ACKK! Is this for real? Whoa man, what centuru is |this?! I mean this isn't for reeee-al is it? Quick, what day is it -- nope not |April first... |Somebody tell me it isn't possible yet -- please! Hey, we've had these things for centuries, bud. It's just a technological version of the ol' magical Crystal Ball so popular with Gypsie Fortune Tellers. And I bet TI thinks they invented it first. ha! :-) -- John Sparks |D.I.S.K. Public Access Unix System| Multi-User Games, Email sparks@corpane.UUCP |PH: (502) 968-DISK 24Hrs/2400BPS | Usenet, Chatting, =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-|7 line Multi-User system. | Downloads & more. A door is what a dog is perpetually on the wrong side of----Ogden Nash
newbery@rata.vuw.ac.nz (Michael Newbery) (10/05/90)
Re the 3-D display, a company called GENISCO supposedly had one of these
in 1982. Theirs worked by bouncing the projected image off a vibrating
mirror. Not quite walk around but certainly viewable without 3-D glasses.
I only ever saw a photcopied flyer, I don't know if the product ever
shipped or how much it cost.
Ask over in comp.graphics, I'm sure someone there will know.
--
Michael Newbery<newbery@rata.vuw.ac.nz>
Seagoon: "I went to visit my Uncle Henry and Aunt Minnie who,
"being the holders of Government, Gilt Edged Securities,
"lived in a tree in Hyde Park."cwpjr@cbnewse.att.com (clyde.w.jr.phillips) (10/05/90)
In article <3808.2708cdc4@cc.curtin.edu.au>, North_TJ@cc.curtin.edu.au (Tim North) writes: > In article <9009280355.AA23389@lilac.berkeley.edu>, Sewall@UConnVM.BITNET > (Murph Sewall) writes: > > > > VAPORWARE > > Murphy Sewall > > From the October 1990 APPLE PULP > > > > A Real 3-D Display. > > Texas Instruments has shown a "bubble" display two feet in > > You've GOT to be kidding! ACKK! Is this for real? Whoa man, what centuru is > this?! I mean this isn't for reeee-al is it? Quick, what day is it -- nope not > April first... > > Somebody tell me it isn't possible yet -- please! Why? I beleive it cause I've benn *expecting* it since @ 85. See I beleive technology possibilities are way ahead of what you see, cause of dumb capital. but something truly amazing will show up if you can convince a deep pocket to do it *right*. So I've been expecting this and the fractal compression/ data-expression deal ( SIMPLE code regenerates COMPLEX data<images> ) and a number of other goodies for a while now I feel *better* in that *we* aren't a totally myopic species. No personal flame at all, but raise you expectations and you might be pleasantly supprized! Clyde
alex@grian.cps.altadena.ca.us (Alex Pournelle) (10/10/90)
newbery@rata.vuw.ac.nz (Michael Newbery) writes: >Re the 3-D display, a company called GENISCO supposedly had one of these >in 1982. Theirs worked by bouncing the projected image off a vibrating >mirror. Not quite walk around but certainly viewable without 3-D glasses. It was a bit dim (shown in a darkened room in their booth) and one color (red). But was certainly quite viewable. They hadn't quite licked the flicker problem, yet. Seagoon: "He's fallen into the water!" -- Alex Pournelle, freelance thinker Also: Workman & Associates, Data recovery for PCs, Macs, others ...elroy!grian!alex; BIX: alex; voice: (818) 791-7979 fax: (818) 794-2297 bbs: 791-1013; 8N1 24/12/3
cosell@bbn.com (Bernie Cosell) (10/12/90)
alex@grian.cps.altadena.ca.us (Alex Pournelle) writes: }newbery@rata.vuw.ac.nz (Michael Newbery) writes: }>Re the 3-D display, a company called GENISCO supposedly had one of these }>in 1982. Theirs worked by bouncing the projected image off a vibrating }>mirror. Not quite walk around but certainly viewable without 3-D glasses. }It was a bit dim (shown in a darkened room in their booth) and one color }(red). But was certainly quite viewable. They hadn't quite licked the }flicker problem, yet. Actually, that display was developed at BBN and at the time it was licensed to Genisco. It is again being produced here at BBN [called the 'Spacegraph']. If any of you really want more info, either marketing or technical, on the beastie, you can give me a shout. __ / ) Bernie Cosell /--< _ __ __ o _ BBN Sys & Tech, Cambridge, MA 02138 /___/_(<_/ (_/) )_(_(<_ cosell@bbn.com