The latest generation of 3D traces its origins back more than 150 years. The basics have hardly changed since then, except for the emergence of the retro red-blue lenses in the 70s, that replaced the red-green glasses of yore.

Since each lens differs in color, each eye sees a slightly different image. In a similar way, our binocular vision gives us our sense of depth perception, as each eye sees objects at a distance from a slightly different perspective. When each eye is shown a slightly different image the brain automatically blends the images together producing the 3D effect.

The newer, Buddy Holly-style glasses, called polarized glasses, also work on the same principle by limiting the amount of light that goes into each eye.

Two pictures are superimposed on the same screen through polarizing filters that match their respective lenses.

The reusable 3D glasses are inexpensive and easy to produce, making them the choice of high volume operations such as theaters.

For people with a 3D television set but without access to 3D content, new conversion methods using computer algorithms can measure the lighting in a regular 2D image to determine the depth of various on-screen objects.

From there, the converter stretches on-screen objects forward or pushes them back based on the direction of lighting, automatically filling in the picture by blurring gaps produced in the process in real time.

(HK Edition 05/21/2010 page2)