Stereoscopic 3-D explained: A crash course for the busy marketer

Recently we blogged about 3-D graphics. This post is going to talk about another type of 3-D: Stereoscopic. This is where the image appears to jump off the screen and typically requires the viewer to wear special glasses. The technology has been around for a while (since the 1800s, actually!) but has recently gained popularity with theatrical movie releases and even sporting event broadcasts.

How is the content produced?
One way to create stereoscopic images is to use 3-D computer graphics. Most 3-D software packages have the ability to set up a stereoscopic camera (see coffee cup below).

Stereoscopic video is recorded either with two cameras side-by-side or a special camera with two lenses. These two lenses capture the image at different horizontal positions, roughly the same distance apart as the human eyes, creating a parallax (or displacement) between the two images. Objects closer to the camera will have greater displacement among the two images.

To illustrate this, hold up a finger about two inches from your nose and alternate closing each eye quickly. You'll notice the location of your finger appears to jump between the two views. Now, move it arms-length away and do the same. The apparent location of your finger won't change as drastically. 3-D cameras capture images just like human eyes!

How is it viewed?
To view a stereoscopic image, the captured left/right images need to be projected to the appropriate eye. This is usually done through the use of glasses. There are many types of 3-D glasses; some of the most common ones are:

Passive/Complementary color anaglyph – This is the typical red/cyan glasses you got with comic books. The colored lenses filter out the opposite side so each eye only sees the part of the image intended for that eye. So if the right-side image is tinted red, the left lens is red, which blocks out the image on the right. The downside of this method is it sacrifices color quality.


Passive/Polarized – The same idea as the method above, but each image is polarized with special filters. This is what is used in movie theaters and some consumer TVs.

Active shutter – These are the battery-powered glasses that work with many of the consumer TV sets on the market today. The left/right lenses alternately open and close in sync with the alternating left/right images on the display at a very fast rate (120 or 240 times per second). Your brain isn't fast enough to detect this is happening, therefore the two images become one 3-D image. This is one of the highest-quality ways of viewing 3-D content.

The type of glasses used depends on how the content was created and how it’s being displayed.

Where is the technology going?
Probably one of the most interesting areas is autostereoscopy or "glasses-free 3-D." There are a few ways this is done including eye tracking (using cameras mounted in the display frame) or methods known as parallax barrier and lenticular autostereoscopy that use special devices/filters to direct specific pixels of the image to their corresponding eye.

At some point, you've probably received a postcard in the mail using the latter method to create a 3-D-like or changing image when you angle it different ways. The portable gaming device Nintendo 3-DS also uses autostereoscopy. Another interesting product, known as 3DeeSlide, converts existing screens (including iPhones) into glasses-free 3-D displays. The downside to these glasses-free methods is that the viewing positions are limited. However, the technology is improving.

Consumers are also creating their own 3-D content using inexpensive 3-D cameras including the LG Thrill smartphone. This phone features side-by-side cameras that allow the user to record 3-D video and play it back on the device's glasses-free display. LG did a promo for the phone where they gave them to fans at a Jane's Addiction concert and used the footage to create an entirely user-generated 3-D concert video.

How can a marketer utilize this today?
While not many consumers have 3-D TVs yet, there are still ways to utilize this technology today. YouTube has the ability to upload 3-D video and deliver it using multiple techniques including the colored paper glasses, which they actually sell for about $7 for 10 pairs. The user is also able to easily turn off the 3-D if they don't have the glasses or a 3-D monitor.

As glasses-free displays improve, they could be used for digital signage in lobbies, trade shows and vending machines to create more engaging experiences.

Why invest in this?
One reason is to stand out. 3-D video is mostly used in entertainment today, not so much in B2B or B2C marketing. A company that sells a physical product could better show the product with 3-D imagery. A real estate company could create 3-D property walk-throughs that immerse the viewer.

Another thing marketers could do is design and print paper 3-D glasses and pass them out to customers at an event or include them in a direct mail piece that also directs consumers to a website to view a 3-D marketing message or product video.

At thunder::tech, we are currently experimenting with this technology and are ready to answer your questions or take on a 3-D project. Watch our latest episode of Good Morning Marketers on 3-D for business or contact us for more information.

About the author:
Matt Stevens is the manager of multimedia services and a graphic designer at thunder::tech. When he doesn't have a camera on his shoulder, he's probably swimming, biking or running (aka training for a triathlon). He also considers himself a proud "tree hugger."

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