By Carl Laron on August 27, 2010 in
While there are many hurdles standing in the way of 3D TV's widespread adoption (including high cost, lack of content and even fears that watching 3D TV could make you sick), but the requirement for expensive and sometimes-uncomfortable glasses to see the 3D effect is one of the most significant. Though consumer electronics manufacturers have been working on auto-stereoscopic (glasses-free) high-def 3D, most experts have said that such TVs are years away from being a practical reality. Imagine their surprise, then, in the wake of reports that Toshiba plans to introduce a 3D TV that needs no glasses, and hopes to have it available by the end of 2010.
Look ma, no glasses
Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, which often breaks news from that country's technology industry, provides a few details. The TVs, which will sell initially in Japan for several hundred thousand yen (100,000 yen is roughly the equivalent of $1,185 U.S.), will be available in three screen sizes, including a 21-inch model.
Quoting sources, the paper goes on to say that Toshiba's technology works by emitting light at different angles, letting the brain reconstruct the 3D images without the need for glasses. Unlike existing auto-stereoscopic 3D technologies, the technique reportedly works for viewers sitting at different angles in front of the TV and is capable of showing images, including fast action, in full HD. Finally, Toshiba's glasses-free 3D tech is also compatible with all currently existing 3D content.
According to the Associated Press, Toshiba has confirmed that it's working on the technology, but has so far refused to comment on specifics, including availability.
While Hollywood and the consumer electronics industry have pinned their hopes on 3D, the technology has been slow to catch on. Despite the all media attention given to 3D, the other big feature found in 2010 LCD TVs and plasma TVs, Internet connectivity, seems to be getting more traction. Still, the consumer electronics industry is pressing on, holding events like the upcoming National 3D Demo Days, set for retailers around the country in early September.