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Posts Tagged ‘ 3D HDTV ’

The Top 8 Future-Tech Stories of 2010

By Fei on December 29, 2010

By Nick Mediati

December 29, 2010

SAN FRANCISCO – Happy (almost) 2011! 2010 has been a fun year in tech, especially when it comes to future tech. This year we saw a number of exciting, useful, and in some cases, downright weird new technologies emerge. We haven’t quite reached Back to the Future Part II’s vision of the 21st Century, but, well, we’re getting there. Without further ado, here’s our top eight future-tech developments of 2010, in no particular order…
The Star Trek Replicator Is (Sort of) Real

3D printers may still be a novelty, but that might not be the case for long. This year we spotted a car built entirely out of 3D-printed parts, 3D-printed glassware, a 3D printer upgraded with 3D-printed parts, and even 3D-printed food! But perhaps the most disconcerting 3D-printing development was a robot that built robots using a 3D printer–clearly, robots just don’t need us humans any longer. The next thing you know, they’ll be trumping human intelligence.
It’s Alive!

Biotech and computer science collided numerous times in 2010. Will future computers be powered by DNA? Might E.Coli store your digital photos in the future? Or perhaps it’ll solve your Sudoku puzzles for you? Not impressed? Just wait until rat neurons power robots. Oh wait…
We Are Borg.

OK…maybe we’re not Borg just yet, but human-machine integration is closer than ever. A New Zealand company developed a set of bionic legs that’ll let wheelchair users walk again, But exoskeletons are only part of the equation: Researchers are working on mind-controlled exoskeletons. And thanks to developments at UCLA and Canadian company Interaxon, we could be moving closer to telekinesis of sorts. Of course, if you want to try mind-controlled tech for yourself, you can give NeuroSky’s gaming headset a try, or control your iPhone using XWave.
HTML5: This Revolution Will Be Online

2010 was the year where we really started to see what HTML5 is really capable of. We saw HTML5 used for everything from gaming to video to Web-based drawing apps. Some musicians even created some very cool HTML5-based interactive music videos. Like every new technology, there are things that still need to be hashed out. In the case of HTML5, there’s still debate over which video format to use. And we’re seeing how HTML5 can be misused to track your Web browsing habits.
In any case, watch this space; HTML5 is just getting started.

Who needs 3D Glasses?

It’s hard to say whether 3D HDTV may be a passing fad or have long-term staying power, but that hasn’t stopped the development of autostereoscopic 3D displays in 2010. These screens can display a 3D image without forcing you to weak dorky glasses. You likely won’t find an autostereoscopic 42-inch LCD HDTV in stores anytime soon, but the technology is finding a place in smaller devices such as smartphones and tablets. Nintendo is also using the technology in its upcoming Nintendo 3DS portable gaming console.
Holograms: Because 3D Isn’t Enough

But why settle for 3D when you can have holograms? In 2010, as part of its bid for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Japan proposed broadcasting the games in holographic form. Sadly, Japan’s World Cup bid fell short, but we could still see holographic TVs sometime in the next ten years. Until then, we’ll just have to settle for holographic pop stars…
Is There Anything Graphene Can’t Do?

Maybe we’re overstating graphene’s capabilities here–it can’t make you breakfast–but this wonder material made waves in 2010. Thanks to graphene transistors, nanobubbles, and so-called “spin computers,” future gadgets could end up being a whole lot more poweful, and they might charge more quickly, too.
Did we mention that graphene helped two British win a Nobel Prize?
The Car of the Future

What’s a future-tech story without the obligatory mention of the car of the future? If 2010′s developments are any indication, it’ll drive itself, run Google software, obey your commands, and be powered by coffee. KITT, eat your heart out.
OK, we’re not quite sure about that last one–the Car-puccino ‘s fuel efficiency sucks.
What will the future hold? What will 2011 bring? That’s anyone’s guess, but feel free to make your own predictions in the comments.

Panasonic Boosts Production of its 3D HDTVs

By Fei on April 22, 2010

By Chris Brandrick
April 22, 2010

SAN FRANCISCO – Panasonic has announced plans to increase its production of their 3D HDTV sets, due to higher-than-expected demand.

The company’s latest 3D-capable plasma line, the VT25, arrived here in the US last month and according to Panasonic’s Hirotoshi Uehara the launch saw a “very strong reaction.”
These comments come after the electronics firm gleefully announced that following the products launch its US unit allocation sold out in just one week.

In a Financial Times report (registration required), Mr. Uehara provides more details, adding that Panasonic’ plasma panel factory has seen its production capacity increased by 30% to handle the unexpectedly high sales numbers. The increased production capacity will hopefully fulfill US demand, and allow the company to prepare for the TV’s Japanese and European launch over the next two months.

So, do early success stories like these paint a pretty picture for the future of 3D TV? Many of the major manufacturers have been pushing the technology this year, touting it as the next big entertainment innovation. With plenty of mainstream 3D content at the movies, starting with Avatar and including the likes of recent flick Clash Of The Titans, it’s no surprise that consumers are starting to respond.

But just because 3D entertainment is becoming more commonplace in the movie theatre, it’s worth asking just how long it will be before these early adopters will get the most out of their 3D-ready sets at home.

Time will tell, but here’s betting Panasonic is hoping that the good times keep rolling.

Nintendo DSi Game Uses Face Tracking for No-Glasses 3D

By Fei on March 3, 2010

By David Ayala
March 3, 2010

SAN FRANCISCO – 3D HDTVs are practically here, which means 3D videogames should be making a slow creep into the mainstream soon enough. A new Nintendo DSi Ware game, however, doesn’t need any fancy polarized LCD screens or expensive shutter glasses to make those eye popping images come to life. Clever use of the DSi hardware’s mechanics and that quintessential MacGyver spirit proves 3D can be achieved on almost any device, if you try hard enough.

The game is called Rittai Kakushi E Atta Koreda, which loosely translates to “3D Hidden Images: Found it! Here it is!” Using the DSi’s inward facing camera, the game tracks the player’s eyes to create the 3D effect, according to Gizmodo. The onscreen image will move according to the position of your face creating a sense of depth, similar to looking at a diorama.

Because the 3D effect doesn’t require glasses to filter light, this should produce a 3D image that will be easy on your eyes and reduce instances of strain.

The actual game itself doesn’t seem like it’s going to win any awards. It’s billed as an “image and letter finding game” on the Japanese Web site, and being that it’s a 500 point DSi Ware game it might also be a short-lived experience. Nonetheless, it is refreshing to see game developers maxing out hardware capabilities and proving that 3D doesn’t need any fancy hardware to be effective.