Proceedings Article | 24 February 2010
Proc. SPIE. 7524, Stereoscopic Displays and Applications XXI
KEYWORDS: Transparency, Patents, Polarization, Stereoscopy, Glasses, Image processing, Polarizers, Wave plates, Printing, 3D image processing
We describe a new iteration of the StereoJet process, which has been simplified by changes in materials and improved by
the conversion from linear to circular polarization. A prototype StereoJet process for producing full color stereoscopic
images, described several years ago by Scarpetti et al., was developed at the Rowland Institute for Science, now part of
Harvard University. The system was based on the inkjet application of inks comprising dichroic dyes to Polaroid
Vectograph sheet, a concept explored earlier by Walworth and Chiulli at the Polaroid Research Laboratories. Vectograph
sheet comprised two oppositely oriented layers of stretched polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) laminated to opposite surfaces of a
cellulose triacetate support sheet. The two PVA layers were oriented at +45 and -45 degrees, respectively, with respect to
the running edge of the support sheet. A left-eye and right-eye stereoscopic image pair were printed sequentially on the
respective surfaces, and the resulting stereoscopic image viewed with conventional linearly polarized glasses having +45
and -45 degree orientation. StereoJet, Inc. has developed new, simplified technology based on the use of PVA substrate
of the type used in sheet polarizer manufacture with orientation parallel to the running edge of the support. Left- and
right-eye images are printed at 0 and 90 degrees, then laminated in register. Addition of a thin layer of 1/4-wave retarder
to the front surface converts the image pair's respective orientations to right- and left-circular polarization. The full color
stereoscopic images are viewed with circularly polarized glasses.
