Eastman Kodak Co. on Tuesday took the wraps off of its next-generation Kodak 3D Stereo Display system. Eastman Kodak Co. calls the Kodak 3D Stereo Display “IMAX on the Desktop,” likening it to the theater system that projects an image onto the inside of a dome to provide viewers with a more immersive experience.
The new display was first introduced earlier this year, but this new and improved version sports a more compact design and improved brightness. It is aimed at research fields like oil and gas exploration and molecular and chemical modeling, though Kodak said the display has applications for computer-aided design and gaming, too. It’s making its debut at this week’s SIGGRAPH show in Los Angeles, Calif., though Kodak said that the new 3D Stereo Display won’t ship until October. Kodak plans to show it again at the iGames Expo in New York City, September 10 – 12, 2004 at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan Center.
The Kodak 3D Stereo Display comprises proprietary lens technology with mirrors and two LCD panels sporting 1280 x 1024 resolution, using a field of view that measures 45 x 36 degrees. Forty millimeter viewing pupils offer the viewer the sensation of looking at an image about 1.5 screen heights away, according to the company. Eastman Kodak Co. claims the Kodak 3D Stereo Display is plug-and-play, and will work with any off-the-shelf OpenGL-compliant video card that can output two separate 1280 x 1024 video signals, including products from Nvidia and ATI. The company said the Kodak 3D Stereo Display system will work with Macs, PCs and SGI workstations.
Eastman Kodak Co. is showing the Kodak 3D Stereo Display system at booth #1162 in the Los Angeles Convention Center. SIGGRAPH 2004 runs through August 14, 2004. The company did not disclose the price in today’s announcement, but its Web site advises interesting parties to contact the company if they’re interested in more information.