Japanese electronics maker Toshiba says it is developing
technology for a 3D television that won't require special
glasses.
Company spokeswoman Yuko Sugahara confirmed such technology
was in the works. But she declined to comment on a report in
the Yomiuri newspaper that the Tokyo-based company
plans to start selling the new TVs by the end of the year.
Mainstream 3D TVs now on sale, such as those from rivals
Panasonic and Sony, require glasses. But there are already
screens that don't require glasses, mainly intended for store
displays.
They require the viewer to stand in specific spots for the 3D
effect to emerge, and the image quality is much lower than
that of screens using glasses.
Yomiuri said the technology involves transmitting
different images at various angles to create an illusion of
dimension and depth, a principle used by current glasses-free
monitors.
Electronics companies have been investing heavily in 3D
technology for televisions, betting that people will want a
3D experience at home following the success of blockbuster
movies such as Avatar, which was screened in 3D.
Some gadgets, such as handheld game machines from Nintendo,
can deliver 3D images without special glasses.
"Many people don't like to wear glasses to watch TV for a
long time, especially people who must wear 3D glasses over
regular glasses," Sugahara said.
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