Hoping to spur a 3D revolution, Sharp Systems in the United States introduced a new flat-panel computer monitor on Monday that is designed to deliver eye-popping images without the need for special glasses.
Though a handful of lesser-known companies have produced stand-alone 3D monitors for the medical and scientific industries, Sharp’s new 38cm LCD 3D monitor is the first to also target consumers, analysts say.
The Sharp LL-151-3D monitor, which costs $1 499, allows users to easily switch between 2D and 3D modes. The monitor has a special layer, which, when turned onto 3D mode, helps create the illusion of 3D vision, adding depth to images regardless of whether they were created in 3D. The special effect is similar to the technology Sharp uses in one of its laptops introduced last year.
A growing number of video games, including ones for cellphones, feature 3D effects. And software programs that allow users to turn conventional DVD movies or regular digital photos into 3D images are starting to hit the market, said Ian Matthew, Sharp’s 3D business development manager.
Also, graphics chip providers such as Nvidia and ATI Technologies are developing products that support 3D images, while Sharp has joined with other companies, including Sony and Sanyo Electric, to create more 3D applications. Toshiba announced earlier this year that it, too, was developing a 3D display technology.
”Everyone believes that this market will move forward toward mass adoption,” Matthew said. ”Even though it’s on the bleeding edge right now, it will get there.” – Sapa-AP