What is volumetric display?

Fundamental to the volumetric approach is a transparent physical volume in which both static and dynamic image components may be placed. Since images depicted in this way are able to span three   physical   dimensions,   their   three-dimensionality (when   considered   in   the   spatial   rather   than   in   the temporal domain) closely mimics our visual perception of the natural world.  This  minimizes  the  likelihood  of  the     type  of  conflict  that  can  occur  when  the  visual  system  is presented  with  cues  to  form,  spatial  occupancy,  and motion   that   do   not   harmoniously   match   everyday experience.

                                              

Volumetric  images  may  be  viewed  directly  (glasses- free)  and  in  many  cases technologies  impose  very  little restriction on viewing position, with multiple users able to look  onto  an  image  scene  from  practically  any  position around the display volume. For the purposes of this work: A volumetric display device will be assumed to permit the generation,  absorption  or  scattering  of  visible  radiation from  a  set  of  localized  and  specified  regions  within  a three-dimensional  space.  In  certain  cases  a volumetric system  may  allow  the  controlled  an isotropic  propagation of radiation  from  each  of  these  regions.  The display paradigm is assumed to support the visual appearance of an image continuum across all three spatial dimensions.

The Nature of Volumetric Displays:

  Stereoscopic and auto stereoscopic displays use two images, one for the left and one for the right eye, to create a 3 D effect. Volumetric displays, as a rule, provide one image for both eyes while the 3 D effect is created by a stack of images in the form of planar displays on top of each other, each at a different depth or distance from the eyes. These distances will be essential for generating the sensation of depth. Referring to the volume of these multi-depth displays, they are called a volumetric display. When the stack of displays is stationary, it is referred to as a static volume display. The perception of volume, that is, the third dimension, can also be stimulated by mechanical displays, where a rotational or translator movement sweeps through the volume while emitting images at various depths. This volumetric mechanical arrangement is called a swept volume display.

 From radar, sonar, and x-rays to lasers and multi spectral, new imaging systems are offering more options for war fighters to gain a strategic advantage in situation awareness. And the next big advance could provide the most comprehensive view yet. 3 D volumetric displays could give war fighters a glasses-free, full color, high-resolution three-dimensional perspective of the battle space on, above, and even below it, depending on the environment.

These 3 D volumetric systems aren’t yet in the hands of war-fighters because the several prototypes are not yet easily salable. But a new kind of laser glass could change that soon, improving situation awareness across the full gamut of battlefield environments. And like many defense technologies, 3 D volumetric displays will eventually have applications far beyond the battlefield that could make the world safer, more aware, and better informed.

How 3D volumetric displays work:

3D volumetric displays will be key to the ongoing development and evolution of display technology. The latest research and development out of SCHOTT Defense’s joint development partner, 3DIcon, offers a glimpse of that future. Its volumetric displays create a 3D image by projecting precisely coordinated laser beams into a medium containing rare earth materials, exciting those materials to display a monochromatic image, though full-color images are planned for the future.

3D Icon’s CSpace technology is developing a unique clear host material doped with rare-earth ions to create a transparent 3D projection medium capable of fluorescence. This achievement means the C Space 3D volumetric displays don’t require special eyeglasses or viewing aids, nor do they cause fatigue during prolonged use. Glass is the enabling and critical material acting as the host medium for the laser-excited rare earth materials. A new kind of laser glass could improve the quality of the image and the efficiency of the laser, while also facilitating the rapid scaling of 3D volumetric display systems so they can be deployed to war fighters end masses.

Advantages and challenges:

The broad impact of 3D volumetric displays

While this technology is moving beyond prototype development, it would most immediately benefit intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) situational awareness. 3D volumetric displays could also improve applications that involve parameters of space and distance and offer multiple points of view without requiring artificial depth cues like lighting, shading, and perspective. Here are five ways 3D volumetric displays could eventually transform the wider world outside defense:

1.     Faster airport security checks and border crossings. By fully capturing the 3 D capability of x-ray imagery, border and customs inspectors can more effectively scan and observe the interiors of vehicles, trucks, shipping containers, and packages. True 3D displays offer officials multiple perspectives to resolve ambiguity. TSA screens would gain a clearer view of the objects in your suitcase, potentially reducing additional screenings of suspect luggage.

2.     Safer air traffic control. Several recent near-crashes between airplanes have raised scrutiny over air traffic control systems. Current systems display the position of airplanes as icons on a flat 2D display. With 3D volumetric displays, however, operators would have a more comprehensive overview of the airspace and planes’ location in relation to one another and better navigate them to and from runways.

3.      Better preparations for natural disasters and more. The federal government undertakes geospatial exploration in which it collects, maintains, and uses information linked to geographic locations to help in decision-making and to support national security, law enforcement, health care, environmental protection, and natural resources conservation, among other functions. 

4.      More accurate oil and gas exploration. Seismic data is critical in assessing a particular area for potential oil and gas extraction. However, seismic data suffers because 3D data is still underutilized by 2D displays. 3D volumetric displays, by offering a detailed 3D depiction of where deposits might lie, how large they are, and how accessible they might be, can make the expensive process of oil and gas exploration more efficient, accurate, and productive.

5.      Greater visibility during medical operations:  MRIs and CAT scans are incredibly powerful diagnostic tools rich in 3D data. 3D volumetric displays can provide volume rendering of the surface and the interior of any human organ, increasing the effectiveness of real-time imaging systems for doctors and surgeons who need better awareness of what’s happening inside the human body.

Reference:

Wiley Series in Display Technology: 3D Displays, John Wiley & Sons, November 2011, 9781119962755.

            Virtual Volumetric Graphics on Commodity Displays Using 3D Viewer Tracking,

             Charles Mallesons; John Collomosse, 0920-5691