ENLIGHTEN3D

By Joshua Koopferstock

Frequent readers of this blog are familiar with Presto3D, a 3D model marketplace that we built and launched a few months back.  The main distinguishing feature of that site was that artists could upload 3D models in a standard Maya or 3dsmax format, and we would automatically convert it to a form of COLLADA so that we could show a 3D preview of it within the browser.

In our latest update, you can now embed the 3D viewer with a specific model anywhere on the web.  A one time plug-in download is required, but it is definitely worth it.  The 3D rendering and speed is impressive, as is the artwork by hundreds of talented artists.  The artist is credited and their models are linked to in the embedded window, to provide extra promotion.  And anyone can embed the models anywhere, provided the artist grants permission.

Right now, the plug-in works on Windows in Internet Explorer and Firefox browsers.  For those interested, the plug-in is a web-enabled version of the Feeling Engine.

By Joshua Koopferstock

I’ve spent a good portion of the last few weeks getting up to speed on the latest developments in the 3D display and 3D broadcasting industries.  Here are three of the articles I read this week that I’ve found the most interesting:

Paramount ponies up 3-D deal (Variety, Jan. 22)

Anxious to see more theaters converted to digital 3-D screens before DreamWorks Animation’s “Monsters vs. Aliens” opens in March, Paramount is offering to pay print fees directly to exhibitors who have the means to finance the conversion.

3D: is this the resurgence that counts? (Engadget HD, Jan. 23)

So, the big question is what are 3D backers doing now to revive interest in a format that most people already shrug off as a joke, and how on Earth do they plan to improve it enough to not only make it viable again, but downright desirable?

BCS title game going 3-D (Variety, Dec. 2)

“I hope the TV industry doesn’t get conned again the way we did with HD,” [Fox Sports TV Group chairman-CEO David] Hill said. “And we got conned. It cost us a fortune to go to HD, but do we get a penny more from the advertisers? Do we get an extra rating point? No. Everybody benefited but the broadcasters.”

By Joshua Koopferstock

Saw this over on TechCrunch and thought it was so visually impressive that I had to mention it here.  Google has teamed with New York City tourism to launch NYCgo.  The ultra-modern tourism office, powered by Microsoft Surface (UPDATED) technology similar to Microsoft Surface created by Canadian Gesturetek and New York-based VideoSonic, and the high quality 3D model of NYC in Google Earth, looks amazing; I’ll definitely check it out next time I’m in NYC.  Jump about two-thirds of the way into the video to see it.

Montreal, can we get an office like this, pleeeeeease?

By Joshua Koopferstock

After having done an initial walk-through of most of the show floor in days 1 and 2, the remaining time was left to go back and see the gadgets that were getting the most buzz.  Any time I had mentioned “3D” to someone at the show, I would consistently get the response “Have you seen the Panasonic theater?”.  I hadn’t.  So I went back on the last day to their booth and checked it out.

A small corner of the hockey-rink-sized Panasonic booth

If I wasn’t a believer in 3D displays before, consider me a convert now.  Seeing their 10-minute 3D demo on a 103″ Plasma TV using active shutter glasses, I was blown away.  In particular, they had clips of a Lakers basketball game and a football game that were truly amazing.  The Lakers game looked convincingly similar to what you see if you’re actually in the stands, except you have the advantage of the best seats provided by multiple cameras and professional production crews.

A crowd watching the first-ever NBA game broadcast in 3D, in Dallas.

The 3D clips of live sports and other events (such as concerts) really impressed me.  Movie theaters may be in a prime position to capitalize on these events, since the large screen + 3D gives a truly “immersive effect”, and having a crowd for these kinds of shows is a plus, too.  In what I’ve seen so far, 3D adds a lot to the feeling of immersion, and this effect grows exponentially as the display size increases.

They were playing this at the (I think) LG booth on a 3D display.  It was amazing.

Thus, small displays may not benefit significantly from 3D, but in the higher-end display market, 3D will make a big splash.  Perhaps it would be more accurate to say “percentage of field-of-view,” rather than big or small, since 3D gaming on a 20″ display, sitting up close, is quite convincing.  Either way, expect at-home 3D displays for movies and gaming to start making more buzz come fourth-quarter 2009, and especially approaching next Christmas season.

Overall, what impressed me most during CES was the same thing that struck me during day 1: how much people are excited about 3D.  Perhaps more than anything else, this is a great sign for the new generation of 3D entertainment.

By Joshua Koopferstock

To start off the day, I sat down with the folks from IZ3D, the company that is probably the closest to putting 3D monitors into the hands of gamers.  The company’s 22″ monitor is actually 2 layers of LCD, each with linear polarization to give a 3D effect when wearing off-the-shelf polarized glasses.  The monitor is already being sold at Fry’s Electronics and Microcenter, and they promise that we’ll see it at Best Buy “soon”.

At $399 and already in retail, this is the best bet for gamers who want to start playing in 3D today.  There is a already a long list of games that are compatible with the system, and the IZ3D monitor requires no special video card other than dual monitor output.

In the afternoon, I made my way to the Central Hall, where the home theater and display companies were showing off their wares.  And were they ever!  The big players like Samsung and Panasonic must have splurged on CES, since they each had booths the size of a small Wal-Mart.

I doubt that, outside of their factories, there have ever been so many flat panel displays in the same building at once.  Both the 3D displays and the Ultra High-Def displays (a prototype) at the Samsung booth were visually astounding.

I finished off the day looking over some of the newest camera technology at the Lumix and Canon booths.  Facial recognition has become common place in the last few years in still cameras, and Canon announced that in their Vixia videocam line, they will now have autofocus based on facial recognition as well, allowing you to focus on many faces, or the one of your choice (because YOUR kid is the star of the 8-9 year old soccer league).  Plus they had a sweet dance to tell you all about it.

By Joshua Koopferstock

Back in the hotel after day 1 at CES, and I am in awe.  This show is gigantic.  I’m pretty sure that if it was 3 weeks long, I still wouldn’t have seen all of the booths.  From a 3D industry perspective, I noticed one thing of interest today while walking the floor.  People are going crazy for 3D displays.  Absolutely crazy.

Vegas, baby!

Around nVidia’s booth where they were showing off a 3D gaming computer rig (and selling 3D shutter glasses for $199; I was tempted…), there was such a crowd of people I couldn’t even shove my way through the booth, and almost got bowled over in the process of trying.  At the DALITE booth, where they were promoting their projection screen that preserves polarization, I had to wait in line for a demo.  Of a projection screen company!  People (well, CES technology nerds, anyhow) are eating up the 3D home entertainment technology, and this is despite the fact that in many cases, it is not quite ready for prime-time.  The DALITE demo was neat, but I felt like I was looking at it cross-eyed for half the time (not the fault of the screen they were selling, but still).

A view of the show floor

I’m not sure if it’s a failing of the technology, or a lack of experience in using the tools in these nascent stages, but there is definite room for improvement.  The polarized glasses seem to especially require controlled viewing conditions (i.e. viewer’s position relative to the display) to work effectively.

That’s it for the quick day 1 report.  I’ll try to take more relevant pictures tomorrow; I spent most of the day with my jaw hanging open, and forgot to take out the camera for the blog.

By Joshua Koopferstock

2009 promises to be a formative year for 3D and Computer Vision. 3D films are getting all the press at the moment (see this excellent blog on 3D Movies), but this year should bring us much more than just a new dimension from Hollywood.

Just today, Apple announced at MacWorld that its new iPhoto program would have facial recognition built in, following Picasa’s lead of a few months back, and bringing yet another computer vision application to the masses.  Expect visual search to keep blossoming in 2009, with uses you may not have considered before.

In the next weeks and months, I will have many more posts on the innovative technologies that are going to shape our fields for 2009 and the years to come.  From computer vision research analysis to 3D film reviews to chipset technology, there is so much to write about, I’m having trouble containing myself and not going on for a few thousand words right here.

To begin an exciting 2009, I’ll be heading to CES later this week, so if you want to meet me there for a chat or a beer, just send me an e-mail.  Alternatively, you can look for me as I wander around; I’ll be the guy standing in front of the 3D displays, drooling.

Happy New Year to all of you!