Three-Dimensional Imaging Visualization and Display

The history of visual media is characterized by drawing painting photo stereoscope TV and displays Holography and HDTV. Three-dimensional (3-D) imaging visualization and display technology is the next phase in this historicaldevelopment.Thereisnodoubtthat3-DTVand3-Ddisplayarethe visualmediathatwillsucceedHDTVinnearfuture.Theevolutionarymerging of communication and broadcast technologies will be enhanced by 3-D vi- alization including multimedia communication centers which can respond to all the services and functions provided by the future communication systems. Comparison of a scene presented by 2-D and 3-D images reveals that the 3-Dimage providesmuch more pleasing and realisticinformationthan its 2-D version. The bene?ts provided by 3-D images result from the depth infor- tion they preserve.Depth gives viewers the feeling of being in the place where the 3-D image is captured (i.e. immersive feeling) and the feeling of being present (presence feeling). Depth increases e?ciencies in remote site ope- tionssuchasremotemedicalandtele-operationsbymakingviewersperceive the scene as more real from within their living environments. The accuracy andthepresencefeelingarethemainmotivesofdemandsfor3-Dimagesinthe areasofcommunicationbroadcastingentertainmentmedicaloperationsv- tual world presentations advertisement training edutainment (education + entertainment) telemarketing tele-presence tele-conference visualization of experimental results and so on.