Acer presented a technology on Thursday that allows people to watch 3D images on a laptop, without wearing 3D glasses. The technology is being developed for Acer’s ConceptD laptops, but it is still unclear when they will be on the market.
The Taiwanese laptop maker uses eye tracking and stereoscopy to ensure that the image appears to come out of the screen. Two cameras in the edge of a laptop monitor the eyes and the direction of view. Two images are then superimposed on the screen. The human eye merges these images into one image, creating a 3D effect. The Nintendo 3DS, for example, also works that way.
Acer writes on its website that SpatialLabs, as the company calls the technology, “provides a variety of applications for a better sense of space while designing.” According to the company, the technology comes in handy for industrial designers and 3D animators who want to see what their creations look like in 3D. The images are shown via a special SpatialLabs player, where images can be viewed in both 2D and 3D.
Although the technology has not yet been officially released, interested developers can sign up with Acer through a beta program to borrow a prototype for three months. They are expected to return the laptop and provide feedback.