Projection-type integral 3D imaging using multifacet flat mirrors

Integral 3D imaging is getting much attention as one of the viable candidates for natural 3D display. Compared with other stereoscopic techniques, it provides more freedom of viewing and sense of naturalness with reduced eye fatigue. Recently several approaches on the projection integral imaging have been issued because of its merits for large size implementation. However, the use of a concave or convex lens array can cause problems of high cost and spherical aberration. To overcome these problems, we propose a novel scheme using multi-facet flat mirrors and demonstrate its feasibility. Instead of spherical mirrors in a flat surface, multi-facet mirrors which contacts with the tangential line of a curved surface function like elemental mirror component. Lights reflected from different facet of each mirrors give different viewing perspectives. By using electronic capturing and display devices, the proposed method makes it possible to record and reconstruct 3D scene in real-time. In the experiment, only horizontal parallax is provided because one-dimensional surface can be made more easily. But extension for two-dimensional or computer generation of elemental images can be also done. Some detailed discussions on the design parameters will be shown in the presentation.