Design of an autostereoscopic display unit

A low-cost autostereoscopic system which permits the observation of a high resolution image by several people simultaneously from different viewing angles is described. The device should be suited to mass production. The display uses a plate-like screen, which is mounted vertically, and is attached to a motor via a shaft which runs through its center axis. The image is formed on the screen by projecting an image through a modulator and an optical system onto the display screen described above. The screen is made of aluminum, and is coated with a semi-reflective material. The modulation of the projected image is synchronized with the rotating disk, so that a three-dimensional image appears on the screen. As the screen rotates about the z-axis, it sweeps out a cylindrical display volume. Applications include such activities as medical imaging, graphics (e.g. computer aided engineering, computer aided design, etc), molecular modeling, entertainment, and monitoring of air traffic above crowded airports. Instead of displaying airplanes on a two-dimensional surface with altitude displayed as a number beside the plane, the air-traffic controller could get a much more accurate picture of the actual situation. Military uses could include monitoring satellites (and missiles) in earth's orbit, as well as providing an overall view of a battlefield scene.