Multiview 3D LCD

The combination of lenticular screens with liquid crystal displays has long been recognized as an excellent way of making autostereoscopic displays. Now, as active matrix video rate displays with full color VGA and higher resolution are becoming readily available, interest in this form of autostereoscopic imaging is increasing. An important consequence of the high resolution capability is that the `resolution/number of views' trade-off can now be made in more in favor of the `number of views' instead of the traditionally favored `resolution' side of the equation. This means that head tracking is no longer the only option for providing a more natural viewing environment. The Philips group is a manufacturer of both Active Matrix LCDs and lenticular screens. We have been able to experiment with multiview displays by combining customized lenticular screens with special liquid crystal modules. In particular, a monochrome display with four views, in which each view has a 480 X 480 resolution, has been made. Compared with two view systems in which the user has to maintain a fixed head position, the extra freedom afforded by the four views is experienced as a great improvement and most people have little difficulty avoiding the one remaining pseudoscopic head position. These multiview displays are receiving an enthusiastic response in applications areas such as medical radio diagnostics and multimedia entertainment.