News Stories

3D whiteboard without the whiteboard

4.27.2012

[HackDay]

This one is so simple, and works so well, we’d call it a hoax if April 1st hadn’t already passed us by. But we’re confident that what [William Myers] and [Guo Jie Chin] came up with exists, and we want one of our own. The project is a method of drawing in 3 dimensions using ultrasonic sensors.

They call it 3D Paint, and that’s fitting since the software interface is much like the original MS Paint. It can show you the movements of the stylus in three axes, but it can also assemble an anaglyph — the kind of 3D that uses those red and blue filter glasses — so that the artists can see the 3D rendering as it is being drawn.

The hardware depends on a trio of sensors and a stylus that are all controlled by an ATmega644. That’s it for hardware (to be fair, there are a few trivial amplifier circuits too), making this an incredibly affordable setup. The real work, and the reason the input is so smooth and accurate, comes in the MATLAB code which does the trilateration. If you like to get elbow deep in the math the article linked above has plenty to interest you. If you’re more of a visual learner just skip down after the break for the demo video.

See the original story and watch a video here: http://hackaday.com/2012/04/26/3d-whiteboard-without-the-whiteboard/

Demystifying 3D for digital signage, pt. I (Commentary)

4.27.2012

[Digital Signage Today]

The importance of engagement and content: How glasses-free 3D solves for both

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Glasses-free 3D technology, otherwise known as autostereoscopic 3D, has entered the digital signage landscape as an emerging solution, and potentially the wave of the future for an industry focused on delivering consumer engagement.

Today’s 3D displays go well beyond the limits of traditional 2D digital signage, by allowing advertisers to break the fourth wall and introduce the brand into the consumer’s environment without the hassle of putting on and taking off 3D glasses. The combination of new technology that viewers don’t yet have in their home, with stimulating digital effects that leap off the display, is the one-two punch combo that marketers are using as their visual “bullhorn” to drive engagement. Glasses-free 3D is the new way to connect in the overcrowded out-of-home media market.

The difference between traditional media and glasses-free 3D is the novelty of seeing 3D without glasses, and high-quality content that actually has audiences extremely engaged. More importantly, it has active consumers excited and stopping to watch advertising — much like they once did with the advent of color ads in the days of black and white-only TVs. In that sense, glasses-free 3D could be a priceless marketing tool that enables advertising messages to be regarded more as entertainment than an intrusion into one’s personal space — and one that extends dwell time with a brand, allowing marketers to deliver their complete message and truly connect. It appears as if history once again repeats itself with glasses-free 3D.

 

Connecting with content

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Specification for Naming VFX Image Sequences Released

ETC’s VFX Working Group has published a specification for best practices naming image sequences such as plates and comps. File naming is an essential tool for organizing the multitude of frames that are inputs and outputs from the VFX process. Prior to the publication of this specification, each organization had its own naming scheme, requiring custom processes for each partner, which often resulted in confusion and miscommunication.

The new ETC@USC specification focuses primarily on sequences of individual images. The initial use case was VFX plates, typically delivered as OpenEXR or DPX files. However, the team soon realized that the same naming conventions can apply to virtually any image sequence. Consequently, the specification was written to handle a wide array of assets and use cases.

To ensure all requirements are represented, the working group included over 2 dozen participants representing studios, VFX houses, tool creators, creatives and others.  The ETC@USC also worked closely with MovieLabs to ensure that the specification could be integrated as part of their 2030 Vision.

A key design criteria for this specification is compatibility with existing practices.  Chair of the VFX working group, Horst Sarubin of Universal Pictures, said: “Our studio is committed to being at the forefront of designing best industry practices to modernize and simplify workflows, and we believe this white paper succeeded in building a new foundation for tools to transfer files in the most efficient manner.”

This specification is compatible with other initiatives such as the Visual Effects Society (VES) Transfer Specifications. “We wanted to make it as seamless as possible for everyone to adopt this specification,” said working group co-chair and ETC@USC’s Erik Weaver. “To ensure all perspectives were represented we created a team of industry experts familiar with the handling of these materials and collaborated with a number of industry groups.”

“Collaboration between MovieLabs and important industry groups like the ETC is critical to implementing the 2030 Vision,” said Craig Seidel, SVP of MovieLabs. “This specification is a key step in defining the foundations for better software-defined workflows. We look forward to continued partnership with the ETC on implementing other critical elements of the 2030 Vision.”

The specification is available online for anyone to use.

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