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3D movie viewing sans the glasses? Researchers develop special screen prototype

Posted at 8:30 AM, Jul 26, 2016
and last updated 2016-07-26 15:34:04-04

Many people love the immersive feeling of 3D movies, but not the flimsy glasses. 

Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have set out to develop a 3D movie experience sans the spectacles, according to the university's website.

Out of their work in collaboration with Israel’s Weizmann Institute of Science, a prototype screen called Cinema 3D was born.

Researchers explain that some 3D television displays work with what’s called a "parallax barrier." To break it down, the university explains that there are basically slits in the front of the screen that trick your eyes into seeing depth.

This method was reportedly too difficult to replicate on a larger scale, affecting the picture’s resolution.

What MIT found is that when we watch a movie, we only move our heads small amounts and within the width of our seats. Using that information, the university says researchers were able to figure out how to deliver the special effect at different angles to for each seating position in the theater. 

Their system reportedly achieves this feat using 50 sets of lenses and mirrors to project the tailored images. So, it's not quite feasible just yet, but the university notes it's a good first step. 

Check out more from MIT News here.