Toshiba brings glasses-free 3D laptop

The technology that allows everyone to watch three-dimensional (3D) movies or view 3D images has been in existence for quite some time.

In the Philippines, even a major broadsheet had tried asking its readers to wear glasses with cellophane lenses and cardboard frames to see advertisements and story photos in 3D.

And there lies the problem. People can never really enjoy 3D content without looking like they are wearing sunglasses indoors. That is, until now.

Japanese technology giant Toshiba is on the forefront of giving the public a chance to enjoy real 3D images without the more often than not ridiculous looking glasses.

The company’s new Qosmio F750 3D employs Toshiba’s 3D Window technology to realize the world’s first glasses-free 3D portable PC that is able to simultaneously display 3D and 2D content in separate windows in a single screen.

Users can watch high-quality 3D images or enjoy 3D games in one window without the need to wear dedicated glasses or installing a dedicated panel over the display, while at the same time working, browsing the Internet or sending e-mail in another window.

For those who still do not know, 3D images are created using parallax, or by delivering separate images to the left and right eyes. That is what 3D glasses are for.

But Toshiba says glasses are not always necessary. User can enjoy high-quality 3D images without dedicated glasses if the separate images are properly delivered to each eye. Because of this, Toshiba said the F750 uses “face-tracking” function and “Active Lens” to fulfill this requirement.

“Face-tracking” allows the Web camera integrated into the Qosmio F750 3D to track the user’s face and recognize the position of the eyes. “Active Lens,” integrated into the LED panel, controls polarization of light delivered from the panel.

These functions secure precise delivery of separate images to each eye, even when the user moves. Toshiba uses a “switchable” active lens to separate the two parallax images and to guide them into the left and the right eye.

And if eye-popping 3D images are not yet enough for users, the new F750 also comes with high-fidelity harman kardon® stereo speakers and Dolby® Advanced Audio, which give users a truly cinematic experience—in 2D and 3D mode.

Toshiba said 3D is not just for entertainment. “Glasses-free 3D on a laptop opens up exciting new opportunities far beyond simply watching movies and playing games. Imagine innovative online services in the tourism sector such as vivid three-dimensional images of hotel rooms, museums or city views,” the company said.

“And it can also support professionals in their daily work—architects, interior designers and product designers can bring their ideas alive and scientists can use the technology for 3D modelling.”