Full-color 3D prints and transparencies

Abstract

We describe the preparation of full-color stereoscopic hardcopy from digital 3-D records. Digital image records may be produced directly in digital cameras, CAD systems and by various instrumental outputs, or they may be acquired by scanning and digitizing photographic images. To produce the stereoscopic image we render the component images in terms of degree of polarization, orienting the polarization axes of the left- and right-eye images at 90 degrees to one another. We print the two images on opposite surfaces of specially prepared substrates, using dichroic inks in otherwise standard desktop inkjet printers. Software provides accurate stereoscopic registration of the paired images. The process produces 3-D images as reflection prints or as transparencies. Observers view the superimposed image pair through standard 3- D polarizing glasses. Alternatively, autostereoscopic display apparatus permits viewing without glasses. The color gamut of a typical image is shown. Image resolution depends primarily on the printer used. Applications include molecular modeling, microscopy, data visualization, entertainment, and pictorial photography.