3D Stuff

The image above is a very simple example of 3D imaging. It's actually two images of the same object (Beethoven in this case) viewed from slightly different locations. This is to simulate the difference in location of the left and right eyes so that when we recombine the two images into one, with the left (right) eye on the left (right) image, we can simulate the effect of a 3D image. There are several ways to recombine the images in this way, the simplest of which is wide-eyed viewing. This requires one to NOT focus on the image itself, but at some point BEYOND the image. In the defocused state, one generally sees FOUR images of the object, two from each eye. The purpose if to adjust ones eyes so that the four images merge into three, the one in the middle would then be in 3D. This may sound very complicated, but once you did it once, it's rather easy. The key is to be able to relax your eyes' muscles and control them in rather counter-intuitive ways, which can only be achieved through repeated practice. But believe me, it's worth all the effort once you discover the joy of 3d viewing.

There exists many ways to render a 3D image, the one shown above, where the left and right images are completely separated, is the most obvious. This method of rendering is not suitable for rendering large 3D images, since then one would have to strain ones eyes to impossible limits in order to merge the images. For large images, the separate-image method can only be used with the help of viewing instruments which separate the images for us. Recently with the advent of computers, novel new methods of 3D imaging became possible, whereby both left and right images are interlaced into each other in various clever ways to form a single image of unlimited size. These are known as STEREOGRAMS, which can take different forms but all can be viewed with the unaided eye. There are SIRDS (Single Image Random Dot Stereogram)(example), SIRTS (Single Image Random Text Stereograms) (example), both of which are examples of SIS (Single Image Stereograms) (example1) (example2). To know more, read the FAQ or the tutorial or the biochem-oriented tutorial. The FAQ also tells you how to make your own SI*S. There are lots of links for stereograms, so I'll just supply the Yahoo jump point. You might also want to check out the newsgroup alt.3d.

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