Right now, it’s not that great a product . . . just some dots . . . but the potential and implications go much further . . . Japanese researcher shows off real 3D images . . .

The National institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology invented the device displaying “real 3D images” which consist of dot arrays in space. Although 3D displays might have existed in the past, researchers say that most 3D displays reported are made up pseudo-3D images on 2D planes viewed by using the human binocular disparity. This is a real 3D image – admittedly only spots of light so far – floating in free space. The images are formed from plasma formed at the focal point of the lasers. Previous 3D images have all relied on human binocular vision to create the illusion of three dimensions. But there are no 3D goggles or red and green filters needed here. This is the real thing. Inevitably, the senior researcher on the project, at Japan’s Advanced Science and Technology institute, sees it as a way of carrying advertising. The rest of us are looking forward to football matches played out on the living room floor.

It’ll be quite some time before we can send “help me, Obi Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope” messages and until then the ol’ binocular disparity effect will do just fine . . . but . . . someday.