National Boston Studios in Brookline, Massachusetts graciously opened their doors to over 60 attendees with an interest in 3D technologies.

Rajeev Surati, Founder and Chairman of Scalable Display Technologies, started his presentation with an overview of Scalable's software designed to automatically calibrate and edge-blend two or more projectors into one seamless digital display. Mr. Surati went on to explain how their product Easy Blend can edge-blend, color-match and correct image warping, through geometric distortion correction, on screens of any size or geometry by utilizing auto-calibration made possible by their revolutionary camera feedback system.

Scalable's 3D dual-projector technique with camera feedback system

"Data collected through one or more Canon Rebel XSi digital SLRs or webcams feed our algorithms which in turn calculate the various corrections required for a perfect display on a dome, cylinder, sphere, toroid or flat screen. We replace precision in alignment of two or more projectors by measuring the problem and moving the pixels on top of each other electronically."

Benefits outlined were:

• Reduce costs by utilizing inexpensive digital image processing.
• Provide soft edge blending for seamless tiling of images from multiple projectors.
• Correct for spatial optical distortion
• Adjust for image warping on flat, cylindrical, spherical, and arbitrary surfaces
• Ensure uniformity by matching intensity and color across an image generated from multiple projectors
• Works with available external warping hardware

Mr Surati discussing his company's technology at the meeting.

Mr. Surati also discussed Scalable3D, an application for creating a bright stereoscopic display using standard projectors. Scalable3D works automatically, by superimposing two projected images onto a silver screen with pixel-perfect registration. It supports source materials from any stereo-ready dual head graphics card or dual output VTR and is compatible with both linearly and circularly polarized glasses.

Benefits outlined were:

• Easy and fast to establish stereoscopic alignment
• Compatible with 2D viewing, using the full brightness of both projectors
• Significantly increases screen brightness over alternative approaches
• Supports full-range color
• Eliminates most "ghost images" caused by one eye seeing a bit of the other-eye's frames
• Eliminates temporal or spatial misalignment of the left-eye and right-eye frames

The next topics discussed were:

"Why should we care about 3D?" where Rajeev cited a recent study by the ETC and the CEA at USC reporting that 16% of the respondents wanted 3D films and 14% wanted 3D video games. The same study reported more than 26 million households are interested in having a 3D content experience in their home. Currently over 28 movies are being filmed in 3D.
The meeting ended with an amazing demonstration of Scalable's 3D technology utilizing two projectors and a silver screen to view footage of upcoming 3D films. A special thanks to everyone at Scalable for a great presentation and for supplying the 3D glasses.

-Kevin Lessard
Chair, SMPTE/New England