Fujitsu Laboratories says it’s developing a technology to record stereoscopic 3D images by using a special attachment that fits over the lens of standard mobile phones. More details will be announced at the International Symposium on Consumer Electronics in the USA next month.
There are two main parts to the technology. Firstly, a small device containing a number of mirrors needs to be fitted to the phone’s camera. This captures light from two directions for the 3D image. Next, the digital file is uploaded to cloud-based processing that corrects the distortion caused by the mirrors and converts the image into a 3D photo or 3D video. This can then be downloaded and viewed using a 3D TV, computer display or mobile phone.
The use of a cloud-based service means the mobile phone itself doesn’t need any special software.
Conventional 3D cameras currently use two separate lenses and imaging sensors. The small size of the Fujitsu attachment, combined with the use of cloud-based technology, is said to reduce the cost of the technology by 90% compared to other products.
