Sony’s 360-Degree 3D Looks Cool, is Tiny

Is that a high tech humidifier you’re looking at? No, it’s just some crazy 3D technology Sony has thrown together to give us a taste of the future, or at least the future as Sony imagines it. This gadget has a 360-degree viewing angle and requires no special glasses to see the 3D image. The 24-bit color is rich, but the imagery is tiny, measuring 96 x 128 pixes. The entire device is a mere 5.1 inches long by 10.6 inches tall. You’d think the idea is to gradually expand the technology’s size, making it viable for entertainment, but for now Sony says it’s just focusing using this for digital signage, event displays and digital picture frames.

It’s certainly a unique approach to 3D, which is seeing a lot of attention from television makers, but is still cost-prohibitive for most users. Manufacturers are hoping people will eventually buy into 3D as the next great display technology, but hurdles remain — including the need to wear special glasses for most displays and the underlying idea that 3D is just a gimmick. Sony’s display isn’t the first to forgo the need for glasses, but it uses 3D in a way that isn’t mainly focused on TV. If people find that 3D on TV is too annoying after a while, or still too expensive, alternative uses like these could be the exit strategy. [Impress via Dvice]