A swept-volume 3D display: open sourcing 3D display technology with a modular, low cost design

Abstract

Swept-volume displays are a rapidly developing type of 3D display technology. They are more realistic than today's stereoscopic 3D screens, but are simpler and faster than pure holography. However, all commercial displays to date have cost tens of thousands of dollars, making them too expensive for everyday use. In 2012, two engineers at www.openvolumetric.org built a low cost swept-volume display with a helical screen, in the hopes of creating an open sourced design for people to follow. We aim to create a test-bed type system that will remove some of the complexity and bring the cost below $500. Our device is also used to evaluate OpenVolumetric's claim that volumetric displays can be made to appeal to small-time hobbyists and technologists. While utilizing the same helical screen and DLP projector as the Australian team, our design di ers from theirs in several important respects. Hopefully, future tinkerers will expand on our work to further refine the system and develop niche applications.