gCubik displays 3D images on 4-inch cube, we want
By Joshua Fruhlinger 
posted Jun 11th 2008 5:23PM
posted Jun 11th 2008 5:23PM
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Finally the Borg have style.
The question is, is it upgradable?
What would you need to use it for?
I love the concept, but unless i can upgrade it its one expensive linux cube.
Very cool. These will make very nice desk ornaments in 10-15 years. Just gotta work on making them smaller and prettier. Cant wait!
Not to dis what they did, but could you not just put a few 8" LCD panels together, hook them up to a computer, set up the proper POV in a 3d application, and get the same effect?
The LCD's would have to show different images from different angles... so no.
That idea would only work if looked at the cube from one direction (without moving) which isn't very 3D.
Exact thought I just had.
My thoughts exactly.
It must do something more complex than what we're reading here. Right?
@James B : Actually yes. You could easily put any 3d space on the LCD panels provided the software running it was made specifically for the cube. All you need are 6 cameras in 3D space placed equidistant from the object in a cube pattern and have each camera render to a different screen.
I think it does, thats what I meant. If you held this in your hand and rotated it, it would appear as if the object was 'inside' the box. Not just a box with six pictures stuck on the sides.
My guess is the 'pixels' on the sides emit different coloured light depending on the angle they are viewed from. If this is true it means cool stuff like invisibility devices could be developed using similar (but much more advanced) technology.
I think thats exactly what it does. Look, it has 3 vga type inputs. Its just receiving the same image from some software that is programmed to display the same "model" from different camera angles.
I agree with James. It doesn't look like just LCDS.
Can you play Crysis at full frame ?
Can you fail and die?
Hopefully.
He already failed.
Here's to hoping for the latter.
I guess I need to see the demo when it appears at SIGGRAPH, but it seems to be very POV dependent.
Hmm...I'd be hoping for much better resolution and screens that take up more of the cube. There is too much border. Still looks pretty cool though!
I'd like to see someone program a little guy that runs around inside pounding his fists on the screen like he's trapped in a little cage.
you have a twisted little mind, Mr. Fox!!...................Mohahahahaha......
*Much wringing or hands*
Projecting images on three dimensions? Please. Now, project images on time, and maybe you're on to something
Good.. but resolution needs to be ramped up to at least 640x480.
What i don't get is why they don't just use backlit LCDs since what that looks like to me is a cube with LEDs on each face. Obviously LEDs can also be shrunk down, and there's the prospect of OLEDs being commonplace in the near future.
It's a good concept though, a lot more doable than the rotating mirror job, since presumably all you need is to show an item at a different camera angle from each side?
I'm thinking Super Paper Mario and i'm thinking Fez.
No-one here seems to understand that this works using perspective. It doesn't really matter that these screens are on a cube, one of these screens would be enough to give the 3D effect of something behind it.
Heres an example... look out of your window, find something like a tree and line it up with your hand on the glass. Now move your head, see how the tree moves away from your hand.
Now do the same thing with a picture of a tree on your LCD. Doesn't work does it.
Normal LCD's are not 3D and can only display an object from ONE ANGLE AT A TIME :0)
They can still up the resolution though, which was the main point i was trying to put forward.
However, if your latter point stands - ie that if you rotate the box it would appear to be inside - then you can only view it from one angle. That would be analgous to putting a floating bead into a circular cup of water and rotating the cup. The bead stays in the same position. Thus if say the box was displaying a picture of a lemon, you could rotate the box, but the lemon would appear from the same perspective however you looked at it.
I agree with the other part though, there must be a way of showing a different image depending on the position of the observer. I imagine that it's more like a portable version of the previous inventions, and implemented better. Inside is some kind of matrix of LEDs (although the link refers to LCDs) which would allow you to see "in"to the cube. This might explain the strange edges on the screen.
it looks like it's playing a video of someone pointing their camera at a standard def tv. as much as i want to be impressed by this, it looks like nothing more than 3 properly positioned and calibrated screens that dispserse the video frame chunks in a way that line up properly with the physical bounds of the box, which of course gives the effect there's something inside the box. cleverly done nonetheless, imagine how it'd look panel-to-edge?
@ James Barsby
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd3-eiid-Uw
hee hee.
@Torsional - That video is great example of what this would be like. The advantage of 'this' technology is that more than one person could experience it at a time.
@Adawg2k8 - Your video wasn't as helpful... http://www.xkcd.com/396/
I can envision a whole lotta people who cant wait to bring their girlfriends into the 3rd dimension.
"What ports did you say this box has?"
""What ports did you say this box has?"
aka
"Does this box have a box?"
But what does this have to do with the iPhone?
*runs*
the question is what can this do that glassless stereoscopic can't offer besides more hassle. sure you get 360 viewing, but having to set up for 360 viewing is a bitch.
Here's a better article explaining how it works:
http://techon.nikkeibp.co.jp/english/NEWS_EN/20080612/153174/
"The institute realized parallax in all directions by using a structure where an LCD panel is covered with an array of lenses."
Cool video of it in action, too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0&feature=related
lawl....
Was also presented at 3DTV Con, Istanbul, Turkey.
The future of snow globes is now.
Also check out Cubee which does head-tracked fish-tank VR with a cube of screens for a 3D in-a-box effect. It also it dynamic so you can play with objects in the box - yes, the snow globe is one of our demo plans with our next version.
http://hct.ece.ubc.ca/research/cubee/index.html