Zalman may be far from being a household name, but a stranger to 3D displays it isn't. The company's latest 22-incher not only packs a 1,680 x 1,050 resolution panel and a bundled set of glasses, but it features the ability to render graphics in 3D. The eager critics over at Trusted Reviews had a nice sit with the device, and when all was said and done, the ZM-M2020W was seen more as a building block for revision two than a runaway winner as it was. On the upside, it did manage to render some pretty phenomenal scenes in 3D -- and even managed to change the reviewer's perception of the technology -- but the overly glossy screen and steep price tag kept it from being recommended without hesitation. Still, if you're willing to pay the premium to fit into the niche, by all means, give the full review a once over in the read link below.

Using 3D cameras in order to let humans control interfaces by simply moving about is old hat, but for those sick and tired of being strapped to a mouse / keyboard in Second Life, take a glance at this. Hands Free 3D is a prototypical system that gives addicts members of the virtual realm the ability to walk, jump, fly and interact by simply gesturing in front of a PC-connected camera designed by 3DV Systems. Currently, it doesn't seem like this solution is on the fast track to release or anything, but we have a sneaking suspicion they aren't demoing this stuff for kicks and giggles. Peek the video right after the break.

3D baby, that's what we've wanted from home television for 50 years. Now it's yours... if you live in Japan anyway. Introducing the world's first 46-inch 3D stereoscopic television. Built by Hyundai, the 1,920 x 1,080 set is capable of grabbing BS11 3D broadcasts pumped by Nippon BS in Japan for the last few months. The ¥498,000 (about $4,857) LCD brings 2x HDMI and 3x composite inputs (to name a few) and apparently works fine for traditional 2D broadcasts. Unfortunately, you'll have to wear what appear to be 3-foot wide, 3D glasses judging by the image provided above. Perhaps they're meant as a radiation shield since the set is also the world's first TV with built-in "nuclear reactor" according to the machine translated text. Be careful out there kids, it's just television.

[Via Impress]

With the megapixel race already past the point of noticeable benefit to consumers, it looks like the next camera arms race will be the number of lenses your rig sports -- a team at Stanford is working on a 3D camera that uses 12,616 micro-lenses to generate high quality 3 megapixel images with self-contained "depth maps" that measure the distance to every object in the frame. The system works by focusing each lens above four different overlapping sensor arrays, which work in concert to determine depth -- just like your eyes. Unlike similar systems, the Stanford rig is able to use that data to create a depth map without lasers, prisms, or even complex calibration, which will allow the team to shrink the tech down to compact and cellphone camera size. Once it's ubiquitous, the teams says depth map information can be used to do anything from enhancing facial recognition systems to improving robot vision, but there's still a long way to go -- the team has just started trying to work out how to manufacture the system.

Shortly after Teraoka's Deli Touch pen gave a reason to (almost) ignore the wait staff entirely, along comes the 3D Tobidasu table menu to make you order way more food than you likely would otherwise. Developed by TEC, the pop-up menu is designed to be integrated into restaurant tables, and reportedly, it enables patrons to browse the offerings and view individual items in "3D." Granted, the photo above doesn't really capture the effect, but if you look long enough, chances are you'll be salivating in no time.

[Via The Raw Feed]

While calling it the holy grail of 3D may be a stretch, there's no denying that the technology has been largely held back and (rightfully) seen as a gimmick due to the whole "unsightly glasses" requirement. Granted, this isn't the first time we've heard of 3D being experienced sans goggles, but the newfangled agreement between Magnetic and NEC could deliver just that to a display near you very soon. Reportedly, the duo is off demonstrating a 57-inch Enabl3D display at the Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas, and while this iteration is admittedly aimed at commercial users, the promise of seeing imagery "pop more than a foot off the screen without the use of any special glasses" sure sounds intriguing. No word on when this stuff will be coming to everyday users, but don't be shocked to see marketers coming up with new ways to grab your attention (and frighten the young) with this in the near future.

Not happy letting us Yankees get away with all the 3D sporting action, the BBC plans to test a 3D HD broadcast of a Rugby Six Nations match next month. A lot like the NBA's test with last year's All-Star Game and NBA Finals, the March 8th game between Scotland and England will be captured by three camera rigs and then transmitted via satellite -- unlike the fiber connection used by the NBA -- to an audience watching a big screen with 3D glasses. Can Communicate, Inition and Axis are the companies forming 3DFirm, which is partnering with the Beeb to make the whole thing happen, including working out a new style of camera work and post production. We won't say we're waiting for a 3D broadcast of real football to get excited about these tests (we'll just think it.)

Spotted at CES and out this month in Korea, Samsung's 3D-capable plasma is going to be making an appearance Stateside in March. The 42-inch and 50-inch PN42A450P TVs use the TriDef 3D tech from DDD Group, which costs $200 for two pairs of 3D glasses and the TriDef 3D software. Samsung's calling this the "world's first 3D-ready flat-panel HDTV," but didn't leave out the other fixins like a 15,000:1 contrast ratio, 18-bit color processing and three HDMI-CEC plugs. No word on cost, but you can't put a pricetag on those migraines.

Usually with SanDisk flash announcements we just list a new higher capacity and post a shot of a memory card with the new number on it, but this time around the announcements are little deeper: two new memory technologies. The first, which will go into production in March, is a 16-gigbit flash chip that contains three bits per cell, based on Toshiba's "3D" flash tech we heard about over the summer. The chip offers 8MB/sec write performance, but is much smaller than conventional MLC chips. Speaking of MLC, SanDisk also announced that it's moving forward on 43nm MLC fabrication, which will allow it to ship 32 gigabit flash chips in the latter half of the year. Either way, it looks like we're going to have a lot of memory cards with bigger numbers on them to post up soon, eh?

Read - 16-gigabit 3D chip
Read - 43nm NAND

C'mon, be honest -- the unofficial cutoff age for playing with Legos sans kids is sometime way before puberty, but thanks to a new development from Carnegie Mellon University, we adults may soon be able to unashamedly indulge in those desires once more. Posey, hailed as a "hands-on way of interacting with computers," features a plethora of snap-together, sensor-laden parts that can communicate with PCs through ZigBee. When a user attaches a leg to a body, for instance, an on-screen representation immediately mimics the movement, providing hours of fun and some real promise for future applications. No word on whether these things are set to go commercial anytime soon, but we'd sure love to replace this aging (and seemingly busted) voodoo doll with one of these critters, pronto.

[Image courtesy of Posey Code Lab Wiki]

We've seen (though not felt, for obvious reasons) a few touchless interfaces before, but the latest development coming from Elliptic Labs is a real treat. Dubbed a "touchless human / machine user interface for 3D navigation," the firm has somehow figured out how to allow mere mortals to manipulate on-screen images without requiring any sort of funky gloves to be worn or a microchip to be installed in your fingertip. Sadly, little is said about the actual technology behind the magic, but don't worry, the video waiting after the jump should provide plenty of satisfaction.

[Via Technabob]

CES 2008 brought us plenty of gimmicky 3D-related gadgetry, a bit that was respectable, and apparently, the TDVisor-HD. Nearly three weeks after the show concluded, TDVision Systems has just now gotten around to tossing out a press release boasting about how much fun was had by folks stopping by and checking out the "world's first portable, all digital, high-def 3D visualization system." Unfortunately, we're left to ponder on precisely what this thing is, but as best we can tell, it's yet another Virtual Boy-esque device, 'cept this one does 720p (and 3D). Per usual, a price and release date are conveniently absent, but considering that we can't even recall the last time we wore anything with "visor" in the product name (well, besides that one time...), we suppose it'll be alright.

For what it's worth, marketing firms have been encouraging folks to interact with billboards and the like with their cellphones for some time now, but prototype software developed by gurus in the UK has enabled a cameraphone to control a desktop computer. As expected, the application enables users to "move and manipulate onscreen items simply by waving a handset around in front of a [display]," but giving mobile owners a second-rate 3D mouse is just the beginning. There is promise for it (or something similar) to one day be used in more public settings, but while it's still locked inside the house, we'll probably just continue using our entirely more comfortable Wiimote for any atypical mousing exercises. Hit up the read link for a video demonstration.

[Via NewScientist]

We know, it's far too easy to link gesture-based anything to the Wii these days, but the Reactrix WAVEscape actually does favor the console's approach on most every level. Officially announced at CES, the system was devised by TYZX and Reactrix and is destined to lure susceptible civilians that pass by commercial displays. Essentially, the company hopes to create an "engaging advertising experience" (saywha?) by enabling consumers to interact with the ads by simply moving their arms / hands and having those motions recognized by an integrated "3D camera." Regrettably, it seems as if this technology isn't headed to the living room anytime soon, but that's what your Wii is for, right?

[Via PCWorld, image courtesy of oryankim]

Samsung's product lineup for 2008 includes 3D-capable plasmas, powered by DDD Group's TriDef 3D. It's about time, as we've been expecting the TriDef 3D box since 2005, and it only recently hit as a product for some of Samsung's DLPs. Hopefully we don't need to wait two more years to get this hooked to one of our flat panel sets, but it is here at CES, or available from DDD's website for $199.