Volumetric 3D displays and application infrastructure

Volumetric displays produce volume-filling three-dimensional imagery. Each volume element or voxel in a 3D scene emits visible light from the region in which it appears. Given their ability to project volume-filling autostereoscopic imagery, these displays are being adopted in fields as diverse as medical imaging, mechanical computer-aided design, and military visualization. The author uses the term autostereoscopic to describe a display property that lets observers experience a 3D effect without requiring any additional eyewear. Vendors are developing software that lowers the barrier to adoption by providing compatibility with new and legacy applications. At least one firm is developing a display-independent visualization environment with the aim of accelerating the adoption of 3D displays overall. The widespread adoption of volumetric 3D displays requires the ability to integrate tightly into today's visualization software. Given that ability, developers can deploy volumetric displays across the fields where they are most critically needed.