3D imaging system employing electronically tunable liquid crystal lens

摘要

A system for photographing an object and generating a three-dimensional display of the object without the need for the observer to wear special glasses employs a camera having an electronically tunable liquid crystal lens in which the focal plane of the lens may be adjusted by controlling the voltage on the lens. An operator of the camera focuses the camera on the scene to be imaged and the camera records a series of images at closely spaced focal lengths by varying the voltage applied to the lens between the images. The digitally recorded images are then used to generate a display on a multilayer transparent display substrate with pixel addressing capabilities. Each of the recorded images at the differing focal lengths are displayed on one of the layers of the display screen, with the closest focal length recorded being displayed on the top screen, the one most proximate to the observer, and with successive images on other screens. A three-dimensional image is produced.