Researchers develop 3D movie screen that doesn't need glasses

Laser vision … this summer’s 3D adventure Ghostbusters. Photograph: AP

A movie screen that can show 3D films without the need for glasses has been developed by researchers at MIT.

Called Cinema 3D, the technology utilises multiple parallax barriers, rather than just the one used for regular 3D viewing. It allows for different viewers to have the same experience, no matter where they are sitting.

“Existing approaches to glasses-free 3D require screens whose resolution requirements are so enormous that they are completely impractical,” said MIT professor Wojciech Matusik. “This is the first technical approach that allows for glasses-free 3D on a large scale.”

The screen isn’t market-ready as yet but it’s a major breakthrough, given that all previous attempts to take glasses out of the equation were limited to TVs. What’s also important is that this new form of viewing will improve the picture quality.

“It remains to be seen whether the approach is financially feasible enough to scale up to a full-blown theatre,” said Matusik. “But we are optimistic that this is an important next step in developing glasses-free 3D for large spaces like movie theatres and auditoriums.”