Vermeer Interactive Display

Microsoft Research Cambridge has a neat new method for visualizing small 3D volume interactively in true 360-degree stereo through use of a GPU-accelerated algorithm connected to a special new display they call the “Vermeer”.

Vermeer is a novel interactive 360° viewable display suitable for a tabletop form factor from Microsoft Research Cambridge. It provides viewpoint corrected stereoscopic 3D graphics to simultaneous users 360° around the display, without the need for eyewear or other user instrumentation. In contrast to other systems, Vermeer allows users for the first time, to reach into and directly touch 3D objects inside a display volume. It also enables simultaneous users 360° viewing of the 3D object. Inherently other 360° systems restrict interactions to outside the display volume behind a protective glass or plastic dome.

From the description in the video, it looks like an electronic version of the “Hologram Chamber” illusion.  A clever trick, but the size of it keeps it restricted to rather small displays.

via Vermeer Interactive Display – YouTube.

This story written by Randall Hand

Randall Hand is a computer graphics programmer and news junky that's been working in the field for the last 15 years. He's responsible for visualizations generated on some of the most powerful supercomputers in the world, ytnef, mullion support in ParaView, and VizWorld.com.