ProfilesMagazine.com

Reel 3D From the 50's–
Presentations That Pop

by John Driscoll

[Editor's Note: There are a large number of high-resolution images in this story. To facilitate your own viewing and experimentation, we are making these available in a Zip archive file (click to download).]

BANG! BAM! POW! WHACK! ZOWIE! !#/!

"Holy viewmaster, Batman. Its the Molecular Mass Divider right here in 3D.”

"Yes Robin, things like that used to happen only in the movies.”

Figure 1.

Stereovision (3D) is the result of each eye looking at an object at a slightly different angle and the brain processing the results. We can duplicate this effect by reproducing the separate images that each eye sees.

There are a number of ways to accomplish this. One is by filtering the light reaching each eye by color—red for the left and blue/cyan for the right (anaglyphic method). The second method is by creating the two pictures each eye sees (Holmes type). The third method involves polarizing the light to each eye (Disneyland and 3d MAX use this technique).

In addition, there’s the "crosseyed" technique, where you strain your eyes and look at a single image (www.studio3d.com/pages2/freeview.html), as well as the "Magic Eye" (www.magiceye.com) technique, where both of the images are hidden in a single pattern. There are also some electronic ways to achieve the 3D effect using special glasses to turn on and off the light reaching each eye one at a time—sort of a shutter effect. A newer and more interesting technique involves a single monitor screen that transmits video output to each eye. It promises superior 3D video without glasses for movies, games and other applications. A typical one is made by Sharp Systems of America (www.sharp3d.com/technology/howsharp3dworks/).

For an unusual and dynamic technical presentation (or just for fun), you can make your own 3D images from Pro/ENGINEER models quite easily. Here’s how to do it using the anaglyphic and Holmes techniques.

Method 1: Anaglyphic Images

You'll need three things to create and view an anaglyphic image of your Pro/ENGINEER model. The first is a pair of stereo glasses of the type usually found in 3D comic books or children's books. You may still have the ones from TV Guide that were used for a 3D episode of the show Medium in November. You can try them out on the pictures shown here.

Figure 2. Stereo glasses.

Figure 3. Audience reaction during a 3D movie presentation.

Alternatively, you can get free glasses from the following websites. (Note that some charge for postage and handling, etc.)

www.rainbowsymphony.com/freestuff.html

www.3dglasses.net

www.3dglasses.com/free3d.htm

www.3dglassesonline.com

Second, you'll need a software program to convert the images. A Google search will bring up quite a few. The one I used in this demonstration is from callipygian.com, which recommends Windows XP.

Since the software is designed for digital photography, we'll create our digital snapshots by exporting images from Pro/ENGINEER as jpeg files. You can try out the software using the images shown in Figures 5 and 6 below. I used rendered images in this demonstration for their higher quality, but the Save As versions will work just fine.

Third, you'll need an active Pro/ENGINEER model of the Molecular Mass Divider.

1. Start by getting your subject in the Pro/ENGINEER window the way you intend to see it in the final picture.

Figure 4.

2. Now make the two images from your Pro/E model—one for what the left eye sees and one for what the right eye sees. In Figures 5 and 6, notice the slight difference between the two at the closest post and the red ball.

For best results:

Use a white background to start.
Arrange your object to be viewed at about eye level.
Make sure your vertical lines are truly vertical.
Avoid colors with very heavy red and blue content.

Save the Figure 5 view as RIGHT and save the image as RIGHT_EYE jpeg.

Figure 5. Right eye image.

Figure 6. Left eye image.

3. To create the LEFT eye image, rotate the model about the vertical (View, Orient, Reorient Dynamic Orient, Screen). Pick the monitor icon and then Rotate “V” = 2.65. We can approximate the viewing angle using the following formula.

Figure 6b.

Viewing Angle = 2x(Sin 1.25/54) = 2x(1.326 deg) = 2.65 degrees

where:

1.25 is 1/2 of the 2.5” distance between the eyes.

54=(20+34) 20 is the approximate distance of your eye from the screen. 34 is the distance from the center of this object to the surface of the monitor screen. (Get this from View, Model setup, Perspective.)

You can either calculate your own angle or use 2.65 degrees if you move your part to the 34 depth before creating the jpegs. Save this view as LEFT and save the image as LEFT_EYE jpeg.

4. Minimize the Pro/ENGINEER window and start the 3D software.

5. Load the LEFT_EYE and RIGHT_EYE jpeg images (File, Load, Image).

6. Starting in the upper left corner of the LEFT image, draw the red box as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7.

7. Now Preview the 3D anaglyphic image. You should be looking at the menu screen with the 3D image (Figure 8). Put your glasses on for this.

Figure 8.

You can adjust the image with the sliders on the bottom and right sides. If your image doesn't look as it should, you can go back to the Edit tab in the previous window and try switching the left and right images. You can also adjust the image by selecting a different color version in the lower left (Figures 9, 10, 11).

Figure 9.

Figure 10.

Figure 11.

You can create a very dynamic but low-cost 3D presentation by combining a number of these anaglyphic images as an animation.

Method 2: Holmes Card Viewer

The Callipygian software also lets you create images for a Holmes card viewer. You can look at the cards without the viewer on the screen or printed out using a piece of paper or cardboard held halfway between the views to separate the left and right images.