Three-dimensional display by smart pseudoscopic-to-orthoscopic conversion with tunable focus

The original aim of the integral-imaging concept, reported by Gabriel Lippmann more than a century ago, is the capture of images of 3D scenes for their projection onto an autostereoscopic display. In this paper we report a new algorithm for the efficient generation of microimages for their direct projection onto an integral-imaging monitor. Like our previous algorithm, the smart pseudoscopic-to-orthoscopic conversion (SPOC) algorithm, this algorithm produces microimages ready to produce 3D display with full parallax. However, this new algorithm is much simpler than the previous one, produces microimages free of black pixels, and permits fixing at will, between certain limits, the reference plane and the field of view of the displayed 3D scene. Proofs of concept are illustrated with 3D capture and 3D display experiments. (C) 2014 Optical Society of America