Straws Development of Prototype

Current 3D display system are ‘virtual’ and all rely on optical illusions and tricks of the eye. This means they often cause fatigue, in most cases require glasses and vary widely in how effective they are. Arguably none of these systems appear real. Imagine a system that allows real physical 3D dimensional display. Quite literally real physical pixels that you can see and touch. These pixels act like a 2D screen, displaying a matrix of RGB colour, however this system is very different, each pixel can extrude outwards towards the viewer, sculpting itself on mass to take on the form a 3D object. Many film makers have imagined things coming out of the screen towards the audience, with the straws system 3D content quite literally comes towards you, or in the case of a particular interactive application you can push and pull at the pixels without even touching them. This is real physical 3D.
The resolution currently demonstrated with the straws system is akin to that of an LCD or LED wall tile. These tiles are used in the pro AV markets for large scale festivals and other outdoor events. As the straws systems evolves and scales it will continue to mirror this market, increasing in resolution and reducing in price to a point where it is accessible to the consumer market. Further advancements in the technology will enable the production of a range of straws systems, from the original wall (proposed here) to increasingly complex and infinitely flexible forms such as a spherical or cube version. There is not question as to whether this programmable volumetric technology will happen, it really is a case of who is first and when. Straws we believe is positioned to be the first to realise the potential of this inevitable future.
This project will build on initial tests and the market viability research conducted as part of a SMART Proof of Market project.