The Return of 3D: Immersive Displays Without the Glasses

For years, the promise of 3D entertainment has captivated and frustrated audiences alike. We’ve seen waves of enthusiasm, often followed by swift declines in interest, largely due to the cumbersome requirement of special glasses. These glasses, often perceived as silly and uncomfortable for extended use, became the primary hurdle to widespread adoption, acting as an Achilles’ heel for the technology. The same challenge persists today with immersive technologies like VR headsets and smart glasses, where the hardware itself can be a barrier to comfort and acceptance.

However, a new era of 3D display technology is beginning to unfold, moving far beyond the limitations of the past. This latest evolution focuses on an entirely glasses-free experience, addressing the key issue that hindered previous iterations. Laptops, tablets, and even desktop computer monitors are now embracing this innovative approach, demonstrating just how compelling 3D visuals can be when the barrier of eyewear is removed. Having experienced the most recent advancements firsthand and spoken with the pioneers behind the technology, it appears this version of 3D might finally have the staying power to become a mainstream reality.

Courtesy of Samsung

The journey of 3D has been marked by cycles of hype and disappointment. One moment, it’s revolutionizing cinema and helping films like Avatar break box office records; the next, it’s becoming the subject of jokes, as seen with the short-lived 3D TV craze. This pattern of boom and bust has naturally bred skepticism. When faced with the prospect of another push for 3D technology, many might wonder if it’s simply a rehash of previous, failed attempts.

Yet, this new wave is fundamentally different. It is powered by a groundbreaking technology that distinguishes it from its predecessors. This innovation is what makes the current generation of glasses-free 3D so compelling and potentially revolutionary. The creators of this technology have been meticulously observing the market and user reception, patiently developing their solution.

David Fattal, cofounder and chief technology officer of Leia Inc., believes we are currently at a crucial moment for this technology.

“Today, we’re at hopefully the inflection point,” Fattal states.

Leia Inc., which originated as a spinoff from HP Labs more than a decade ago, has been instrumental in the development of glasses-free 3D technology integrated into various consumer devices over recent years. Their early projects include the display technology found in the Red Hydrogen One smartphone, launched in 2018, and their own hardware endeavors, such as the Lume Pad 2 Android tablet released in 2023. These early efforts, while perhaps not achieving widespread commercial success, laid the groundwork and provided crucial insights for the technology’s refinement.

Witnessing the Acer SpatialLabs gaming monitors, powered by Leia’s technology, a few years ago offered a glimpse into the true potential of the glasses-free experience. Despite initial reservations rooted in past 3D disappointments, the monitors demonstrated a captivating magic. The strength of the 3D effect was impressive, and the technology managed to create a large “sweet spot,” meaning viewers could move their heads relatively freely without breaking the illusion. Today, having a full-fledged 3D monitor like the Samsung Odyssey 3D on a desk feels like a significant step towards 3D screens finally realizing their potential in the consumer market.

Regardless of the specific device – whether it’s a monitor, laptop, or tablet – systems integrating Leia’s solution employ a sophisticated combination of technologies. At its core, the system uses eye-tracking cameras to monitor the viewer’s position and perspective. This data is then combined with a specialized lenticular lens layer integrated into the display. Lenticular lenses work by directing different sets of pixels towards each eye, creating the illusion of depth. The display also incorporates a switchable optical layer, allowing users to seamlessly toggle between the glasses-free 3D mode and standard 2D viewing. This flexibility ensures the display remains versatile for everyday tasks.

What makes this implementation particularly effective, especially on stationary displays like monitors, is the incorporation of artificial intelligence. Leia utilizes AI to predict the user’s head movements in real-time.

“We have a history of where your face has been in the past few seconds before the current moment,” Fattal explains. “Then we use AI to predict where you’re going to be in the future. There are only that many movements your face is doing, since your facial landmarks are correlated. If you turn your head, your eyes are supposed to follow in a certain way, and so on.”

This predictive AI helps to maintain the correct perspective for the 3D effect, minimizing the chance of the illusion breaking as the viewer shifts their position. The result is an experience that feels genuinely magical. Similar to the first time someone tries on a high-quality VR headset and is transported to a virtual world, seeing the 3D effect in full force on a screen without needing glasses feels transformative. This is particularly true when the technology is paired with content specifically suited to showcase its capabilities.

Gaming as the Gateway for Glasses-Free 3D

Considering the history of immersive technologies, it might seem counterintuitive that gaming monitors and laptops are at the forefront of bringing glasses-free 3D to the consumer market, rather than mainstream devices like televisions. However, there are several compelling reasons why gaming is proving to be the ideal proving ground for this technology.

Companies like Acer have been incorporating support for 3D into their gaming lines for years, demonstrating the significant progress that is possible within this vertical. The upcoming Lenovo Legion 9i gaming laptop even features an option for a 3D screen as a premium upgrade, highlighting the growing interest and viability of this feature among high-end PC users. Modern video games are fundamentally built around 3D environments and models, making them a natural fit for applying a 3D effect. The inherent depth and spatial relationships in games are already designed, requiring less fundamental content creation adjustment compared to, say, converting a standard 2D film.

Beyond the technical suitability of the content, the gaming market itself presents a unique opportunity. David You, head of product marketing for monitors at Samsung, views this moment with significant optimism.

“We feel like this is the start of the next big thing,” says You. “It reminds me of when Samsung first launched its 49-inch ultrawide monitors a couple of years ago. Everyone said, ‘Do we really need this?’ Now everyone has one on their desk.”

You’s comparison to the ultrawide monitor trend is insightful. Just a few years ago, ultra-wide monitors were niche and expensive; now they are common sights in offices and gaming setups. This suggests a market dynamic where initial skepticism gives way to widespread adoption once a new form factor or feature proves its value and utility.

Over the past five years, the gaming monitor market has experienced a vast expansion and diversification. Manufacturers have successfully introduced adventurous screen sizes, aspect ratios, and cutting-edge display technologies like OLED and Quantum Dots. This willingness to innovate and cater to diverse preferences has created a dynamic environment where new technologies like glasses-free 3D can find an audience. The sheer variety available means there is literally something for everyone, and this appetite for new, enhanced display experiences makes gaming monitors the perfect launchpad for getting this technology into consumers’ hands – or rather, in front of their eyes.

Samsung conducted an internal survey among its “hardcore gaming” demographic to understand their expectations for next-generation gaming displays. This group, typically defined by a willingness to invest substantial amounts in the latest PC gaming hardware, provided clear feedback.

• Key finding: Sixty-two percent of hardcore gamers expected the next generation of displays to include advanced immersion features.

This strong desire for enhanced immersion makes the gaming demographic an ideal target audience for glasses-free 3D technology. They are actively seeking experiences that pull them deeper into the virtual worlds they inhabit, and 3D offers a tangible way to achieve this.

You emphasizes the financial aspect:

“As we’re looking at the demographic, or just the overall consumer base for monitors, especially when you’re talking about premium monitors over $1,000, the overwhelming majority is spending it on gaming.”

This willingness among gamers to spend significantly on premium hardware is critical, especially considering the initial price point of these early 3D gaming monitors. The Samsung Odyssey 3D, despite having surprisingly limited native game support at launch, carries a significant price tag.

“We’re in that early adopter stage, right? The sticker price is a little bit of a shock to most consumers,” You acknowledges. “But we feel like once we get people into the 3D ecosystem, we’ll get more game studios and developers brought into it because they see the total accessible market increasing."

The strategy is clear: establish a foothold in the premium gaming market, where enthusiasts are willing to pay a premium for cutting-edge features, even if the supporting content ecosystem is still developing. This buys time for game developers and other content creators to see the growing potential and begin creating or adapting content specifically for these new displays. Ultimately, gamers’ passion for immersive experiences and their willingness to invest in hardware provide the crucial momentum needed for the glasses-free 3D ecosystem to mature.

Beyond Gaming: The Vision for 3D Everywhere

While gaming serves as the initial launchpad, the potential applications for glasses-free 3D technology extend far beyond it. As You points out, a monitor like the Samsung Odyssey 3D is capable of much more than just displaying native 3D content. The technology incorporates machine-learning algorithms that can convert standard 2D content – from YouTube videos and Zoom calls to full-screen photos – into 3D, adding an artificial layer of depth.

While this AI-driven 2D-to-3D conversion may not be as convincing or precise as native 3D content, and is subject to limitations such as Digital Rights Management (DRM) restrictions on certain media, it remains an impressive technological feat. More importantly, it represents a crucial step towards overcoming one of the main challenges that plagued previous 3D attempts: the lack of readily available 3D content. By enabling the conversion of existing 2D libraries, AI is planting the seeds for broader uses and demonstrating the technology’s value to a more mainstream audience who may not primarily be gamers.

David Fattal sees applications beyond gaming that hold deep personal significance. He ranks gaming as his second-favorite use case for 3D.

“3D has that power to convey the human connection a lot better than on a flat screen,” Fattal says.

He recounts how taking 3D photos and videos of his children solidified his belief in the technology’s profound potential to capture and preserve memories with greater realism and emotional resonance. His ultimate dream is a future where capturing and experiencing moments in 3D is as commonplace as it is with 2D today.

“Our goal is to end up completely standard on all devices, but especially on cell phones, so that people can chat and take pictures and videos, and share on social media—and all of that should be in 3D.”

This ambitious vision aligns with directions being explored by major technology companies. Titans of Silicon Valley like Apple and Google have already begun promoting concepts like “spatial photos” and “spatial videos” within their respective mixed-reality ecosystems. The idea is that future hardware will allow users to revisit cherished memories with added depth and presence, recreating the feeling of being there. Google has also previewed technologies like Google Beam, which aims to make video calls more lifelike and personal by converting participants to appear more three-dimensional. These initiatives suggest a broader industry recognition of the value that depth and realism can add to digital interactions and memories.

The trajectory of this new 3D era shares similarities with the early days of virtual reality. The existence of products like the Apple Vision Pro, despite its premium price, focus on early adopters, and initial limitations in content libraries, was arguably made possible by the groundwork laid by gamers willing to experiment with earlier versions of VR hardware, even when headsets were clunky and uncomfortable. While VR always had potential applications beyond gaming, gaming consistently served as the primary driver for hardware development and market penetration. It remains to be seen whether this new generation of glasses-free 3D will succeed in expanding its appeal beyond the gaming niche more effectively than VR has to date.

It is important to temper expectations regarding the immediate future of 3D technology in all areas. For example, don’t anticipate a sudden comeback of 3D TVs in living rooms anytime soon. The current implementation of glasses-free 3D technology, particularly the eye-tracking component, is optimized for a single user viewing the screen at a time. This makes it less suitable for the typical shared viewing experience of a television.

However, for personal devices like monitors, laptops, and tablets, the outlook is considerably brighter. Companies like Samsung are expressing significant confidence in the future of glasses-free 3D displays. Samsung has publicly committed to “triple down” on its 3D monitor lineup in the coming year or two. This strong statement of intent from a major industry player represents a serious vote of confidence in the technology’s potential and indicates that the push for glasses-free 3D is more than just a fleeting trend; it is a strategic direction.

The journey of 3D technology has been a rollercoaster, but the latest iteration, freed from the requirement of cumbersome glasses and bolstered by AI and dedicated hardware development, presents a compelling vision for the future. While starting in the premium gaming market, the potential for broader applications in communication, content creation, and everyday computing suggests that this time, 3D might truly be here to stay, transforming our screens from flat windows into portals with genuine depth.