3D itself is nothing new. The first 3D movie was displayed all the way back in 1922, three years before John Logie Baird’s breakthrough television set. But for as long as we’ve had TVs, there have been people hoping to produce a 3D image from a set.

There are four main different types of technology for viewing 3D in the home: anaglyph (which uses the red/cyan glasses you’re no doubt familiar with); polarisation, which uses glasses with special polarised lenses (like what you where when you go to see a 3D film at the movies); alternate frame sequencing (which use special powered glasses that actively close shutters on each eyepiece to create the illusion of 3D); and finally autostereoscopic (which appears 3D without any glasses).

Even though developments are being made in all four technologies (except maybe anaglyph – because of the coloured glasses, everything you watch appears washed out in terms of colour) – but the most likely technologies to make it into the home are via polarisation or alternate frame sequencing.

Early last year, Samsung released the first plasma TV capable of displaying 3D images using the alternate frame sequencing glasses. The 450 Series plasma was hamstrung by the lack of 3D content available, but since its release last year, many major movie studios have put a concerted effort into creating 3D films (Dreamworks animation now only makes 3D films, while blockbusters like the upcoming Avatar will definitely put 3D at the front of consumers’ minds), and the Blu-ray consortium has announced that they are working 3D into their specifications for both players and discs.

Samsung have also been followed by all the major TV manufacturers who have announced plans to release 3D TVs within the next few years. These TVs will be able to display not only three dimensional images, but Full HD 2D ones as well.

And while it will still be a while before everything we watch on TV is in 3D, Sky in the UK has announced that next year they’re launching a dedicated 3D channel. You’ll need a 3D-capable TV to watch it, and you’ll still need to wear those glasses, but it looks like having 3D television in your lounge room will be inevitable.

History of TV is Giz AU’s month-long look back at the development of the world-changing medium and its influence on our daily lives.

We’ve seen cameras do all kinds of crazy things. DIY 3D photography, augmented reality, and now this demo by Qi Pan shows how an ordinary webcam can model objects in 3D.

I’m in no position to discuss the amount of technical wizardry in play here, but I do think the interface is really great. Look at how it overlays scanned textures on the person’s hand to create a transparency effect. Neato!

It’s definitely a whiz-bang application, but like augmented reality, I’m not sure how much I need it. Someone needs to figure out how to scan and print a sandwich. Now that would be something. [Pro Forma via Boing Boing]

The “3D LED Wall” is on show at the International Broadcast Equipment Exhibition in Japan, and really highlights just how much of a boner Sony has for 3D right now. They’ve got 3D laptops, TVs and Blu-ray players planned, and don’t forget new games and a firmware update will bring 3D to the PlayStation 3 next year, too.

[TechOn via Engadget]

Maximum PC’s how-to uses 3D picture synchronisation software called StereoData Maker, a non-volatile firmware update based on the Canon Hack Development Kit (CHDK).

You’ll then need to build a mounting rig and use a small enclosure (such as an Altoids tin) to build a simple USB switch remote. Free software called StereoPhoto Maker is used for post-processing. And yeah, you’ll still need a pair of red/cyan glasses. Still, it looks like fun. Full instructions at: [Maximum PC]

You might remember that Jackson had once planned a 15m mecha with a moving face that shot lasers, but it never got built.

From the eBay Listing:

The original 3D scan data of Michael Jackson. It also includes the colour map from this scan in either CPV or UV maps. This data was collected using the same equipment that creates the data used to create video games and or CGI avatars to make him speak, laugh, sing or dance.

I must emphasise that the sale of this scan data is subject to the purchaser agreeing to clear the proper rights with the MJ Estate before it is publicly used in a promotional or commercial manner.

I bet you need to emphasise that. Even if the data isn’t a hoax (and I’m sceptical), I can’t see the Jackson Estate letting this fly without a lawsuit. We’ll have to wait and see.

Meanwhile, an MJ fan found the auction and created this animation using only the 2D shots shown above. It’s all pretty creepy… just let the man rest in peace.

[Huffington Post via Techie.com.ph]

The Asus G51J 3D is the first laptop to feature NVIDIA’s new 3D vision technology, and it takes advantage of a high performance, 15.6-inch 120Hz LCD that, when coupled with shutter glasses (yup, you still need glasses) garnered these praises from Laptop:

…unlike the TriDef technology that powers Acer’s 3D laptop, titles optimised for 3D vision give you a great sense of depth without negatively affecting gameplay. On first person shooters, for example, we found it difficult to aim when using the Acer 5738DG. On the Asus G51J 3D, you don’t make any compromises in terms of control or accuracy.

For the 3D tech, you’ll take a resolution hit (there’s no 3D 1080P display option) and pay a $US200 premium, making the full gaming $US1700.

Keep in mind that Acer’s system, while utilising only rudimentary polarised glasses 3D, costs under $US800. [Laptop Mag]

3D medical imagery has always been fascinating to me: Generating 3D models from film footage is still a fledgling tech, while medical professionals render guts on a daily basis. And sometimes, apparently, connected to Xbox controllers.

Researchers at Iowa State University have designed software that can quickly and simply render a detailed 3D model of a patient’s MRI and CAT scan results. The software, called BodyViz, claims two core advantages over similar technologies: It’s easier to use, and it’s set up to use with an Xbox 360 controller out of the box because, let’s face it, to the latest crop of med school grads, old-school mice and trackballs are lame, bro.

Add a couple of stock FPS weapons, hook this thing up to some robotic arms with knives, fire up the laparoscope and bam: surgery, revolutionised. [IA State via BoingBoing]

This week, Gizmodo is exploring the enhanced human future in a segment we call This Cyborg Life. It’s about what happens when we treat our body less as a sacred object and more as what it is: Nature’s ultimate machine.

Anyone with Zune HD 4.3 should be able to mosey on over to the Zune Marketplace where they’ll find a few new surprises. Or what would have been surprises, if I wasn’t about to totally ruin them right here:

• PGR: Ferrari Edition
• Lucky Lane Bowling
• Vans Sk8
• Piano (it’s a piano toy, not strictly a game)
• Audio Surf: Tilt
• Checkers

It’s not quite the same as having an open marketplace with a full SDK — presumably Microsoft’s actively helping push these things along to keep Zune HD users interested — but it’s a start. [HelloFromEurope — Thanks Korneel!]

In order to be profitable, it needs to generate ticket sales of over $US250 million — only Star Trek level. It’s not a huge deal, you know. It’s just the fate of 3D movies hanging in the balance. [NYT via io9]

The touchscreen is the main appeal of this shower, not just because it provides the 3D experience, but because it controls everything from water temperature and jet intensities to video and sound. Yes, 3D and jets. Perfect combination.

It’s been a while since there was a concept I wanted to turn into reality this much, but to be honest, I wouldn’t even know what movie I’d want to watch in there first. [Yanko Design]