What you should know of Sony HMZ-T1 - world's first head-mounted 3D display

The Sony HMZ-T1 is the personal head mounted 3D viewer, which will offer the users a movie theater-like virtual screen for viewing both two and three-dimensional content. It is the first of its kind 3D compatible display equipped with a high-definition OLED panel. This lightweight visor like gadget fits easily on the forehead and gives a cinema like experience even while relaxing in the comfort of the home or while traveling in airplane.

Sony HMZ-T1

Pricing and availability

For those who have not yet heard about it, this exciting gadget is ready to be the next big for the 3D gaming and entertainment industry when available for sale from November 11 this year. It is expected to carry the price tag of about $800.

What’s great

This new offering from the Sony Corporation is an amalgamation of many of Sony's existing technologies and some innovations. Generally, 3D display devices work by combining the 2D offset images for giving a perception of three-dimensional depth to the users. So far, the most popular methods used in 3D devices have been either the use of Frame Sequential (FS) method that works by rapidly switching the left and right screens or the Line-by-Line (LBL) method that operates by alternatively displaying the videos for left and right eyes on the scan line.

In contrast, the new HMZ-T1 is based on Dual Panel 3D method, which has separate panels for left and right eyes, and does not generate crosstalk or mix images as it often happens with the FS method when the left and right video frames fail to switch over completely. In addition, it does not reduce the pixels, as is the case with the LBL method.

Moreover, the new gadget has been equipped with a brand new 0.7-inch high definition OLED panel that will allow the users to enjoy natural and bright image quality on a 750-inch virtual screen. According to the company, this panel has a response time of less than 0.01ms, which makes it able to display all kind of videos smoothly including that of fast moving activities without any blur. In addition, it has been equipped with a wearable sensor that allows the gadget to operate only when the user is wearing it and automatically turns it off otherwise.

What’s not so great

However, not everything is so great about this new gadget. It comes with some restrictions considering the health of the users. It is expected that the device will become more popular among teenagers but the company had requested 15-year-old and younger children to refrain from using it as it may affect their development. In addition, the users have been advised not to use it in an unstable environment or during journeys that may cause travel sickness.

Things to watch out for

While it might be entertaining to have theater like experience even while sitting on the couch in home, it should not be seen as a replacement for the theaters. Researchers have associated the origin of various new age psychosocial diseases with the excessive use modern gadgets that champion innovative graphic display and almost real-like virtual production of the real scenes. These gadgets are often addictive for users and the new 3D display could become a new addition to this list. However, the product has not been launched yet in the market. Therefore, the real assessment could be done only after it is exposed to real customers.

Verdict

Sony Corporation has been famous for producing superior quality high definition display systems. With the launch of this world's first head mounted personal 3D display, the Japanese technology giant has added another gem to its many 3D innovations ranging from industrial 3D filming and editing equipment, movie theater systems, personal computers, gaming equipments, and cameras.

Considering the features of this new gadget, it is almost certain that it will be very well received in the market when launched in November. In fact, it might initiate a race among similar technology giants like LG, Panasonic, etc. for the production of superior compatible 3D displays.

However, this is certainly not a futuristic technology. Especially when the researchers are trying to build devices that could enable users to view objects in four dimensions (4D) by adding the element of time to the existing three dimensions - length, width, and depth - depicted by 3D displays. In addition, researchers have recently been able to produce holographic 3D displays that would allow users to view objects in 3D even without wearing any eye gear like the Sony HMZ-T1.