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From Viewfinders to Virtual Reality: The Evolution of Stereoscopic Lens Design

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A new lens design promises improved image quality and an increased field of view for virtual reality headsets.

BRUCE H. WALKER, WALKER ASSOCIATES

In the late 1800s and early 1900s, the stereoscope was the subject of great interest and entertainment in the living rooms of families on both sides of the Atlantic. Invented by Sir Charles Wheatstone, it was made popular in Europe by Sir David Brewster and in the U.S. by Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. The stereoscope typically included a pair of simple wedge lenses with a focal length of 180 mm, enabling the viewer to see a pair of images in 3D, each being 75 × 75-mm square. This resulted in a 3D field of view that is 24 × 24° (Figure 1). Figure 1. Stereoscope viewer circa...Read full article

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    Published: December 2016
    Glossary
    stereoscope
    A small instrument containing a picture support and a pair of magnifying lenses so arranged that the left eye sees only the picture taken with the left lens of the stereo camera, and the right eye only the right picture. If the camera lenses are separated by the interocular distance, and if the focal lengths of camera and stereoscope lenses are equal, then a true-to-scale or orthoscopic reproduction of the scene is obtained. Stereoscopes are used extensively in photogrammetry.
    virtual reality
    Virtual reality (VR) is a computer-generated simulation of a three-dimensional environment or experience that can be interacted with and explored by an individual using electronic devices, such as a headset with a display. VR aims to create a sense of presence, immersing users in a computer-generated world that can be entirely fictional or a replication of the real world. It often involves the use of specialized hardware and software to provide a fully immersive and interactive experience. ...
    lensesBruce H. WalkerOpticsstereoscopevirtual realityray trace analysismodulation transfer3D stereo viewing distortion plotFirst 50 Years - Special Section

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