Three-Dimensional Imaging Techniques

408 Pages·1976·5.895 MB·English

by  Takanori Okoshi (Auth.)

Three-Dimensional
Imaging Techniques
Takanori Okoshi
Department of Electronic Engineering
University of Tokyo
Tokyo, Japan
ACADEMIC PRESS New York San Francisco London 1976
A Subsidiary of Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers
To My Late Father
COPYRIGHT © 1976, BY TAKANORI OKOSHI
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED OR
TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC
OR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPY, RECORDING, OR ANY
INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM, WITHOUT
PERMISSION IN WRITING FROM THE PUBLISHER.
ACADEMIC PRESS, INC.
Ill Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10003
United Kingdom Edition published by
ACADEMIC PRESS, INC. (LONDON) LTD.
24/28 Oval Road, London NW1
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Okoshi, Takanori, Date
Three-dimensional imaging techniques.
Includes bibliographies.
1. Photography, Stereoscopic. 2„ Moving-pictures,
Three-dimensional. 3. Holography. I. Title.
TR780.038 774 75-13106
ISBN 0-12-525250-1
This translation copyright © 1976 by Takanori Okoshi. Original
Japanese language edition, Sanjigen Gazo Kogaku © 1972 Takanori
Okoshi, published by Sangyo Tosho Publishing Company, Tokyo,
Japan. English translation rights arranged through Japan UNI
Agency, Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
To My Late Father
COPYRIGHT © 1976, BY TAKANORI OKOSHI
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
NO PART OF THIS PUBLICATION MAY BE REPRODUCED OR
TRANSMITTED IN ANY FORM OR BY ANY MEANS, ELECTRONIC
OR MECHANICAL, INCLUDING PHOTOCOPY, RECORDING, OR ANY
INFORMATION STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM, WITHOUT
PERMISSION IN WRITING FROM THE PUBLISHER.
ACADEMIC PRESS, INC.
Ill Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10003
United Kingdom Edition published by
ACADEMIC PRESS, INC. (LONDON) LTD.
24/28 Oval Road, London NW1
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data
Okoshi, Takanori, Date
Three-dimensional imaging techniques.
Includes bibliographies.
1. Photography, Stereoscopic. 2„ Moving-pictures,
Three-dimensional. 3. Holography. I. Title.
TR780.038 774 75-13106
ISBN 0-12-525250-1
This translation copyright © 1976 by Takanori Okoshi. Original
Japanese language edition, Sanjigen Gazo Kogaku © 1972 Takanori
Okoshi, published by Sangyo Tosho Publishing Company, Tokyo,
Japan. English translation rights arranged through Japan UNI
Agency, Inc.
PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Preface
The reconstruction of spatial images has been a long-held dream. When holog-
raphy was developed, many people believed that the answer finally had been
found. Due to inherent technical limitations, however, holography has not yet
become a practical imaging technique. On the other hand, we cannot ignore the
technical advantages of older techniques such as lens-sheet pictures, and
projection-type displays. Presumably, the most promising direction for future
development of three-dimensional imaging techniques may be found in a com-
bination of these various old and new techniques.
The original Japanese edition of this book, entitled "Sanjigen-Gazo Kogaku"
(Three-Dimensional Imaging Techniques), was written with the intention of
offering a comprehensive treatise on this field, and was published in June 1972
by Sangyo-Tosho, Tokyo. Translation of the Japanese text into English was
begun shortly after the original publication, and completed early in 1974. In
the course of translation, the author found some sections in the original text
unsatisfactory and supplemented these. The length of the English edition, there-
fore, is probably two or three percent greater than that of the original.
About one-half of the book deals with nonholographic techniques and the
other half with holographic techniques. Chapters 4-6 describe in detail the
theories and applications of three basic techniques: lens-sheet three-dimensional
pictures, projection-type three-dimensional display, and holography, respec-
tively. The preceding three chapters and the following three chapters are devoted
to more general discussions. Chapter 1 is an introduction; Chapter 2 a short
description of the history of three-dimensional imaging techniques; and Chapter
3 describes the physiological and psychological aspects of three-dimensional
sensation (depth perception) in humans. Chapter 7 discusses the quantity and
redundancy of information contained in a three-dimensional image and the
IX
X PREFACE
methods for reducing that redundancy. The discussion in this chapter gives a
theoretical basis for three-dimensional image information transmission tech-
niques (three-dimensional television techniques) likely to be developed in the
future. In Chapter 8, special three-dimensional imaging techniques, such as those
for x-ray images and computer outputs, as well as the technical feasibility of
three-dimensional television in the future, are discussed. Concluding remarks are
given in Chapter 9.
The author first encountered three-dimensional imaging in 1964. Dr. K.S.
Pennington, who did excellent work in the early development of holography,
was performing experiments next door to the author's laboratory at the Bell
Telephone Laboratories in Murray Hill, New Jersey. Dr. Pennington kindly
showed the author some holography experiments, but at that time the author
did not recognize the potential of holography.
Later, in 1967, one of the author's friends presented him with a splendid
example of a three-dimensional lenticular-sheet picture. (It was a souvenir from
the United States, but was later found to have been "printed in Japan.") This
piece, together with the memory of Dr. Pennington's experiments, made the
author believe that the combination of such conventional techniques as the
lenticular sheet with holography might offer new technical possibilities.
In winter 1967, the author investigated for himself the history of various
three-dimensional imaging techniques. He also started some research work on
three-dimensional imaging; some of this work is described in this book. Mean-
while, he noted that no book had been published covering this field. This fact
was the principal motivation for writing the original Japanese edition of this
book and then translating it into English.
Acknowledgments
The author is indebted to many people for the work on which this book is
based. This work was performed with continuous encouragement from Pro-
fessors M. Kamiyama, S. Okamura, H. Yanai, and M. Aoki, all of the Department
of Electronic Engineering, University of Tokyo. Continuous technical support
has been given since the earliest stages of the work by Messrs. H. Suzukawa, J.
Mukai, K. Sayanagi, and A. Yano of the Canon Company, and Messrs. R.
Yamanashi and S. Hizume of the Toppan Printing Company. There are many
others who have helped the author in preparing the photographs and figures
used, and in performing the experiments described; their names are mentioned in
the text or figure captions, or in the references.
Finally, the author wishes to express his hearty appreciation to his secretary,
Miss M. Onozuka, who typed the manuscript and its revisions many times.
Without her devoted assistance this translation would never have been
completed.
Introduction
The history of information media in human society,
the definition and classification of three-dimensional
imaging techniques, and the organization of this book
are described in this chapter.
1.1 HISTORY OF INFORMATION MEDIA
Information media in human society have progressed
steadily over the past centuries. We consider first
the history of "direct" information media, those that
can be delivered from hand to hand. In this category
books and pictures appeared first in the history of
man. Afterward, the inventions of printing (1450) and
photography (1839) made these media mass-producible
and cheap enough for popular use. These two inventions
mark the beginnings of important epochs in the history
of information. Since then man has become accustomed
to expressing his thoughts and sentiments in two-dimen-
sional patterns or images. This is truly a remarkable
feature of human culture.
1
2 1 INTRODUCTION
On the other hand, one kind of three-dimensional
information medium had been familiar to man since an-
cient days: sculpture; however, sculpture is often a
"thing in itself," and might not deserve to be called
an information "medium." Serious efforts by man toward
artificial three-dimensional images began in the middle
of the nineteenth century, as will be described in the
next chapter. Since then this effort has been contin-
ued for more than 100 years. In particular, in the
past decade new three-dimensional imaging techniques
such as holography and lens-sheet pictures have vigor-
ously been developed. Historians of science 100 years
from now might characterize our era by the present
efforts toward better three-dimensional imaging tech-
niques .
Next we consider the history of telecommunications.
In the most primitive stage, letters were forwarded
and handed directly to specific individuals. This ex-
change developed later to the domestic and internation-
al mail systems. Late in the eighteenth century, the
first high-speed telecommunication system, Chappe's
communicator,* appeared. Though it was the most primi-
tive telecommunication system imaginable, it had a
great impact on European society. The conquest and
rule of European countries by Napoleon is said to be
in part due to the use of this communication system.
Telecommunication technology advanced further to
bring forth the telegraph (1835), telephone (1876),
facsimile (1925), television (1926), and many other
versions of these basic techniques. At present, many
people believe that the next stage will be three-
dimensional television, that is, television transmit-
ting animated, spatial images. It will probably
* Towers equipped with pivoted pointing arms for
displaying signals were constructed at mile intervals
and manned by operators. Each operator moved the point-
ing arms in the same manner as he observed on the dis-
play of the neighboring tower, and thus messages were
transmitted.
1.2 DEFINITION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGING 3
require an effort of more than 20 years to complete
a really practical system of techniques for three-
dimensional television. It is, however, one of the
last remaining frontiers in the field of telecommuni-
cations .
The development of three-dimensional imaging
techniques, either still or animated, is an interesting
and challenging task; however, it is never an easy one.
We might better say that the direction of future devel-
opment is quite unknown. The purpose of this book is
to present the fundamental concepts and available tech-
niques for three-dimensional imaging in as systematic
a manner as possible.
1.2 DEFINITION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL IMAGING
The term three-dimensional imaging might require
some preliminary comments. In this book, the terms
stereoscopic and three-dimensional are carefully dis-
tinguished from one another, except as used in Chap-
ter 3 where physiological and psychological aspects
of depth perception are described. A priori there is
no essential difference between the meanings of these
two terms; however, three-dimensional seems to fit
better truly three-dimensional, spatial images than
does the older stereoscopic. When we hear stereo-
scopic , the resulting mental picture is also old and
primitive; it is apt to remind us of stereoscopes.
On the other hand, principally discussed in this
book are the imaging techniques of truly three-dimen-
sional, spatial images which show gradually their right
side when the observer moves rightward, and their left
side when he moves leftward. The author believes that
what will be promising and interesting in the future
are techniques for reproducing such truly spatial
images.
Such a truly spatial image is sometimes called
an autostereoscopic image; however, since this termi-
nology is not universal at present, it will not be
4 1 INTRODUCTION
used often in this book. Instead, the term three-
dimensional is used to discuss a spatial image, whereas
the term stereoscopic is used mainly for binocular
images.
This book deals principally with three-dimensional
spatial images, but stereoscopic images are also de-
scribed particularly in two places. One is the his-
torical description of the art in Chapter 2. In the
history of three-dimensional imaging, binocular imaging
techniques constitute important technical steps. The
other exception is in the discussion of binocular tele-
vision techniques for medical and other special uses.
For example, suppose that in a medical school a surgical
operation is shown via television to students studying
in a classroom adjacent to the operating room. In
such cases the final display need not necessarily be
truly spatial; binocular imaging with a finer resolu-
tion might be superior. In such applications binocular
imaging techniques will remain useful.
1.3 CLASSIFICATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL
IMAGING TECHNIQUES
On the basis of the discussions in the preceding
section, we first divide three-dimensional imaging
(in the wider sense of the words) into two major groups:
(1) binocular stereoscopic imaging,
(2) three-dimensional spatial imaging
(autostereoscopy).
The essential difference between these two kinds of
imaging rests upon the quantity of information required
to record the images. The quantity of information for
a binocular image is only twice that of a planar image,
whereas that for a truly spatial image is usually tre-
mendous. This problem will be discussed in detail in
Chapter 7.
Each of the above two major groups is further
divided into smaller groups according to the principle