Oakley launches 3D glasses

The famous American glasses maker Oakley has just announced its first 3D glasses, compatible with cinema and TV.

Thanks to its collaboration with Dreamworks, who produced Monsters vs Aliens in stereoscopic 3D, Oakley is promising a "visual clarity without equal on the market". To give additional comfort, the brand has worked on the curve that encases the lenses to maximise the user's field of vision. You're supposed to have a total panoramic view without having to turn your head to see what's happening on the sides of the screen.


Still with the aim of increasing comfort, Oakley has gone for passive technology. According to them, shutter systems - active 3D - make the glasses heavier because of the batteries contained inside. It's true that passive glasses are a good deal lighter and nicer to wear. However, no general consumer TV yet uses this technology and only the pro (bars, conference rooms and so on) market is concerned here.

The difference in image definition between the two technologies

With active glasses, the 3D effect is obtained by sending one image of 1080 lines first to one eye, then the other. Active glasses cover the lens of the eye that shouldn't be shown the image displayed.

With passive glasses, both images which make up 3D are contained in one single image. One line in two is designed for one eye, the other for the other eye. On screen, each line is differently polarised. Passive glasses are made up of polarised lenses which allow the corresponding line to filter through to the eye it's meant for. As a result, the 3D definition is half what you get with the active system. This is why the use of active glasses is recommended for Blu-ray 3D.

Oakley's 3D glasses will be available before Christmas 2010. They will first be on sale through chains of opticians in the United States and will be rolled out worldwide in 2011. Pricing hasn't yet been given.

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