About the Stereogram - 3D Object Viewer project

Project Inspiration

I have always been intruiged by the optical properties of images which contain three dimensional properties. For many years I have been crossing my eyes, squinting at dotty patterns and wearing cardboard glasses with various coloured filters to see eyecatching 3D images 'pop out' from books, TV's, and monitor screens with a great sense of solidity and depth.

Over the years many popular image methods and processes have been invented to enable viewers to see these wonderful 3D images, each having their own special properties and viewing methods.

Some well known techniques are listed below:

Method: Example uses:

Stereo pairs (Computer / robot vision, ViewMaster)

Stereo wiggle (Image flipping 3D effect)

Holograms (Security products)

Stereograms (Magic Eye books)

Anaglyphs (coloured glasses), (Novelty, 3D films, 3D publications, Phantograms)

Lenticular image cards (Commercial advertising, marketing products)

Project Background

The project officially started after a chance image processing error whilst using popular image editing software. Having a notion that it was somehow possible to 'see' the 3D objects in stereograms without resorting to straining your eyes, I proceeded to gather stereogram reference images from the internet and attempted to process them using various filters graphical effects to see if my idea was possible.

After many months of trying I finally achieved the result I was after reversing a 'hidden image' technique I developed previously (used to hide one image inside another image) and utilising an 'image overlay' extension similar to the workings of my Magic Moving Images book!

To be continued...

Updated 18 November 2009

Colin