…

THE INVENTION Audio technology that allows the listener to experience true three-dimensional sound. Unlike ­surround-sound systems, this invention — called BACCH 3D Sound — enables you to hear with precision where each sound on a recording is coming from. Listen to a recording of a fly ­circling your head, and you can detect exactly where that fly is located. ­Listen to a symphony, and you can hear the viola coming from the left and the bass coming from a spot on the back right. The technology works with any pair of loudspeakers, but not with headphones.

THE SCIENTIST The moment he perfected his invention — at 3 a.m. — Edgar Choueiri (pronounced “Shu-WAY-ri”) *91, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering, woke up his wife to listen to a recording of Bach’s “Mass in B Minor.” (BACCH 3D Sound stands for Band-Assembled Crosstalk Cancellation Hierarchy and is a tribute to Bach, Choueiri’s favorite composer.) Choueiri created a way of designing a filter that accurately cancels a sound recording’s crosstalk without changing the tonal quality of the sound. …

WHERE YOU’LL BE SEEING IT Choueiri’s BACCH 3D Sound is available in a portable wireless speaker called Jambox and will be available in 3D televisions. Sony has given Choueiri $3 million to fund his lab for the next three years and do research on headphones. Choueiri also is exploring how to adapt the technology for use in hearing aids.

Read the full story here: http://paw.princeton.edu/issues/2012/02/08/pages/7041/index.xml

[Studio Daily]

On Friday, February 3, indie rock band Saint Motel will perform at the Soho House in West Hollywood, accompanied by what World War 7 (WW7) Creative Director Josh Ferrazzano describes as “a multimedia, stereoscopic, psychedelic spectacular.” The visual component of the show, Stereotropic, incorporates 3D psychedelic visuals and underwater choreography by synchronized swim troupe The Aqualillies. Ferrazzano hopes this initial marriage of mind-bending VFX and other kaleidoscopic footage in stereo 3D plus live music will serve as a kind of launching pad for a continuing, touring audiovisual experience. We talked to Ferrazzano last week as finishing touches were being put on the project.  …

Read the interview here: http://www.studiodaily.com/main/news/headlines/World-War-7-Brings-3D-Glasses-to-the-Rock-Concert_13657.html

[HeroComplex]

If you tune in to the Super Bowl on Sunday you’ll see a parade of commercials for Hollywood’s upcoming heavy-hitter hopefuls (“The Hunger Games,” “The Avengers,” “G.I. Joe: Retaliation,” “John Carter”)  but two even bigger box-office brand names — “Transformers” and “Star Wars” — will be selling something beyond the silver screen.

“Star Wars” is back in a Volkswagen ad (after last year’s super-popular tiny-tot Darth Vader spot) while the massive space robots from Michael Bay’s film franchise will be bringing their unique version of heavy-metal combat to a pre-game, 30-second ad for Transformers: The Ride 3-D, which opens in May at Universal Studios Hollywood.  …

Read the full story here; http://herocomplex.latimes.com/2012/02/02/transformers-the-ride-3d-primed-for-super-bowl-spotlight/

Three-dimensional viewing technologies, such as those in theaters across the country, are often criticized for causing dizziness and discomfort in some individuals. However, some optometrists believe that this fact may have a redeeming purpose in the diagnosis of vision disorders. …

A recent criticism of 3D viewing technologies is that people complain of dizziness, discomfort, and lack of depth when viewing three-dimensional images, a condition which has been dubbed “3D Vision Syndrome.

With studies into potential lasting harmful effects of 3D technology having so far been inconclusive, optometrists are beginning to see 3D Vision Syndrome as an indication of a bigger, underlying vision problem in those who suffer from it. “In most cases, this is a strong sign of a binocular vision disorder, such as convergence insufficiency,” vision therapy expert Dr. Tod Davis explains.

Vision therapists often employ a wide variety of techniques in order to permanently correct problems with eye teaming and visual intelligence. Convergence insufficiency is a treatable vision disorder in which the eyes have difficulty focusing on near objects for extended periods of time. According to Dr. Davis, “The eyes drift out despite trying to do near work.”

Other than 3D Vision Syndrome, no adverse effects have been discovered for the use of 3D technology.  …

Read the full story here: http://www.prweb.com/releases/vision-therapy-dr-davis/frederickburg-va/prweb9156498.htm

[3D Focus]

A recent study conducted for Red Bull by the University of Tilburg and Dimenco Displays found that glasses free 3D ads achieved 45% more viewer attention and an 8.5% increase in sales.

…  “With the specially developed eye-tracking software we were able to measure the exact viewing time of the customer”, according to researcher MS. Van Grootel of the University of Tilburg. “We collected more than 15.000 eye-trackings and we interviewed more than 180 customers for this study”.

….  According to the data on average, a customer looked at the 3D screen 3 seconds longer than the 2D screen (10.92 seconds) which translates to a 45% increase of attention and a 75% increase compared to no display at all.

…

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) – the independent regulator of media advertising in the United Kingdom – has this week ruled that LG Electronics can market its Cinema 3D TVs as “Full HD”, but only if the Korean manufacturer states clearly in its advertisements that the effect is achieved via passive 3D system. The adjudication came about following complaints made by cross-town rival Samsung and a technology journalist.

LG and Samsung Electronics have been embroiled in a bitter 3DTV format war ever since the former unveiled its FPR (film-type patterned retarder) passive 3D LCD technology which has proved popular among consumers primarily due to the affordability, comfort and convenience (no battery, charging nor synchronisation required) of the polarized 3D glasses. Meanwhile, Samsung has on numerous occasions championed the superior resolution delivered by its active-shutter extra-dimensional HDTV displays in 3D mode.

…

In its defence, LG argued that even though its FPR passive 3D technology only delivers 540 lines of resolution to each eye, the simultaneous delivery of both odd and even lines within a single frame of image means that all 1080 lines of information will be perceived by the viewer’s brain. The company also provided third-party verification from an independent test lab, which supports LG’s claim that its Cinema 3D TVs are indeed “Full HD”.  …

Read the full story here: http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/lg-passive-full-hd-201202021648.htm

[Philip Lelyveld comment: this is an excerpt from an extensive discussion of 3D film making.]

[D Magazine]

….

Of course, they have occupied the territory so far, but now it’s up to independent filmmakers to really show what to do with it, especially documentary filmmakers because 3D will completely revolutionize and put it on a whole new level.

FR: That’s interesting, that there have only been a handful of independent filmmakers using 3D, and both you and Herzog immediately went to the documentary.  It seems to be more intuitive to use that form.

WW:  Wait until you see the next wave of documentaries in 3D, and wait until you see the first independents using it intelligently with films that are really written for this new medium and don’t just use it in the hope that it would mean something commercially.  The 3D films of the future will be thought in 3D and will take us into places where, so far, cinema hasn’t been.  I’m totally convinced

FR:  Are you thinking of a narrative 3D feature at this point?

WW: Well, I don’t want to go back. I’m hoping, I must say. I’m preparing a long-term documentary in 3D as well as a feature—a family story, actually, in 3D, because I think it still needs to be shown that this new medium is also good for intimate stories and not just for action and blockbusters.

See the full story here: http://frontrow.dmagazine.com/2012/02/interview-why-director-wim-wenders-believes-in-the-future-of-3d/

Local television broadcasters may soon offer Internet connectivity, 3D broadcasting, on-demand programs and additional features for viewers as standards for broadcast television evolves to reflect the needs of TV viewers.

These and other proposed enhancements will be highlighted by the ATSC when it discusses new ATSC 2.0 capabilities for broadcast digital TV at the Hollywood Post Alliance Technology Retreat in mid-February in Indian Wells, Calif.

“Among other things, ATSC 2.0 contemplates the marriage of broadcasting and the Internet,” said ATSC President Mark Richer. “ATSC 2.0 is intended to address the increasing desire on the part of consumers for everything-on-demand… ATSC 2.0 services will be carried in DTV broadcast channels and their presence will not preclude or interfere with proper operation of current ATSC services in the same RF channel, or have any adverse impact on legacy receiving equipment.

“Longer term, we’re also starting work on what we call ‘ATSC 3.0,’ which will reinvent broadcast TV as we know it.”

“ATSC 2.0 – Enhancing Today’s DTV Services” is a four-hour seminar at the upcoming Hollywood Post Alliance Tech Retreat on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14 in Indian Wells. It will be led by ATSC Standards Development Vice President Jerry Whitaker. Capitol Broadcasting’s Sam Matheny will provide an overview of ATSC 2.0 followed by Triveni Digital’s Rich Chernock, who will explain the emerging NRT (non-real-time) standard. NAB’s Skip Pizzi will put ATSC 2.0 into context with other standards efforts like mobile DTV and 3D transmission, while Harmonic’s Pat Waddell will highlight what’s possible and what’s practical in advanced video coding. Dolby’s Oren Williams will discuss capabilities and features of advanced audio coding and describe key elements of ATSC 2.0 and what broadcasters can expect going forward. Finally, industry guru Mark Schubin will present a broadcast history lesson.

Registration for the conference, which runs during the week of Feb. 13, is now open atwww.HPAonline.com. The four-hour seminar outlines work underway on the key aspects of ATSC 2.0, including non-real-time capability, Internet-enabled services, 3D and more.

See the original press release here: http://www.tvtechnology.com/article/atsc-to-stress–at-hpa-retreat/211602

[New Scientist]

…

Place the earphone on the right and the sensor points to the back of your head, detecting the ear behind it, while swapping to the left ear means the sensor points in front of you into the open air. A small embedded audio circuit swaps channels when the sensor detects a mismatch.

These new earphones also solve another common listening problem - sharing your ‘phones with a friend, which – as anyone who has listened to just one half of a Beatles song (or any other track with hard audio panning) knows – isn’t the most satisfying musical experience.

When worn by a single user the Universal Earphones run a weak electrical current from one side to the other, but this connection is broken if the earphones are shared between two users, causing each speaker to play both left and right channels through at once.

The researchers will present their work at Intelligent User Interface conference in Lisbon, Portugal later this month, but they also have further plans for improving ordinary earphones, including skin conductance sensors that detect whether the earphones are actually in your ear, which would let them automatically pause or resume your music on removal or insertion.

Read the full story here: http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/onepercent/2012/02/universal-earphones-solve-your.html