Xpand Aim to Bring Universal 3D TV Glasses To The Market

xpand x103 3d glasses

While 3D TV is certainly the technology of the future there are increasing concerns that the adoption rates of 3D television could be slowed because 3D TV set makers are releasing their sets to only work with their own 3D glasses. This means that Panasonic, Samsung and Sony 3DTV sets will each have their own set of glasses that need to be purchased.

With the typical cost of 3D glasses running to around $150, the price is likely to deter people who want to invite their friends around. Fortunately, a company called Xpand are planning on releasing “universal 3D glasses”. These glasses would be compatible with any machine and would mean that 3D events could be watched on the set of any 3D TV manufacturer.

Xpand’s Chief Strategy Officer Ami Dror said his company is working on universal active shutter glasses that will be able to be used with to almost every TV on the market.

The next set of glasses Xpand plan to release are called the X103 series. The X103 series will be universal active shutter glasses. The glasses will be able to read signals from all the major 3D TV set manufacturers, including, Sony, Samsung, LG and Panasonic.

The new X103 series 3D glasses are due to hit the stores in June and will cost around $125 to $150 Xpand describes the technology behind the X103 glasses as follows:

Stereoscopic 3D works by separating images into right- and left-eye versions. The right- and left-eye images are shown on a 3D enabled screen separately, one eye at a time. The X103 works with time sequential methods and uses Pi-Cell lenses that blocks each eye very rapidly, alternating left and right in sync with the image being shown on the 3D ready screen, which creates the 3D image in your brain.

The X103 glasses will last for around 250 hours of active 3D use. They also have rechargeable and replaceable batteries. To help conserve battery power, the glasses have an Auto On/Off feature.

Dror expects the innovation to cause 3D TV manufacturers to adopt more open 3D standards so that consumers will be able to use their 3D glasses on a variety of different 3DTV sets.