Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Glasses-free 3-D TV looks nearer


A new method for producing multiple-perspective 3-D images could prove more practical in the short term than holography.


As striking as it is, the illusion of depth now routinely offered by 3-D movies is a paltry facsimile of a true three-dimensional visual experience. In the real world, as you move around an object, your perspective on it changes. But in a movie theater showing a 3-D movie, everyone in the audience has the same, fixed perspective — and has to wear cumbersome glasses, to boot.

Despite impressive recent advances, holographic television, which would present images that vary with varying perspectives, probably remains some distance in the future. But in a new paper featured as a research highlight at this summer’s Siggraph computer-graphics conference, the MIT Media Lab’s Camera Culture group offers a new approach to multiple-perspective, glasses-free 3-D that could prove much more practical in the short term.

Instead of the complex hardware required to produce holograms, the Media Lab system uses several layers of liquid-crystal displays (LCDs), the technology currently found in most flat-panel TVs. To produce a convincing 3-D illusion, the displays would need to refresh at a rate of about 360 times a second, or 360 hertz. Such displays may not be far off: LCD TVs that boast 240-hertz refresh rates have already appeared on the market, just a few years after 120-hertz TVs made their debut.

“Holography works, it’s beautiful, nothing can touch its quality,” says Douglas Lanman, a postdoc at the Media Lab and one of the new paper’s co-authors. “The problem, of course, is that holograms don’t move. To make them move, you need to create a hologram in real time, and to do that, you need … little tiny pixels, smaller than anything we can build at large volume at low cost. So the question is, what do we have now? We have LCDs. They’re incredibly mature, and they’re cheap.”

Layers of research

The Nintendo 3DS — a portable, glasses-free 3-D gaming device introduced last year — uses two layered LCD screens to produce the illusion of depth, with the bottom screen simply displaying alternating dark and light bands. Two slightly offset images, which represent the different perspectives of the viewer’s two eyes, are sliced up and interleaved on the top screen. The dark bands on the bottom screen block the light coming from the display’s backlight in such a way that each eye sees only the image intended for it.

This technique is in fact more than a century old and produces a stereoscopic image, the type of single-perspective illusion familiar from 3-D movies. The bottom screen displays the same pattern of light and dark bands no matter the image on the top screen. But Lanman, graduate student Matthew Hirsch and professor Ramesh Raskar, who leads the Camera Culture group, reasoned that by tailoring the patterns displayed on the top and bottom screens to each other, they could filter the light emitted by the display in more sophisticated ways, creating an image that would change with varying perspectives. In a project they dubbed HR3D, they developed algorithms for generating the top and bottom patterns as well as a prototype display, which they presented at Siggraph Asia in 2010.

The problem is that, whereas a stereoscopic system such as a 3-D movie projector or the 3DS needs to display only two perspectives on a visual scene — one for each eye — the system the Media Lab researchers envisioned had to display hundreds of perspectives in order to accommodate a moving viewer. That was too much information to display at once, so for every frame of 3-D video, the HR3D screen in fact flickered 10 times, displaying slightly different patterns each time. With this approach, however, producing a convincing 3-D illusion would require displays with a 1,000-hertz refresh rate.

To get the refresh rate down to 360 hertz, the researchers added another LCD screen, which displays yet another pattern. That makes the problem of calculating the patterns exponentially more complex, however. In solving that problem, Raskar, Lanman and Hirsch were joined by Gordon Wetzstein, a new postdoc in the Camera Culture group.

CT in reverse

As it turns out, the math is similar to that behind computed tomography, or CT, an X-ray technique used to produce three-dimensional images of internal organs. In a CT scan, a sensor makes a slow circle around the subject, making a series of measurements of X-rays passing through the subject’s body. Each measurement captures information about the composition of tissues at different distances from the sensor; finally, all the information is stitched together into a composite 3-D image.

“The way I like to think about it is, we’re building a patient whose CT scan is the view,” Lanman says.

At Siggraph, the Media Lab researchers will demonstrate a prototype display that uses three LCD panels. They’ve also developed another prototype that uses only two panels, but between the panels they introduce a sheet of lenses that refract light left and right. The lenses were actually developed for stereoscopic display systems; an LCD panel beneath the lenses alternately displays one image intended for the left eye, which is diffracted to the left, and another for the right eye, which is diffracted to the right. The MIT display also takes advantage of the ability to project different patterns in different directions, but the chief purpose of the lenses is to widen the viewing angle of the display. With the three-panel version, the 3-D illusion is consistent within a viewing angle of 20 degrees, but with the refractive-lens version, the viewing angle expands to 50 degrees.
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Written by Larry Hardesty, MIT News Office

Vue Entertainment Announces Public Takeover of CinemaxX AG


·        Important strategic move to create new leading Pan-European multiplex cinema operator
·        Offer price of EUR 6.45 per share in cash
·        Premium of 45 percent on the closing share price of CinemaxX AG on July 9, 2012
·        Offer supported by Dr. Herbert Kloiber, majority shareholder of CinemaxX AG – Vue Entertainment has committed to acquiring his shares in the takeover offer.


Vue Entertainment, the world-class developer and operator of multiplex cinemas based in the UK and Ireland, today announced its intention to launch a voluntary public takeover offer for all outstanding shares of CinemaxX AG. By combining two major cinema operators Vue will make the important strategic move to create a new Pan-European cinema group covering the UK, Ireland, Germany, Denmark and Portugal. The combined group will operate 119 state-of-the-art multiplex cinemas with close to 1,100 screens, over 230,000 seats, over 5,100 employees and over 55 million attendances per annum.


Vue Entertainment will offer all shareholders of CinemaxX AG EUR 6.45 per share in cash. The offer price represents a premium of 45 percent on the CinemaxX closing share price on July 9, 2012 and of 56 percent on the share’s weighted average trading price over the last three months (Frankfurt). The offer is supported by Dr. Herbert Kloiber, the majority shareholder of CinemaxX AG who owns 84.6 percent of its shares. Vue Entertainment and Dr. Kloiber respectively Dr. Kloiber Vermögensverwaltungs-gesellschaft mbH & Co. Beteiligungs KG have signed a Share Purchase Agreement. In this Agreement, Vue Entertainment has committed to acquiring in the takeover offer the 22,806,450 shares of Dr. Kloiber respectively Dr. Kloiber Vermögensverwaltungs-gesellschaft mbH & Co. Beteiligungs KG. The offer is contingent upon merger control clearance in Germany. Vue Entertainment aims to close the transaction in the third or fourth quarter of 2012.
Tim Richards, CEO of Vue Entertainment said: “We are really excited about this important strategic move into Europe for the company. CinemaxX is a great circuit with superb modern multiplex cinemas offering fantastic infrastructure including 100 percent stadium seating, digital projection and 3D. It will be a perfect complement to our existing cinemas and brand.”


“Moving into continental Europe has been part of our strategic plan since Vue was launched in 2003 and we firmly believe that the new group will drive increased cinema going by offering a best in class superior cinema going experience. We have a market leading team of highly experienced Executives, many of whom have been with the company from the very beginning.”


Dr. Herbert Kloiber, majority shareholder of CinemaxX AG, stated: “The stake in CinemaxX, which I bought eight years ago, was always run as a separate investment from Tele München Group by me. I am grateful to Christian Gisy and his colleagues for their contribution to develop CinemaxX. In just about five turbulent years, they transformed CinemaxX into a very profitable and debt-free company. Today, CinemaxX is well positioned to pursue an expansion course. Vue Entertainment, as one of the most successful European cinema operators, will enter the German and Scandinavian market and contribute its longstanding expertise as well as continue the dynamic development already initiated.”


Following the recently announced acquisition of the Apollo UK circuit in May 2012, Vue Entertainment has 85 cinemas across the UK, Ireland, Portugal and Taiwan. It has close to 800 screens and over 156,000 super comfortable standard and luxury VIP seats. Over 95 percent of the auditoria have full stadium seating providing uninterrupted views of the large floor to ceiling screens. By late summer 2012, the company will have completed its rollout of the market leading Sony 4K digital projectors providing the very best picture quality available. The circuit also has a significant number of Real D 3D enabled screens and a growing number of large format super sized sound and vision auditoriums called VueXtreme. In 2011, the company generated revenues of GBP 300 million. Vue had approximately 3,300 employees at the end of financial year 2011.


Vue’s new cinema build programme has led the way in the UK over the past 10 years with a total of 22 cinemas opened, the most recent being Vue Westfield London (February 2010) and Vue Westfield Stratford City (September 2011), which are now the first and third highest grossing cinemas in the country. The company will also be opening in Halifax (UK) in October 2012 and will have at least another 4 new cinemas on site in 2013 with more in the pipeline for 2014 and beyond.


CinemaxX is a major German operator of state-of-the-art multiplex cinemas. Its circuit consists of 34 cinemas with over 290 screens and approximately 75,000 seats. The company operates 31 cinemas in Germany and 3 in Denmark and served 16.3 million customers in 2011. Founded in 1977, the company is recognized as one of the pioneers of multiplex cinemas in Germany and as an innovator in introducing new technologies. In 2011, CinemaxX generated revenues of EUR 199.4 million and an EBITDA of EUR 41.2 million. The company has more than 1,800 employees.


Berenberg Bank and Pall Mall Capital are acting as financial advisors to Vue Entertainment.

COSTUMES FROM THE DARK KNIGHT RISES COME TO HMV



 To celebrate the 20th July 2012 release of Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ The Dark Knight Rises, the third film in Christopher Nolan’s epic Dark Knight trilogy, the film’s costumes have gone on display at HMV’s 150 Oxford Street flagship store from Mon 9th July – Sun 15th July. 

Experience the world of Gotham City by seeing firsthand the authentic film costumes of Batman and Bane, from the production of the highly anticipated ACTION DRAMA. The authentic costumes, which are exhibited on life-size mannequins both measuring over 6ft, feature Batman's famous headwear, body armour and cape as well as Bane's unique face mask.

Warner Bros. Pictures’ and Legendary Pictures’ The Dark Knight Rises is the epic conclusion to filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy.

Leading an all-star international cast, Oscar® winner Christian Bale (The Fighter) again plays the dual role of Bruce Wayne/Batman. The film also stars Anne Hathaway, as Selina Kyle; Tom Hardy, as Bane; Oscar® winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose), as Miranda Tate; and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, as John Blake.

Returning to the main cast, Oscar® winner Michael Caine (The Cider House Rules) plays Alfred; Gary Oldman is Commissioner Gordon; and Oscar® winner Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby) reprises the role of Lucius Fox.

The screenplay is written by Christopher Nolan and Jonathan Nolan, story by Christopher Nolan & David S. Goyer.  The film is produced by Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan and Charles Roven, who previously teamed on Batman Begins and the record-breaking blockbuster The Dark Knight.  The executive producers are Benjamin Melniker, Michael E. Uslan, Kevin De La Noy and Thomas Tull, with Jordan Goldberg serving as co-producer. The film is based upon characters appearing in comic books published by DC Comics.  Batman was created by Bob Kane.

Behind the scenes, The Dark Knight Rises reunites the director with several of his longtime collaborators, all of whom worked together on The Dark Knight.  The creative team includes director of photography Wally Pfister, who recently won an Oscar® for his work on Nolan’s Inception; production designer Nathan Crowley; editor Lee Smith; and Oscar®-winning costume designer Lindy Hemming (Topsy-Turvy).  In addition, Paul Franklin and Chris Corbould, who both won Oscars® for the effects in Inception, supervised the visual and special effects, respectively.  The music is composed by Oscar® winner Hans Zimmer (The Lion King).

In helming the film, Christopher Nolan is utilizing IMAX® cameras even more extensively than he did on The Dark Knight, which had marked the first time ever that a major feature film was partially shot with IMAX cameras. 

The locations span three continents and include the American cities of Pittsburgh, New York and Los Angeles, as well as sites in India, England and Scotland.

The Dark Knight Rises is a presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures, in association with Legendary Pictures.  Slated for release beginning July 20, 2012, the film will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. www.the-dark-knight-rises.co.uk

Prize Island uncovered by ITV1



ITV has commissioned a brand new entertainment format for 2013, from Initial, an Endemol company.
 Hosted by Alexander Armstrong and Emma Willis, Prize Island is a visually spectacular, action-filled game show set on a tropical Island, where pairs of contestants compete to uncover and win incredible prizes, which are literally scattered through the sand dunes, coconut palm trees and sweeping grasslands. 

 Each episode begins with four couples arriving on the sandy beach of our desert island paradise. The pairs, who are friends or family, will then have their skills, relationships and resourcefulness put to the test, in a series of thrilling and challenging games, specially built right across the island. 

 Over four tense and exciting rounds the pairs of contestants will venture deep into the mysterious island competing head-to-head, in the knowledge that there are countless prizes to be won, from sensational holidays to top of the range TV systems, but that after each round, one pair will be leaving the show.

 For the remaining contestants, round-by-round, the pile of prizes grows ever bigger as they head towards the nail-biting end game – Buried Treasure – which promises a brand new car, with a whopping £50,000 locked in the boot. Can the contestants work together to solve the clues and uncover Prize Island's ultimate treasure?

 Alexander Armstrong said “Prize Island is the kind of show every presenter dreams of - inventive, clever, funny, absolutely compelling... oh and set on a tropical island in the middle of the ocean. With Prizes! I am so excited about this!"

Emma Willis said “I am beyond excited to be one of the presenters of Prize Island. It promises to be a show like no other where contestants win unbelievable prizes, and get to visit one of the most exotic and beautiful locations on the planet. It’s going to be a show that will transport the viewer to the other side of the world every weekend and I can’t wait to be a part of such an ambitious and unique project for ITV1.”

 Elaine Bedell, ITV Director of Entertainment and Comedy, said  “Prize Island will be fantastic family fun in a stunning, paradise island setting, and promises a lot of laughs and thrills for our viewers, both from the games themselves, and the wittiness of our brilliant hosts Alexander and Emma, who we're really pleased to have on board."

 Nick Samwell-Smith, Creative Director at Initial, said "Prize Island is fabulous and ambitious and we are thrilled to be making it for ITV. The contestants are set for the journey of a lifetime to a tropical paradise that promises spectacular and ingenious games, surprises round every corner and prizes ripe for the picking absolutely everywhere. The entire desert island is our set, from the warm waters of the golden beaches to the towering sand dunes and the mysterious interior and you can win more awesome stuff than you can shake a coconut at."

The series was commissioned for ITV1 by Director of Entertainment and Comedy Elaine Bedell and Kate Maddigan, Commissioning Editor, Entertainment.  It will be made by Initial, an Endemol company and Executive Produced by Andy Rowe. The format was created by Richard Osman, Creative Director Endemol UK.

A Perfect Blend of Form and Function


ego™ & company Inc. Launches the World’s First iPhone® Case with Removable USB Drive 
Design-rich mix & match iPhone® 4/4S cases come with a removable USB drive and feature superior protective and scratch-resistant properties

 
ego™ & company Inc., a premium Apple® accessories designer, is proud to announce its red dot award winning Hybrid Series USB Case is now shipping worldwide. This first-of-its-kind iPhone® 4/4S case comes in seven different colors and can be mix & matched with the six color options of the slide-in USB drive available in 4GB, 8GB or 16GB storage capacities.

This intelligently designed case, the first model in ego’s Hybrid Series, is perfect for on-the-go iPhone® users who want convenient access to their favorite photos, music, videos, documents and more without taking up valuable space on their mobile device.

In addition to the superior protective and scratch resistant qualities of the USB Case, all iPhone ports and controls are easily accessible at all times and the USB drive fits seamlessly into the back of the case.

These iPhone® cases and included USBs are available in Blue (4GB), Pink (4GB), Yellow (8GB), Light Green (8GB), Red (16GB) and Black (16GB). Online buyers can mix & match the colors of the case and USB drive or they can keep the look uniform with one solid color choice -- that’s 42 different possible color combinations. In-store buyers will be able to purchase Grey cases with the option to select the USB drive color.

The 4GB, 8GB and 16GB cases are available now for $34.95, $39.95 and $49.95, respectively, atwww.egoncompany.com

Global Bestseller, Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary



Now Available as a Windows® Phone App. The dictionary You Can Rely on Whenever You Need Help with English, Now Fits in Your Pocket.
Offline Content, Audio Pronunciation, Colour Illustrations and Customizable screen help users communicate confidently in English. Already Available on Android™, iPad® and iPhone®.

Paragon Software Group, a leading multi-platform software developer for mobile devices and desktop computers, and Oxford University Press, the publisher of the world’s most trusted dictionaries and learning materials, bring the groundbreaking Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary 8th edition mobile application to Windows® Phone devices.  Loaded with powerful learning features, the app offers full-sentence pronunciation, thousands of colour illustrations, clear explanations, and help with expanding vocabulary for anyone who needs to communicate in English.

Whether reading in English on the Internet, communicating in a work setting or studying English at school, the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary for Windows® Phone includes the most up-to-date vocabulary such as:

blogosphere n.
cloud computing n.
incentivize vb.
malware n.
staycation n.
tweet vb., n. (new "Twitter" sense)
umami n.

Key features:

•           Listen to real British and American voices pronounce words, with no Internet access required
•           Access spoken sentence audio online, or download all 116,000 example sentences to listen offline (approximately 430MB each for British and American sentences)
•           184,500 words, phrases and meanings explained clearly
•           198,500 example sentences
•           57,000 synonyms, opposites and related words - find words with similar or opposite meanings in the integrated Thesaurus
•           Learn words in their natural context with over 83,000 collocations (words that go together) included
•           Use Full Dictionary Search to find your word in any phrase or example sentence in the dictionary
•           Use the Oxford 3000™ keyword entries to learn the most important words in English
•           Find the Academic Word List words easily – they are all labelled
•           View and enlarge 1,300 illustrations to build your topic vocabulary
•           Study usage notes, verb forms, and word origins
•           All the dictionary text is live -- tap to instantly look up any word
•           Use My View to choose how much information appears on your screen – hide IPA, example sentences, pictures, synonyms, etc. – tap to show the full entry again
•           Bookmark your Favourite entries to easily find them again

Requirements: Windows® Phone 7.5 or higher

AvailabilityOxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary is available for 19.99 GBP (23,49 EUR, 26,99 USD) from the Windows® Phone Marketplace http://Windows® phone.com/s?appId=ad82bdf2-1485-4e24-a355-d0007177e889

Previously released Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary for Android™ is available at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.slovoed.oald, and iPad® and iPhone® at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/oxford-advanced-learnersdictionary/id442911228?mt=8.