The International 3D Society and 3D@Home today released their forecast and trends summary for key segments of the worldwide 3D industry, including: new theater creation, releases and infrastructure; 3DTV adoption, programming, packaged media, and advertising; 3D in education, on mobile devices and the plethora of professional applications. “For a young digital technology and art form, 3D has captured significant revenue and the 3D worldwide infrastructure is steadily building,” states Jim Chabin, President of the organization.

The Society forecasts that more than 40 3D features will be released in 2013. “Movie fans are already very excited about ‘The Hobbit,’ ‘The Great Gatsby,’ and ‘Jurassic Park,’” added Chabin. “8 of the top 10 box office movies of all time have been either released in 3D, or re-released in 3D. With an estimated 35,000+ 3D screens worldwide, we now have the infrastructure to show those movies to fans everywhere. Consumer enthusiasm for 3D in China, Russia, and Latin America bodes well for the industry’s future growth.”

The Society also anticipates rapid growth rates in 3DTV based on figures from several market tracking organizations. The Consumer Electronics Association projects 2012 US unit sales of 5.5 million 3DTV’s — more than double 2011 sales of 2.7 million units. The CEA data also predicts 8.7 million 3DTV’s will be sold in 2013 in the U.S. “We can anticipate a cumulative total of over 60 million in the US by 2016,” added Chabin. NPD Group forecasts more than 200 million units in the worldwide marketplace by 2019. “4K” and “SMART” TVs are both technologies that will further enable a great 3D experience for consumers.

Market watchers agree that whether on the large screen or the small, high quality 3D content is key to 3D’s market penetration. Directors including: Baz Luhrman, Peter Jackson, Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Ang Lee, Martin Scorsese, George Lucas, and others have all brought their mark to the 3D art form. “This is a brilliant list of Hollywood’s finest creative geniuses. And this list will only grow longer in 2013 and beyond,” added Chabin.

“With 40 networks now programming 3D content worldwide, and 10 planned in China alone, we are actively producing more and more 3D programming for the viewer. Consumers can expect — and should insist — that their next television have 3D capability so they can enjoy this programming,” Chabin advised. “In the years ahead, the coming 4K 3DTV screens will provide even brighter, better, and more exciting 3D viewing experiences. Viewers tell us they love what they see, and they want more.”

In the US, consumers can view 3D programming at home from a variety of sources. Two-year-old, 3net — a joint venture of Discovery, Sony and IMAX — has assembled the largest made-for-TV library of native original 3D programming in the world, and airs 24-hours a day. ESPN 3D — also a 24-hour network – is airing live college football games every Saturday this Fall, and will broadcast the BCS College Championship game in January. ESPN’s lineup also includes: college basketball games, the ACC tournament, the Winter X Games from Aspen Colorado, and the Summer X Games from Los Angeles. Past 3D telecasts have included: the World Cup, Wimbledon, the Masters golf tour, and the NBA finals. 3D Society survey conducted by Seidmon & Associates of New York, indicates strong consumer appetites for 3D content in the form of movies, sports, nature, travel, and video games.

“This year we saw the historic first broadcast of the Summer Olympics from London, in 3D,” said Chabin. “3D-viewers were able to immerse themselves in the action much more because of the “front-row” seat that 3D viewing provides. Anticipation is high for the next 3D broadcast of the Olympics, the 2014 Winter Games.”
3D video on demand and 3D cable services are available from Comcast, Time Warner, DirecTV, Verizon Fios, Bright House, CableVision, Google Fiber, and others. Advertisers have created 3D commercials for General Motors (GM), AT&T;, BMW, Coca-Cola, Sony, Mars, Best Buy, motion picture studios, and others. Even the adult entertainment industry provides a variety of content on 3D Blu-Ray and online.

More than 200 3D Blu-Ray® disc titles are now available in 3D. “Large screen 3DTV’s offer movie fans the chance to see theatre-quality clarity and brightness at home,” said Chabin. “Blockbuster movies and educational documentaries are going to increasingly be made available on Blu-Ray. In addition, laptops, handheld devices, game consoles, and streaming services will make 3D content more available to consumers everywhere. More than 5 million Nintendo 3DS game devices have been sold in the US alone, as of July 2012. YouTube3D™ now offers 20,000+ 3D videos available to fans everywhere, any time. Even NASA’s Mars Rover ‘Curiosity’ carries two 3D cameras, which allows us all to see and learn more about the surface of Mars in 3D from home.”

In schools, 3D educational materials and classroom projectors are providing students with a better understanding of subjects, including: math, biology, chemistry and geography. Students show better retention of learning materials and better test scores as a result. According to the American Optometric Association, 3D can be a valuable tool in diagnosing and correcting Amblyopia (lazy eye) and other optometric issues.

2012 also saw the premiere of ‘Transformers 3D,’ the new 3D ride at Universal Studios, Hollywood. ‘Transformers 3D’ joins the park’s other major attraction, ‘King Kong 3D’ in creating record-breaking lines of enthusiastic fans who’ve come to see 2 iconic movies come to life.

“Disruptive new technologies can take time to work their way into our lives. The digital revolution is never unanimous. But, in a very short period of time, 3D screens are populating a vast array of devices which will bring the world and everything in it up-close-and-personal to the viewer,” said Ray Zone, Society Historian and author of ‘3D Revolution.’ From medicine, to the military, to education, to entertainment, 3D is an established and growing new medium.

“In the workplace, 3D is becoming a vital tool. For entertainment fans, it’s seen as very cool. That’s a winning combination in any marketplace, and as an industry, we have just begun,” concluded Chabin.

3D@HOME CONSORTIUM AND INTERNATIONAL 3D SOCIETY MERGE TO FORM WORLD’ S LARGEST 3D ORGANIZATION

August 16, 2012 (Hollywood and San Jose, CA) – To better serve the growing global theatrical, television, video game, and mobile 3D marketplace and professional community, the International 3D Society (I3DS) and the 3D@Home Consortium today announced plans to merge operations and activities. With members in 20 countries and chapters in China, Japan, Korea, Europe, the UK and North America, the new organization will be known as the International 3D Society & 3D@Home.

The Merger was ratified by both organizations’ leadership and is effective immediately.

“This newly formed organization will serve to spearhead the growth and expansion of the 3D entertainment industry across the entire ecosystem – from content conception and development to consumer education and adoption,” said Tom Cosgrove, Co-Chair of I3DS & 3D@Home and President and CEO of 3net. “Across all platforms where 3D is expanding, everywhere consumers are consuming 3D content, and in any way the 3D format is being utilized, our organization is there to support our members and advance the growth of this prolific medium.”

“3D entertainment in the home has become an affordable proposition, with entry-level sets falling below $1000. Consumers today also enjoy increasing content options such as 3D video on Blu-ray or via a streaming channel, broadcast programs such as sports, or even make their own 3D content,” said Dan Schinasi, Co-Chair of I3DS &3D@Home and Senior TV Planner at Samsung Electronics. “For the past few years, our groups have each been laying a strong foundation for 3D display, delivery, and creation. We believe now is the time to focus on ensuring consumers feel comfortable with 3D.”

“From supporting content creators to educating consumers, our two groups have distinguished themselves in providing neutral, non-branded information to important communities,” said Jim Mainard, Past-Chair of I3DS and Head of Digital Strategy at Dreamworks Animation (DWA). “Their combined power and scope will maximize our ability to steadily grow 3D across countless media platforms in education, industrial applications, home photography, as well as the entertainment industry.”

The combined organization staff will be led by I3DS President, Jim Chabin. “In no other field are creative artists and technology professionals so dependent on partnership and mutual support,” he said. “This new group connects professionals and markets from Hollywood to Silicon Valley, to Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, London, Brussels, and 20 other countries. This is 3D’s leadership and voice coming together to fuel the growing 3D revolution.”

Heidi Hoffman, Managing Director of 3D@Home added, “The tools, services, and displays in our electronics eco-system are rapidly adapting to delivering great 3D experiences that are more life-like, more informational, and provide better learning experiences than the traditional 2D we have all become accustomed to. The combined organization has the tools and support to pave a smoother path for the journey to the goals of our 3D future.”

The new organization will include a powerful group of members with more than 60 companies and 500 professionals. Companies include The Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, DreamWorks Animation (DWA), Sony Pictures Entertainment, Pixar, ESPN, BSkyB, Panasonic, XpanD 3D, Dolby Laboratories,
3ality Technica, Master image 3D, RealD, IMAX, StereoD, National Geographic Cinema Ventures, CCTV China, Korea Telecomm, Intel, THX, Microsoft, Technicolor, Samsung, Sony Electronics, MobiTV, BluFocus, Walt Disney Studios, Eutelsat, Turner Broadcasting, Vizio and others.

About the International 3D Society & 3D@Home Consortium

The International 3D Society & 3D@Home Consortium advances 3D content, products, and adoption through recognition, networking, communication for professionals and consumers. With over 60 companies and 500 professional members, the organization honors the year’s best during its 3D Technology and 3D Creative Awards programs; hosts worldwide meetings, workshops, and demonstrations; and manages many online resources to assist consumers and professionals to further understand and integrate 3D into their lives. Visit: www.International3DSociety.com, www.3DatHome.org, and 3DUniversity.net to explore the full range of 3D information available.

Clinical Symposium on 3D Vision and Health

more from 3D Vision & Eye Health

Organizations Will Share Scientific, Clinical Research for Better Understanding of 3D/S3D Viewing and Promotion of Vision Health

The American Optometric Association (AOA) and its 36,000 members today announced its partnership with the 3D@Home Consortium, a group of more than 45 companies, to improve the understanding of 3D/s3D viewing as a safe and appropriate technology for all viewing audiences. The parties signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) today, stating their intent to share data and jointly promote vision health utilizing stereoscopic 3D displays.

The cooperative relationship will be a conduit for the exchange of the most current information and research. Both the AOA and the 3D@Home Consortium acknowledge that vision and eye health may enhance consumers’ abilities to view 3D/S3D images, and ultimately increase their use of such technology. The two groups will collaborate in the development of common interest strategies, exchange of ideas, and shared best practices.

With the range of new 3D products now available for home use, the quality of viewing is not based solely on image-related aspects but is also tied explicitly to human vision development and the human perceptual experience. Potential projects covered by the MOU include 1) enhanced public and professional communication; 2) development and design of 3D/S3D based vision risk assessment tools; 3) development and design of applied therapies; 4) providing new integrated efforts for quality improvement and evaluation, and 5) improved public health and vision and eye health.

“AOA, representing America’s family eye doctors, will be of great assistance to the 3D@Home Consortium in broadening their understanding of the human visual system,” said Dori Carlson, OD, President-Elect of the AOA. “We also know that 3D viewing may help discover subtle vision disorders in both children and adults, that, left uncorrected, interfere with the 3D viewing experience, and even result in the ‘3Ds of 3D viewing’—discomfort, dizziness, or lack of depth.”

The 3D@Home Consortium, working to accelerate the adoption of 3D/S3D in the home, provides a coordinated industry voice in 3D technology to both professionals and consumers. “By working together, the 3D@Home Consortium and the AOA can leverage the rich diversity of our organizations’ membership in conducting the critical research on stereographic imagery and its impact on the human visual system. This information is a needed component for the applications of 3D in entertainment as well as commercial, industrial, and education. Even more important is how we explore various ways this same research and technology can detect and help treat vision problems undetected in the past,” said Rick Dean, Chairman of the 3D@Home Consortium.

Both groups will be encouraging their constituents to incorporate the use of stereoscopic testing and educational materials in their products, helping the public build an appreciation for the importance of optometry-delivered vision and eye health care, as well as the importance of yearly comprehensive eye exams.

Team will be led by 3D experts from Intel and BluFocus

San Jose, Calif., June 21, 2010 – The 3D@Home Consortium, dedicated to accelerating the adoption of quality 3D into homes worldwide by providing accurate and non-branded information on emerging 3D technology and the marketplace, today announced the formation of a new steering team to assist 3D stakeholders in understanding the impact of viewing digitally-created stereoscopic and auto-stereoscopic images on the human physiology. The team will be chaired by Philip Corriveau, Principal Engineer and Director of the User Experience Research Group at Intel Corp. and vice-chaired by Paulette Pantoja, CEO of BluFocus, both active members of the 3D@Home Consortium.

Researchers from around the world have long been studying the human response to 3D, but have lacked an ongoing, organized method to share results, communicate, and compare findings with the technology community. 3D@Home’s membership of 40+ companies worldwide, with products across the 3D eco-system can provide the community-wide forum necessary to support the new team. Additionally, in its first two years of operation, 3D@Home has established relationships with many organizations involved in 3D, including the 3DFIC in Korea, the 3DConsortium of Japan,C3D of China, and 3DIDA of Taiwan. These relationships will be leveraged to ensure that the human factors activity covers the globe.

Philip Corriveau of Intel commented “Many industry and academic groups, governing bodies and vision experts from around the world have been addressing stereoscopic effects for many years. Creating a repository of information and then identifying, defining and driving key areas for additional research will ensure that the science impacts and advances 3D technology development. The key to successful adoption of 3D is the creation of a technology and delivery system that embraces and immerses the user in an experience that is realistic and exciting”

“For the past year, the team at BluFocus has been developing criteria for evaluation of 3D content,” noted Paulette Pantoja, the team’s vice-chair. “Having a place to combine that information with the scientific and not-so-scientific research on 3D will get the entire industry closer to understanding the ranges of comfort for viewers of 3D content

“It’s vital to form the steering team during this time of rapid 3D development,” added Heidi Hoffman, managing director of the consortium. “As more 3D content is created and viewed, information on consumers’ 3D viewing experiences should be widely shared among the technical community. 3D@Home has the infrastructure and relationships in place to make this first task a success.”

About 3D@Home Consortium

Comprised of more than 40 companies representing the entire 3D development channel from North America, Asia and Europe, the consortium is working to accelerate the adoption of quality 3D technology in the home by enabling an entire “system” of products that will broadcast, play, and display 3D content. More information is available at www.3DatHome.org.