You will definitely find many 3D scanners out there, but nothing as sci-fi-looking as this one. The thing pictured above which looks like a time machine from a new Star Trek movie is the OrcaM “reconstruction sphere” which is capable of creating a flawless digital copy of any object that you place within it.

There are seven high-definition cameras inside that big black ball. The object which has to be digitally recreated is kept inside it, and the cams rotate around the object taking high resolution images.

Meanwhile, several combinations of projected light and shadow are made use of for determining the object’s texture, reflectance, and other factors. Capable of capturing color and texture flawlessly, the reconstruction sphere creates a submillimeter accurate 3D model of any object you place into it. The entire thing is fully automatic and no harm comes to the object used.

Such a big thing is certainly not the future of 3D scanning. But its makers are planning to make improvements on it, such as making it portable. Maybe in the future reconstruction spheres will be commonplace. You will be able to visit your nearby store to digitally recreate something that is very valuable to you.

Check out the video to take a peek at what happens inside the ball. It’s really sort of like a disco hall.

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Sure, can talk to your iPhone with Siri. But what if you could wave to it as well?  It appears like you will be able to do just that sometime in the future. From the latest info available via a patent application from Apple, we have got hints of a new 3D GUI for iOS mobile devices.

Just in case you aren’t with Apple’s 3D intentions, they started to explore the world of 3D GUIs back in 2009. It was in 2010 that we saw 3D GUI making its appearance on iOS devices.  Now, they are going even deeper into the tech. Their latest unveiled patent involves controlling a 3D interface using motion-based gestures.

Now, we don’t have say too much about the act of controlling a device using gestures. Microsoft’s Kinect is a very good example and new products have already arrived. But all those are meant to be enjoyed from the comfort of your home in front of a television with a big screen.  Remember that Kinect-like technology we saw 2 CES’s ago? Well, that’s sort of what we’re talking about here.  How would a  3D GUI work you ask? On an iOS device such as the iPhone, which comes with a small screen size, Apple will be making use of proximity sensor arrays. The readings from the sensors are translated into movement on the screen. Your hovering gesture will be detected and the UI will respond to it moving the objects within the 3D GUI.

Do you think that bringing 3D GUI to an iOS device will be a good idea? Or would it just make you look a little crazy?

Despite the name, the WikiPad is not a highly-optimized Wikipedia tablet as the name may lead you to believe, it just has a strange name. Still, what is unique about the WikiPad is that it is the first Android 4.0 ICS tablet to feature glasses-free 3D touch and an interesting gaming dock attachment.

The attachment adds a d-pad, dual analogue stick, 4 face buttons, and built-in speakers. I can already see this bad-boy loaded with classics like GTA 3. Now all I need to do is keep my fingers crossed that more and more big-name studios start bringing top-notch games to Google Market that have tablets in mind.

The idea of 3D gaming on a tablet alone is pretty awesome, unfortunately we don’t yet have any real information on the specs, so its hard to say how ‘up for the job’ its hardware is. What we do know is that it features 1080p high-def 2D/3D playback of multiple formats including H.264, VC1, VOB, ISO, M2TS, and FLV. We also know it has USB 2.0 and mini-HDMI.

As for storage, the WikiTab has a rather tiny amount of space for a tablet that is targeted at gamers: 8GB. Luckily, it does have a micro-SD port that allows you to expand your storage up to 64GB.

The Wikipad will be available spring 2012 for purchase online and through retailers worldwide.

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Move over Nintendo’s 3DS, time to make room for Toshiba’s Qosmio F755. Toshiba’s beastly gaming laptop actually unveiled back in late September, but now the fun is just really getting started thanks to an announcement from Toshiba that its “Otimized for NVIDIA GeForce 3D Support” is ready. So what does this mean for gamers? It means a truly glasses-free gaming laptop starting at $1,499.

So how does this technology work exactly? According to Toshiba:

To achieve a 3D viewpoint without the aid of special glasses, the award-winning Qosmio F755 3D laptop uses auto-stereoscopic display technology. Equipped with a brilliant 15.6-inch diagonal 1080p Full HD TruBrite^® display² with Active Lens technology, the double parallax image display is able to project two sets of images at the same time, splitting them between the left and right eyes to create the 3D effect. Toshiba’s intuitive Face Tracking technology then taps into the laptop’s built-in webcam to further perfect the projection of the image by reacting to the motion and position of the viewer, delivering a broad viewing zone from which to view 3D content. The end result for consumers is the ability to view and enjoy real 3D – no glasses needed.

Which translates to me: “I need a new 3D laptop”. The Qosmio goes way beyond just being 3D by packing a massive 17.3-inch screen, a Core i7 processor, GeForce GT 540M graphics, 8GB of RAM, and a Blu-ray burner for starters.

Although it isn’t exactly ‘cheap’, I really think it’s set at a rather attractive price for so many features. Not to mention it is a very sleek, and sexy machine as well.

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Naturally, a presumed quad-core 1.5 GHz Exynos 4412 application processor for this phone might be a good basis to include 3D visual capabilities for its screen. Real question is, how much traction the idea might gain amongst consumers? Samsung 3D TVs are still looked upon as a niche product, however, maybe a phone with 3D UI capabilities will fare better.

Imagine a carouseling 3D TouchWiz 5.0 UI on such a phone’s home screen, or on apps screen. When the icons and widgets will be rendered really in 3D, it might be actually operated better with hovering swipes than applying the regular touch swipes. That is, if Samsung will embrace Cypress Semiconductor TrueTouch technology for its rumored Super AMOLED Plus HD capacitive screen’s sensor. But just as with those renderings from Russian artists, one of which is shown here, it may never happen.

Samsung Galaxy S III is expected to show at Mobile World Congress (MWC) in February-March 2012.

We are seeing new 3D smartphones, displays, portable game consoles and a variety of Smart TVs that make entertainment all the more immersive. Now, Acer has introduced their new display, the Acer HR274H.

What’s so different about another new display?

The HR274H, which is a 27 inch 1080p 3D display, comes equipped with a chip-based system which converts 2D to 3D and there is no need for any additional hardware or software.

The new system simply pushes the moving objects to the front of the scene while the background will appear as if it’s further away.

As for the other features of the LED-backlit display, it supports a native 1920 x 1080 Full HD resolution, and comes with a 2ms response time (GTG), 250 cd/m2 brightness, and 100,000,000:1 contrast ratio (dynamic).

It measures in at 25.5″ x 18.5″ x 7.6″ and weighs 13.2 lbs. It also features two HDMI ports, a VGA port, integrated speakers, Energy Star Certification, and an angle adjustable stand.

Unfortunately, you won’t be able to enjoy this 3D technology without a pair of glasses. A set of lightweight polarized glasses are included in the package, which differ from the more commonplace battery-based glasses. Both the display and glasses use film-patterned retarder (FPR) technology, which will supposedly enable a flicker-free 3D viewing experience.

The new monitor is now available for US customers at leading retailers and it comes with a price tag of $599.

While the display sounds pretty cool, keep in mind that turning most 2D content into 3D doesn’t necessarily mean that converted images will look any good and so expect mixed results.

They noticed that anamorphosis can be used to project data onto a 3D object, by placing a 3D object on a 2D data, this is how they developed this interactive system. Unlike an ordinary mirror anamorphosis, in this system, you rotate a cylindrical mirror on the iPad so that objects reflected in the mirror also rotate. How does the system work? It is fairly simple. You must have two touch pens in the cylinder. The top surface of the cylinder is an aluminum plate so it can conduct electricity. The touch pens and the aluminum plate are connected by wiring inside, thus the Anamorphicons are shown on the iPad only when you are touching the plate; it is just as if you are touching the iPad with two fingers.

The coordinates of the two points on the bottom of the cylinder are obtained by an application specially made for the iPad. The coordinates of the cylinder and the rotation angle are obtained relative to them, and the content is provided accordingly.

This is very useful looking at objects in an online shopping catalog for example, because you can see the products in a 360 degrees, which is very helpful in buying clothes or other such products.

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There’s no denying that the Nintendo 3DS is one innovative piece of gaming hardware. Glasses-free 3D for the masses? That’s pretty cool. Unfortunately, at $250, it was just too expensive. Nintendo has now recognized that and they’re cutting the MSRP down to a more affordable $169.99. That’s better, but is it good enough?

The new price is set to take effect on August 12, but where does that leave the people who already bought the system? They’ll feel ripped off, right? Maybe not. Nintendo is offering 20 free downloadable games from the Nintendo eShop, so long as they log into the eShop once before midnight eastern time on August 11. That consists of 10 GBA and 10 NES Virtual Console titles. It’s up to you to decide whether those 20 games are worth $80 to you.

I’ve wanted a Nintendo 3DS  since I’ve always been a Nintendo fanboy, but I’m having a harder time justifying the purchase. That said, I spotted the 3DS on sale for $200 in the Best Buy flyer. So, if I pick that up today, I can still get those 20 “free” games for an effective price of $30. I’d want to know what games they were before taking the plunge, though, since the NES and GBA are filled with both gems and bombs.

Do 3D movies hurt your eyes? How about your 3DS’ or 3D smartphone’s screen? If so, you may not be alone. According to a new study in the Journal of Vision, the small screens on mobile devices, as well as stereo-3D, can be very hard on the eyes, causing discomfort, fatigue and headaches.

The reason, they say, is that these screens force the eye to simultaneously focus on the screen while adjusting to the distance of the content.  “The results demonstrated that with devices like mobile phones and desktop displays that are viewed at a short distance, stereo content placed in front of the screen — appearing closer to the viewer and into the space of viewer’s room — was less comfortable than content placed behind the screen,” reads the report. “Conversely, when viewing at a longer distance such as a movie theater screen, stereo content placed behind the screen —appearing as though the viewer is looking through a window scene behind the screen — was less comfortable.”

So what does this mean for all those out there watching Netflix on your Nintento DSs? Not too much as of yet. But more research on the subject may lead to a variety of outcomes – one of which being gadget makers abandoning 3D before it ever reaches the mainstream. But that’s not very likely.

“Discomfort associated with viewing Stereo 3D is a major problem that may limit the use of technology,” says Martin S. Banks, author and professor of optometry and vision science at the University of California. “We hope that our findings will inspire more research in this area.”

The portrait-oriented tablet has stylus support, so you can treat the MeMO 3D like a digital notepad. The tablet also comes with a MeMIC Bluetooth hands-free headset s0 you can make calls from the device. The glasses-free 3D display allows you to watch movies and play games in 3D, but only in landscape mode due to the parallax barrier technology Asus used for the tablet.

The device has a 1.2 MP camera on the front and a 5 MP camera with LED flash on the rear of the tablet. Asus hasn’t revealed pricing or a specific release date for the Eee Pad MeMO 3D, but have suggested it would be released in late 2011. Back in January Asus said the Eee Pad MeMO without 3D would be priced around US$499-$699 at with a June 2011 release. We’ll see how much extra money they pin onto the price with the newly added 3D feature, though with the feature only being available in landscape mode, it better be a minimal price increase.