We should not be surprised that 3D tablets – where you can view your 3D videos sans the glasses – never really caught on with consumers. A mobile device is not really a viable medium for 3D content, and there are bigger and better screens where you can watch all of that. But Israel-based outfit Mantis Vision is giving it another try with its new “Aquila” tablet, making the device a bit more specialized than just a 3D viewing device.
Mantis Vision already has a track record with 3D technology as they contributed their MV4D core 3D engine to Google’s “Project Tango”, a tablet device used for 3D-mapping. The same engine is now in the Aquila tablet, powered by a very capable Qualcomm Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor, and backstopped by 2GB of RAM. The 3D-capable screen is an 8-inch 1920 x 1200 full HD display.
The MV4D sensor for 3D capture is mounted on the back of the tablet via a 13MP camera synced with an infrared camera, an IR projector, and a white LED flash. The way it works is that the image data is captured via the synced cameras while the projector is used to query the environment via a proprietary “Structured Light Pattern”. This data is used to bring the image or video together to create 3D depth.
As of now, only a few reference tablets of the Aquila have been made, but Mantis Vision expects the tablet to be OEM ready by 2015. The development kit is available right now at a costly USD$915, but discounts will be given to academics and researchers who will use the tablet for studies. An application for the development kit program is available via the Mantis Vision website.
VIA: Linux Gizmos