Projection technology creates 3D images in water

In contrast to existing technologies for projecting images onto water surfaces, AquaLux 3D makes it possible to create three-dimensional images in water by using multiple layers of precisely controlled water droplets, said Srinivasa Narasimhan, associate professor of robotics.

By combining the droplets with clouds of mist, it would be possible to create 3D effects for theme parks, exhibitions and interactive games that don’t require special eyeglasses to view, added Narasimhan.

‘The beauty of water drops is that they refract most incident light, so they serve as excellent wide-angle lenses that can be among the brightest elements of an environment,’ said Narasimhan, who developed the display with Takeo Kanade, professor of computer science and robotics, and Peter Barnum, a PhD student in robotics. ‘By carefully generating several layers of drops so that no two drops occupy the same line-of-sight from the projector, we can use each drop as a voxel that can be illuminated to create a 3D image.’