Funnel Vision : low-cost auto-stereoscopic 360-degree display with conical reflection and radial lenticular + contextual artificially intelligent character with procedural animation

Abstract

Every year, we progress towards a new reality where digital content blends seamlessly with our physical world. Augmented reality (AR) headsets and volumetric displays afford us the ability to create worlds that are as rich as the movies we watch and interact with media in ways that contextualize our environments. However, AR headset devices can only be experienced by an individual, and most volumetric displays typically are fragile, expensive and/or have reciprocating components. Funnel Vision aims to bring 3D lightfields to the physical realm using lenticular rendering, conical reflection, and a 4K monitor. The need for inexpensive, reliable 3D, 360-degree display technologies grows as AR applications continue to increase in popularity. In real-time, this system creates an AR experience that can be viewed from any angle with primarily inexpensive, readily-available components. The radial optics partitions views generated real-time in Unity, which are then reflected off a mirrored cone, to produce a volumetric image. Additionally, this system provides affordances not available with existing devices given that it is portable, perspective-occluding, and collaborative. I created a 3D character that animates and responds in real-time based on human interaction and emotional evaluations to highlight the capabilities of this unique display. Ultimately, I hope this thesis will inspire the entertainment and consumer electronics industries to pursue this novel display technology that brings characters to life and showcases effects at the same fidelity as they exist in the digital world..