A new commercial 3D projection system from Prismatic Magic uses laser light sources to allow precise wavelength multiplexing. German manufacturer Infitec developed the underlying technology.

December 16, 2009 — Prismatic Magic yesterday introduced its “Laser-3D” projector, which claims to be the world’s first 3D-laser projection system. The Texas-based manufacturer develops laser projection technology for both commercial display systems and laser-light shows. Thanks to expertise from German company Infitec, whose technology also supports Dolby’s “3D Digital Cinema” systems, Prismatic Magic has now developed a 3D projection system that uses laser light sources. Infitec’s “wavelength multiplexing” system presents two separate images to the eyes at the same time by slightly offsetting the wavelengths of the primary colours.

The offsets measure just 10–30 nanometres, so the image’s colours will continue to look correct. Prismatic Magic’s president, Christopher Volpe, explained why they chose to use the Infitec approach: “We designed Laser-3D around Infitec’s 3D format because, in comparison to other stereoscopic formats, it clearly results in the most realistic 3D effect. It also is the most versatile.”

The viewer then only needs to wear filter glasses to split the light into images for the left and right eyes — there’s no need for the more expensive “shutter glasses” used in alternating-picture 3D projections. You can read more about the various techniques for projecting 3D images in 3D Technologies for Cinema and TV Explained.

But don’t expect to see 3D laser projection in the home cinema any time soon. Prismatic Magic plans to ship the devices to cinemas and planetariums from early 2010, and you can expect the prices to be appropriately huge.