Process for recording visual scenes for reproduction in stereopsis

A process for recording a visual scene which may be projected onto a receiving surface for visualization in stereopsis by the unaided human eye comprising the steps of:

• (a) simultaneously recording visual image-producing information of right and left views of a common scene from respective right and left laterally spaced view-recording positions located in a common plane at a distance no more than about one inch apart;
• and
• (b) positioning in repeating sequence, for projection onto a receiving surface for visualization, a group of right view image-producing information followed by a group of left view image-producing information, the amount of information in each group being sufficient to maintain a visual image of the right or left view on a receiving surface for a time duration which varies from a minimum to a maximum duration which is generally correspondingly proportional to the distance of the nearest non-moving object of special regard in the scene from said left and right recording positions, and which duration is approximately equal to the visio-psychlogical alternation rate between right and left eye views of the human visual apparatus.

A motion picture filmstrip containing visual scenes thereon which may be projected on a receiving surface for visualization in stereopsis by the unaided human eye, said filmstrip comprising a plurality of alternating film frame groups of one or more sequential right view images followed by one or more sequential left view images of a visual scene, said right and left view images of said visual scene having been recorded by respective right and left camera means having an effective lateral lens base separation of no more than about one inch, the number of frames in each of said frame groups, when projected, creating alternating right and left view images of the visual scene which have a visual duration on a receiving surface which varies from a minimum to a maximum duration which is generally correspondingly proportional to the distance of the nearest non-moving object of special regard in the scene from said camera means, and which is approximately equal to the visio-psychological alternation rate of right and left eye views in the human visual apparatus.

A process for reproducing a visual scene which may be viewed in stereopsis by the unaided human eye comprising the steps of:

• (a) recording a visual scene with a motion picture camera, while
• (b) alternately blocking left and right half portions of the lens system of the camera during recording to prevent light rays from the visual scene from passing through said left and right half portions to alternately record predominant left and right half views of the visual scene at an effective lens base separation of no more than about one inch apart and for a duration which varies from a minimum to a maximum time which is generally correspondingly proportional to the distance of the nearest non-moving object of special regard in the scene from said camera, and which is approximately equal to the visio-psychological suppression rate between right and left eyes of the human visual apparatus, and
• (c) continuously projecting said recorded views onto a receiving surface for viewing by the human eye.

A process for recording a two-dimensional motion picture for subsequent projection for visualization in stereopsis comprising the steps of:

• (a) projecting with a motion picture projector a two-dimensional motion picture scene onto a receiving surface for visualization while recording the scene on the surface with a motion picture camera,
• (b) alternately blocking left and right half portions of the lens system of the projector to project corresponding predominant left and right half views of the visual scene on said receiving surface and the visual duration of each of said projected predominant right and left views having a visual duration which varies between about one-twenty-fourth to one-fourth of a second to obtain a stereoptic visualization of the scene on the surface.