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WIRED

3D Is Back. This Time, You Can Ditch the Glasses

If there's one thing that turns people off from adopting new tech, it's being forced to look silly and feel uncomfortable for extended lengths of time. It was always the Achilles' heel for 3D in the past, and it remains the primary hurdle for VR headsets and goofy-looking smart glasses. But there's a new wave of 3D coming. Laptops, tablets, and even computer monitors have started embracing a new form of 3D technology that solves this problem entirely, without giving up just how compelling 3D can look. I've used the latest iteration of the technology and spoke with the creators—this might finally be the version of 3D that sticks. The Final Frontier I was skeptical when I first saw this next generation of 3D technology. Interest in 3D comes in waves. It led Avatar to become the highest-grossing film of all time. Five years later, it became the butt of a joke. But this new wave of 3D products isn't just a rehash of past failed attempts. There's a new technology bringing this trend to life, and it's what makes this new era of 3D so compelling. The creators of this technology have been watching the momentum build. 'Today, we're at hopefully the inflection point,' says David Fattal, cofounder and chief technology officer of Leia Inc. Founded as a spinoff of HP Labs over a decade ago, the company has been responsible for nearly all of the 3D implementations in gadgets over the last several years. That includes its first project, the failed Red Hydrogen One smartphone in 2018, as well as its own hardware projects like the Lume Pad 2 Android tablet in 2023. [optimized 3D viewing screenshot] When I first saw the Acer SpatialLabs gaming monitors a few years ago (powered by Leia's tech), I knew the glasses-free experience had a certain magic to it. Despite my initial doubts, I was impressed by the strength of the 3D effect and the large 'sweet spot.' Here I am today, with a full-fledged 3D monitor on my desk, the Samsung Odyssey 3D: It finally feels like 3D screens are coming to fruition.