The Volume Slicing Display is a device enabling the interactive ex-ploration of volumetric data (e.g. medical images) using a piece of Plexiglass or paper that functions both as a control interface and asa passive, untethered projection screen. With the VSD, radiologists would be able to retrieve a certain amount of three-dimensionality from a flat X-ray plate at any time, by just touching certain portions of the screen, orientating and manipulating it freely above a cali-brated projector. It is interesting to note that such interface could solve another important issue, that of the confidentiality of the patient data, since without the machine the piece of paper will only show an undecipherable 2d-barcode identifying the patient.
This experimental visualization interface may one day enable a team of experts (surgeons, geologists, designers, architects) to ex-plore 3D virtual objects as if these co-exist in the physical space, as well as to explore them interactively a piece of paper or plastic that will function both as a control interface (through the addition of physical widgets) and as a passive, untethered projection screen.
An interesting possibility currently being explored is to make these widgets an integral part of the screen (for instance, bendable corners) or use an erasable marker to directly write commands on the screen.
More information:
Volume Slicing Display – Ishikawa Watanabe Laboratory