Sharp unveils 3D
camera module
By Tallulah Habib
It seems that soon you will be able to point and click your way to your own Avatar movie.

Sharp is releasing a 3D camera module for mobile devices such as cellphones, capable of capturing high-definition 3D video images.

The difference between a 3D camera and a traditional 2D one is that 3D relies on two separate images – one for each eye. While it is possible to convert 2D video to 3D after the fact (e.g. Alice in Wonderland), the view from each eye is slightly different and a 3D camera can adjust colour and positioning accordingly (e.g. Avatar). A 3D camera, therefore, needs peripheral circuitry which has up until now been expensive and cumbersome.

Sharp's design makes use of “high-density mounting technology” that makes the camera module more compact and “Fast Readout Technology” to record in HD.

The company will start shipping samples in July and mass production of the modules is set to begin later in the year.