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openKMQ
 

openKMQ / openOverUnder

visits since March 13, 2008

What is openKMQ / openOverUnder ?

openKMQ is the name of an open source / open hardware project to bring affordable and high quality stereoscopic previewing to every 3D/VFX artists and stereo photographers workplace.

The acronym KMQ stands for the surname initials of 3 physics who designed the main component in the 1980's, the prism glasses made out of optics grade PMMA.
These glasses change the viewers sight of view : The right eye looks slightly up, the left slightly below the normal eye line.

Stereoscopic viewing is achieved by placing a landscape image pair (left/right) bottom/top at a matching distance to the glasses.
Because of this over/under type layout, this method is also referred to as OverUnder stereo viewing.
For a paper print of letter/A4 size, the viewing distance is approximately 50cm. Smaller image pairs have a shorter distance, stereo images of poster size need a larger distance.

There are two drawbacks with this method :

  1. There is a small amount of colour fringes because of the prism effect.
  2. With the traditional approach with printed image pairs, the viewer has to search and keep the exact distance from the image pair.

So - what's new about openKMQ ?

With modern technologies we can overcome the second drawback mentioned above. Instead of the viewer adopting the viewing distance, a PC can dynamically adopt the image pair size and spacing to fit the viewers eye position.
But even without this headtracking feature, this method provides a fast setup and affordable high quality stereo viewing on standard LCDs.

Hardware

KMQ SSG1b enlarge

Glasses only

To achieve the stereo effect, you simply need the KMQ prism glasses and to place a stereo image pair in over/under layout.
This is the minimum effort needed. And it's great to send with your presentations. Imagine your clients waving their hands and trying to reach the interior designs you show them on posters or a KMQ style printed flipbook in photo quality.

order

openKMQKit1
enlarge

Kit 1

If you need the prism glasses more frequently, I recommend to fit them to a frame to wear them.

With this you can comfortably ...

  • view books
  • view prints
  • view over/under image pairs on any monitor (manually keeping distance)

download laser cutting files (for instructions see hidden comment layer in SVG file)
order DIY kit

The KMQ-Book is NOT included!
              click image to see details
openKMQKit2
enlarge

Kit 2 (usefull for programmers and Free-Track gamers)

The ultimate solution is using a software with the interactive KMQ layout.

This needs headtracking to get the distance between LCD and the viewers eyes. We currently work on using the 4-point IR-tracking feature of the hacked Wii-Remote in/on a special mount to fit to your LCD(s) and adding retroreflective tracking markers to the KMQ glasses fixture.

download laser cutting files (for instructions see hidden comment layer in SVG file)
order DIY kit

This kit does NOT include either IR-LEDs nor Wii-Remote!
                                          click image to see details
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Where to get all of this ?

The only parts that are available commercially are the Wii-Remote from Nintendo and the bare KMQ prism glasses, but we will have a Do-it-yourself-guide for all of the above. For the parts that need laser cutting (PET plastics) or that are only available as rolls (200Euro each for 3M Scotchlite™ tape), we've set up a pre-cut-kit service for Germany and we encourage companies or individuals to step in and provide similar services in their countries to lower shipping costs for their community.

List of pre-cut-kit providers (as of January 2009) :
Germany ,  United Kingdom ,  Sweden (for WiiKit contact Anders Kjellberg) ,  (rest of Europe),
USA(SSG1b only),  (rest of World),  

3D Software

List of software, supporting either fixed or variable distance KMQ viewing.

categorynameinteractive
(Wiimote)		stereo UIplatformdistribution typeuse kitnotes
VideoStereoPlayernonoWin32license details1/2configure over/under
VideoAVID DS v10nonoWin32ask local dealer1/2configure RightEye on top
PaintstereoPAINT-ESPnoyesWin32Shareware1/2configure over/under
PhotoPhotoPerfectnonoWin32Online distribution1/2configure KMQ
PhotoStereoPhotoMakernonoWin32Shareware
(restrictions:
non commercial)		1/2configure Above/Below
Web-ViewerStereoAppletnonoCross/JavaShareware
(restrictions:
non commercial)		1/2configure Above/Below
Web-ViewerStereoscopeAppletnonoCross/JavaShareware
(restrictions:
no adult content/must be public)		1/2configure Above/Below
ViewerGQView3DnonoLinuxOpen Source1/2configure KMQ

If you cannot find your favourite program in the list above, please help us by ...

  1. asking its developer team to intergrate either fixed or head tracked KMQ layout to their product.
  2. trying to set up a simple fixed over/under layout for yourself and then this for others.
  3. spreading the news about openKMQ in your user community.
  4. do some coding (plug-in, add-on, library, ...) or help with translating or enhancing DIY documents.

Source code and samples

We plan to provide several libraries to embed head tracked KMQ viewing into applications. Please us about your needs (i.e. D, .net/mono (cobra,C#), objC, C/C++)

eMail newsletter

To keep informed about new software, upcoming photobook templates and the planned open source stereo web-gallerys you may subscribe or unsubscribe from our english openKMQ mailing list.

Links

Thanks to

Webmaster :

Trademarks:
Scotchlite™ is a registered trademark of 3M Corp.;
Wii™ is a registered trademark of Nintendo Corp.;
PIXEL PARTNER® is a registered trademark of Thomas Kumlehn.