FTV (Free viewpoint TV) and Creation of Ray-Based Image Engineering

Abstract

Free viewpoint TV (FTV) enables us to view a distant 3D world by freely changing our viewpoints as if we were there. FTV will bring an epochal change in the history of television since this function has not yet been achieved by conventional TV technology. We propose the concept of FTV and veri¯ed its feasibility using the world's ¯rst real-time system including the complete chain of operation from image capture to display. The international standardization of FTV technologies is now underway. FTV is a ray based system rather than a pixel-based system. We are creating ray-based image engineering through the development of FTV.