In 2009, Avatar was released and made nearly three billion dollars in cinemas worldwide, becoming the highest grossing movie of all time. Why was Avatar so successful? The answer is obvious to anyone who saw the movie - the immersive 3D effects. The success of Avatar proved one thing if nothing else; 3D movies are the way of the future. But how does this technology work?

The basis of 3D display is actually heavily dependent on physics, such as the phenomenon of stereopsis and the wave nature of light. This website explores how simple physical principles are used to trick the brain into false depth perception and see a 3D image on the screen.

Follow the arrows at the bottom of the page to follow our tour of how 3D display works, or use the sidebar to the left to jump around to the different sections. At the end, be sure to see our quizzes to test your knowledge.

3D Television Technology