Japanese based NHK research labs has recently demonstrated what it calls ‘The Virtual Scope’, a display system that creates an enlarged, detailed image from art, aerial photography, figures or tables.
The Virtual Scope system comprises a image surrounded by several ultrasonic sensors, a virtual ‘magnifying glass’ and an HDTV monitor.
When the magnifying glass is placed over the selected portion of the image, an enlargement of that part of the image is then displayed on the HDTV monitor.
According to Takashi Fukaya, a research engineer at the Multimedia Services Division of NHK, the degree of magnification can be adjusted by moving the hand holding the magnifying glass; the farther the magnifying glass is from the image screen, the more reduced the image on the monitor becomes.
The location of the magnifying glass can be detected with high precision regardless of the position of the device, by use of an ultrasonic transmitter on the magnifying glass and the four ultrasonic sensors placed around the display screen.
Based on this position data, the portion under the magnifying glass can be viewed at any desired degree of enlargement or reduction as if a camera were situated at the location.