LG shows off glasses-free 3D mobile phone screen

LG is puffing up its chest at CES 2011 by showing off a 3D screen for mobile phones that doesn't need you to wear glasses. The 4.3-inch, 480x800px (WVGA) display is a touchscreen LCD panel solution on top of which sits the clever part that does the autostereoscopic business.

It works using a parallax barrier between in front of it which is a layer with a series of slits in it placed so carefully as to block light in certain directions. The upshot is that only some images will reach one eye while others will reach your other, and that, of course, is how you get 3D to work. In effect, it's very similar to using a lenticular lens to create the effect much in the same way as an old hologram sticker in a cornflakes packet.

It's not the first time the technique has been used nor the debut of 3D on a mobile phone but the fact that LG is showing it off at all must mean the company thinks it's got it right this time. The talk from within is that LG has managed to reduce problems of cross-talk - where information intended for one eye bleeds into the other - by making the parallax barrier divides even straighter, more upright and at precise angles to the LCD back panel.

“LG sees tremendous growth potential in the 3D mobile display market,” said president and CEO of LG Mobile Communications Company Dr. Jong-seok Park.

“With our key understanding of displays, entertainment and mobile technology, LG is looking forward to debuting this exciting new way to watch 3D movies or play games on your mobile phone.”

We'll bring you our thoughts on how it works when we get our hands on.

CES 2011 is now in full-swing, be sure to check out our dedicated CES homepage for all of the news as it breaks, as well as detailed analysis.