GB2088109A

GB2088109A - Display Devices

Info

Publication number: GB2088109A
Application number: GB8037515A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Computer & Technical Expo Syst
Current assignee: Computer & Technical Expo Syst
Priority date: 1980-11-22
Filing date: 1980-11-22
Publication date: 1982-06-03
Also published as: GB2088109B

Abstract

A display device comprises a small scale three-dimensional model of a head that is given a semblance of being alive by having projected onto it an image with facial features that move. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Display Devices This invention relates to display devices.

Display devices are known comprising a threedimensional model of a head that is given a semblance of being alive by having projected onto it a cinematographic or video image with facial features that move, usually in co-ordination with adjacently reproduced speech or other sounds.

The prior art has been directed to obtaining improved realism. However, the present inventor realised that for many purposes, e.g. teaching and advertising display, realism was only one facet of the problem, and that the basic desideratum was psychological impact. Whereas the prior art had led to the development and improved realism of full size or even enlarged such heads, the present inventor discovered that such a head of substantially diminished size has a wholly unexpected psychological impact on the viewer.

In an experiment, a full size head and a diminished head were programmed similarly in equivalent conditions in a room of randomly moving people.

The diminished head attracted far more attention than did the full size one. In comparative teaching experiments, respective similar groups of students were shown similar programmes with a full size such head and with a diminished such head. The students viewing the diminished head showed a marked improvement in receptivity and retention of information conveyed by the diminished head, compared with those viewing the full size head.

Diminished heads were used with a linear reduction factor from natural size of 2, 4 and 8 and the impact was found to improve with the size of this factor. It was felt that, for a group of viewers, a reduction of more than eight times linear would unduly limit the size of the group which could see the head, and thus would not be practical.

Thus, according to one aspect of the invention, there is provided a display device comprising a three-dimensional model of a head that is given a semblance of being alive by having projected onto it an image with facial features that move, the head being of substantially diminished size compared with the real head it represents.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a display device comprising a screen in the form of a three-dimensional model of a head and a projector for projecting onto the head an image with facial features that move, to give a semblance of the head being alive, the head being of substantially diminished size compared with the real head it represents.

It is thought that the improved impact is due partly to the emotional impact of seeing an apparently live head of unexpectedly small size and is due partly to improved simulation of life owing to the vastly increased brightness of the image on the head that is made possible when the head is diminished in size. The latter arises for the following reasons. For demonstration and teaching purposes, it is usually necessary to have a closed loop film. This can be done adequately with 8mm film but, when making an equivalent 1 6mm film, the necessary doubling in width and in length of the film causes a four-fold increase in the friction and it has not yet been possible to obtain adequate lubricants to overcome this extra friction. The small size of 8mm equipment severely limits the size of lamp that can be used and hence the brightness that can be obtained.

The small size of the head ensures that a person can see more of the head, and projection problems are reduced so that the viewer can view substantially further around the head than is the case with a full size head. Because the head is smaller, the projecter can provide better depth of focus and can be put closer without noticeable loss of focus at the periphery, so that the system as a whole (the said display device) can be made smaller and more rigid, and hence the head needs less support or can be extended down to a waistlength bust. The diminished size of details, and improved brightness, means that the viewer need no longer be excluded from viewing the head from the sides.

In the past, wavering (vibration, oscillation, jumping, jittering etc) of the image has been a serious problem, as also has the suppression of ambient light because of the low brightness.

These have necessitated respectively antivibration mounting and careful screening from ambient light with consequent complication and increase in weight of the system, and the need for a crew of skilled technicians to set up the system.

The smaller size, with consequently possible improved rigidity and brightness, thus produces the unexpected advantages that the system can be simpler, without the need for anti-vibration mounting and screening and that it no longer needs a crew of skilled technicians to set it up. An embodiment of the invention has in fact been produced which can be set up by one unqualified person using instructions from a leaflet to adjust, test, gauge lighting etc. Because of the simplicity of setting up the system and its smaller size, the system can even be factory assembled and made portable. In addition, the smaller size (with consequent improved brightness etc) enables the system to be more convenient to use and versatile. For example, the small size and increased brightness allow the system to be used for point-of-sale display which otherwise would not be practicabie.

Reference will now by made by way of example to the accompanying drawing the sole Figure of which is a perspective view of a display device embodying the invention.

Referring to the drawing, a display device comprises a screen in the form of a threedimensional model of a head 10 and a projector 1 2 for projecting onto the head a facial image with facial features (eyes and mouth) 14 that move, to give a semblance of the head being alive, the head being of substantially diminished size compared with the read head it represents.

The head may have a size diminished by a linear factor of at least 2, in the range of from 2 to 8, or of the order of 2, 4 or 8 where "of the order of x" means from 75% ofxto 1 50% of x. The projector is an 8mm cinematographic projector using a loop of film in a cassette taking about 5 minutes to run.

Both the head 10 and projector 12 are rigidly mounted on a rigid baseboard 1 6 to form a portable assembly. The projector 12 may alternatively be a video projector.

Embodiments of the display device may have any of the further features mentioned above in relation to the invention, with the concomitant advantages mentioned.

Claims

1. A display device comprising a threedimensional model of a head that is given a semblance of being alive by having projected onto it an image with facial features that move, the head being of substantially diminished size compared with real head it represents.

2. A display device comprising a screen in the form of a three-dimensional model of a head and a projector for projecting onto the head an image with facial features that move, to give a semblance of the head being alive, the head being of substantially diminshed size compared with the real head it represents.

3. A display device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the head has a size diminished by a linear factor of at ieast 2.

4. A display device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the head has a size diminished by a linear factor in the range of from 2 to 8.

5. A display device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the head has a size diminished by a linear factor of the order of 2.

6. A display device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the head has a size diminished by a linear factor of the order of 4.

7. A display device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the head has a size diminished by a linear factor of the order of 8.

8. A display device as claimed in claim 2 or any one of claims 3 to 7 when appendant thereto, in which the projector is an 8mm cinematographic projector.

9. A display device as claimed in any preceding claim, in the form of a portable assembly.

10. A display device as claimed in claim 1 and substantially according to any embodiment hereinbefore described.

11. A display device substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.