Abstract: By forming an infrared light emitting surface 21 on the front side of a display 11, irradiating the infrared light emitting surface 21 with infrared light, forming a reproduced image R2 of the infrared light emitting surface 21 at a position of a reproduced image R1, and photographing, through an infrared camera 26 provided at the back of the reproduced image R1, reflected light from the reproduced image R2 of the infrared light emitting surface 21 in the case where an indicating means such as a finger indicates the reproduced image R1, a position of the indicating means in contact with the reproduced image R1 becomes detected. An extremely hygienic method and apparatus for contactlessly detecting an indicated position on a reproduced image with which an input without touching a display is enabled can thereby be provided.

Abstract: A retroreflector 10 is provided, which includes light reflecting grooves 11a arranged in parallel and partition walls 15 that are arranged in parallel at predetermined intervals and that orthogonally intersect with the light reflecting grooves 11a on an upper side 12 of a flat plate block 11, in which the light reflecting groove 11a is provided with first and second light reflecting surfaces 13 and 14 that orthogonally intersect with each other, and the partition wall 15 is provided with a draft that upwardly becomes smaller in width, and the partition wall 15 has a perpendicular light-reflecting surface 19 orthogonally intersecting with the first and second light reflecting surfaces 13 and 14 on its one side.

Abstract: By forming an infrared light emitting surface 21 on the front side of a display 11, irradiating the infrared light emitting surface 21 with infrared light, forming a reproduced image R2 of the infrared light emitting surface 21 at a position of a reproduced image R1, and photographing, through an infrared camera 26 provided at the back of the reproduced image R1, reflected light from the reproduced image R2 of the infrared light emitting surface 21 in the case where an indicating means such as a finger indicates the reproduced image R1, a position of the indicating means in contact with the reproduced image R1 becomes detected. An extremely hygienic method and apparatus for contactlessly detecting an indicated position on a reproduced image with which an input without touching a display is enabled can thereby be provided.

Abstract: Light rays from an image A are made to enter one or more retroreflective bodies formed by first and second light-reflective surfaces 13 and 14 and third light-reflective surfaces 15, the first and second light-reflective surfaces 13 and 14 each being orthogonal to one another and formed in a right-triangle-wave pattern in cross section, the third light-reflective surfaces 15 being orthogonal to each of corresponding ones of the first and second light-reflective surfaces 13 and 14, a direction of each of one or more reflected lights from the one or more retroreflective bodies is further turned in a different direction on a corresponding one of fourth light-reflective surfaces 16, and an image B is formed at a different position.

Abstract: By using a display 11 having a number of light-emitting blocks 29 in each of which one of light sensors 34 are incorporated and an optical image formation means 13 having first minute reflective surfaces 20 and second minute reflective surfaces 21 crossed in planar view, the first minute reflective surfaces 20 arranged standing on a same plane, the second minute reflective surfaces 21 arranged standing on a same plane, a first real image 12 is formed on the other side of the optical image formation means 13 from an image 11a on the display 11, a second real image 45a is formed on one side of the optical imaging means 13 from an image of an indicating means 45 having come into contact with the first real image 12, and a position of the second real image 45a is detected by the light sensors 34 of the display 11.

Abstract: Provided is a retroreflective body 10 that has a first optical panel 16 in which orthogonal first and second inclined planes 11 and 12 are arranged on one surface side by side in a triangle wave pattern in cross section and a second optical panel 17 in which longitudinal grooves 14 having vertical planes 19 orthogonal to the first and second inclined planes 11 and 12, widened outwardly and each being serrated in cross section are formed in plurality. First and second inclined reflective planes 24 and 25 are formed on the first and second inclined planes 11 and 12, and vertical reflective planes 27 are formed on the vertical planes 19. In a volumetric image display apparatus 50, a half mirror 51 is arranged on this retroreflective body 10 in a crossed state.

Abstract: Light rays from an image A are made to enter one or more retroreflective bodies formed by first and second light-reflective surfaces 13 and 14 and third light-reflective surfaces 15, the first and second light-reflective surfaces 13 and 14 each being orthogonal to one another and formed in a right-triangle-wave pattern in cross section, the third light-reflective surfaces 15 being orthogonal to each of corresponding ones of the first and second light-reflective surfaces 13 and 14, a direction of each of one or more reflected lights from the one or more retroreflective bodies is further turned in a different direction on a corresponding one of fourth light-reflective surfaces 16, and an image B is formed at a different position.

Abstract: Using a stereoscopic image display device 10 formed by arranging plural cubic corner bodies 12 in a plane state such that shaft centers thereof are parallel to each other, each of the bodies 12 having three reflective planes 17-19 perpendicular to each other and a reflected light outlet 11 a provided at a corner of the planes 17-19, and placing a half mirror 14 on a light entrance plane of the bodies 12, an image is formed by letting a light from an object 26 in the light entrance plane of the bodies 12 and recursively reflecting the light off the bodies 12; and reflecting the recursively reflected light off the half mirror 14 and letting the light out from the reflected light outlet 11a to outside. Accordingly, a stereoscopic image, i.e., a real image of the object can be observed when the device 10 is viewed from a front side.

Abstract: A volumetric-image forming system comprises an optical image-forming means 15 and a volumetric display apparatus 17, the optical image-forming means 15 having light-transmitting and plate-like first and second reflecting members 13 and 14 respectively provided with belt-like first and second reflecting surfaces 11 and 12, the first and second reflecting surfaces 11 and 12 being arranged perpendicular to a plate surface and in parallel at a constant pitch, the first and second reflecting surfaces further being arranged crossing one another, the volumetric display apparatus 17 being arranged in the back side of the optical image-forming means 15 and displaying a luminous volumetric image A in a resting or dynamic state inside a display apparatus 16 from electronic data, whereby a volumetric image A inside the display apparatus 16 is formed as a volumetric image B in a free space in the front side of the optical image-forming means 15.

Abstract: An optical imaging apparatus 10 disposing the first and the second reflective components 12, 14 abutting to or in proximity to each other when reflective surfaces 11, 13 of the first and the second reflective components 12, 14 are crossed when viewed from thereabove, the first and the second reflective components 12, 14 composed of the transparent material with a plurality of belt-shaped reflective surfaces 11, 13 vertically disposed in parallel, wherein the first and the second reflective components 12, 14 are formed with a plurality of reflectors 15-18 laminated respectively and the places of the reflective surfaces 11, 13 of each reflector 15-18 of the first and the second reflective components 12, 14 are shifted in parallel. Thus, high definition three-dimensional real image is formed inexpensively in a space a plurality of observers gaze simultaneously.

Abstract: By forming an infrared light emitting surface 21 on the front side of a display 11, irradiating the infrared light emitting surface 21 with infrared light, forming a reproduced image R2 of the infrared light emitting surface 21 at a position of a reproduced image R1, and photographing, through an infrared camera 26 provided at the back of the reproduced image R1, reflected light from the reproduced image R2 of the infrared light emitting surface 21 in the case where an indicating means such as a finger indicates the reproduced image R1, a position of the indicating means in contact with the reproduced image R1 becomes detected. An extremely hygienic method and apparatus for contactlessly detecting an indicated position on a reproduced image with which an input without touching a display is enabled can thereby be provided.

Abstract: Using a stereoscopic image display device 10 formed by arranging plural cubic corner bodies 12 in a plane state such that shaft centers thereof are parallel to each other, each of the bodies 12 having three reflective planes 17-19 perpendicular to each other and a reflected light outlet 11 a provided at a corner of the planes 17-19, and placing a half mirror 14 on a light entrance plane of the bodies 12, an image is formed by letting a light from an object 26 in the light entrance plane of the bodies 12 and recursively reflecting the light off the bodies 12; and reflecting the recursively reflected light off the half mirror 14 and letting the light out from the reflected light outlet 11a to outside. Accordingly, a stereoscopic image, i.e., a real image of the object can be observed when the device 10 is viewed from a front side.

Abstract: There are a first step of preparing a transparent concave-convex plate material 16, one side of which having grooves 18 of square cross-section formed by parallel embankments 17, a second step of covering top surfaces 19 of the embankments 17 and bottom surfaces 20 of the grooves 18 with pieces of resin peelable by ultraviolet irradiation 22, 23, a third step of vapor-depositing a metal on the obverse surface of the concave-convex plate material 16 having the top surfaces 19 of the embankments 17 and the bottom surfaces 20 of the grooves 18 covered with the pieces of the resin peelable by ultraviolet irradiation 22, 23, and a fourth step of removing, by irradiating ultraviolet light from the reverse surface of the concave-convex plate material 16, the pieces of the resin peelable by ultraviolet irradiation 22, 23 having the surfaces thereof vapor-deposited by the metal.

Abstract: A method for producing a light control panel includes a first step of forming a block 19 in which transparent sheets 16 of glass, ceramic or transparent plastic and mirror sheets 17 each having a metallic reflective surface on one side or both sides are alternately stacked and laminated, and a second step of forming a first light control panel 13 and a second light control panel 14 to be stacked with planar light-reflective portions 11, 12 of each of the first and the second light control panels 13, 14 in a crossed state, the first and the second light control panels 13, 14 being arranged opposed to each other, by cutting out from the block 19 on a surface crossing the transparent sheets 16 and the mirror sheets 17 in a manner that makes the thickness of a cutout constant.

Abstract: Provided is an optical imaging apparatus 10 including: a first mirror member 13 disposed behind a light-controlling panel 11 with a constant space therefrom so as to be parallel to the light-controlling panel 11; and a second mirror member 14 disposed between a display unit 12 and the light-controlling panel 11 and parallel to the first mirror member 13, wherein light from the object image displayed on the display unit 12 is reflected by the first and second mirror members 13 and 14 and the object image is formed in front of the light-controlling panel 11 by the light-controlling panel 11. Thereby, a real image can be formed at a distance from the light-controlling panel, and the optical imaging apparatus 10 which can be downsized and slimmed and an optical imaging method can be provided.

Abstract: A volumetric-image forming system comprises an optical image-forming means 15 and a volumetric display apparatus 17, the optical image-forming means 15 having light-transmitting and plate-like first and second reflecting members 13 and 14 respectively provided with belt-like first and second reflecting surfaces 11 and 12, the first and second reflecting surfaces 11 and 12 being arranged perpendicular to a plate surface and in parallel at a constant pitch, the first and second reflecting surfaces further being arranged crossing one another, the volumetric display apparatus 17 being arranged in the back side of the optical image-forming means 15 and displaying a luminous volumetric image A in a resting or dynamic state inside a display apparatus 16 from electronic data, whereby a volumetric image A inside the display apparatus 16 is formed as a volumetric image B in a free space in the front side of the optical image-forming means 15.

Abstract: An optical imaging apparatus 10 disposing the first and the second reflective components 12, 14 abutting to or in proximity to each other when reflective surfaces 11, 13 of the first and the second reflective components 12, 14 are crossed when viewed from thereabove, the first and the second reflective components 12, 14 composed of the transparent material with a plurality of belt-shaped reflective surfaces 11, 13 vertically disposed in parallel, wherein the first and the second reflective components 12, 14 are formed with a plurality of reflectors 15-18 laminated respectively and the places of the reflective surfaces 11, 13 of each reflector 15-18 of the first and the second reflective components 12, 14 are shifted in parallel. Thus, high definition three-dimensional real image is formed inexpensively in a space a plurality of observers gaze simultaneously.

Abstract: An optical imaging apparatus operable to form a sharp stereo image in the air beside an observer, includes a flat plate-shaped light-controlling panel having numerous light-reflecting elements disposed side by side, each of which allowing light from the object to pass therethrough by reflecting the light by a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface disposed in a crossed arrangement with respect to the first reflective surface, wherein the light-controlling panel has a plurality of segment light-controlling panels in which the first reflective surfaces and the second reflective surfaces included are parallel, respectively, centerlines P of the respective segment light-controlling panels, when viewed from thereabove, intersect at a point O on the light-controlling panel, and bisectors which bisect crossing angles between the first and the second reflective surfaces of the light-reflecting elements existing on the centerlines P coincide with the centerlines P when viewed from thereabove.

Abstract: An optical imaging apparatus operable to form a sharp stereo image in the air beside an observer, includes a flat plate-shaped light-controlling panel having numerous light-reflecting elements disposed side by side, each of which allowing light from the object to pass therethrough by reflecting the light by a first reflective surface and a second reflective surface disposed in a crossed arrangement with respect to the first reflective surface, wherein the light-controlling panel has a plurality of segment light-controlling panels in which the first reflective surfaces and the second reflective surfaces included are parallel, respectively, centerlines P of the respective segment light-controlling panels, when viewed from thereabove, intersect at a point O on the light-controlling panel, and bisectors which bisect crossing angles between the first and the second reflective surfaces of the light-reflecting elements existing on the centerlines P coincide with the centerlines P when viewed from thereabove.