Johnny Lee
3 HN recommenders · recommended in 19 months, 2010–2026
4:46 · 11M views · Dec 21, 2007
Johnny Lee demonstrates head tracking with a Wii remote and a head-mounted pair of IR LEDs, so a screen acts like a window into a 3D scene as your head moves.
It is the classic reference for head-tracked parallax displays, cited whenever new 3D or holographic display tech appears.
20 comments from Hacker News
Check out Johnny Lee's awesome "Head Tracking for Desktop VR Displays using the WiiRemote"! this video More great stuff: [LINK]
Specifically: this video Check out his entire youtube channel, it is full of interesting software/hardware hacks.
> this video I did this at the time. I downloaded his Wii app that shows the little red/white discs, and bought a battery powered Wii-bar thing that had the IR leds in it and strapped it to my head. Can confirm, the 3D effect is 100% spot on, even the smallest move of your head caused the display to adjust perspective and your brain is totally fooled into thinking the Wii display is a just a window into a 3D scene. tbh, it was the only cool thing I actually did with my Wii!
"We offer an experience of 3D on a single 2D image using the parallax effect, i.e, the user is able move his real-time tracked face to visualize the depth effect." Since there are no examples I can't be sure if this is is what I think it is, but IF it is: I want this on huge monitor for any 3D game instead of clunky headgear VR or tiny smartphone AR. Months ago I also tested this with a small 3D visualization and very crude head tracking. The effect is damn awesome! To be able to move around in real space with the rendering adapting to it, makes it so immersive, even for my very crude tests. In my opinion the resulting 3D effect is MUCH better than viewing in stereo with one picture per eye. Here is an example from someone else from 2007: this video From 2012: [LINK] Obviously this works for only one person viewing it, but does that really matter? There are a LOT of use cases where only a single person uses a single monitor for viewing, especially in these times. In fact it is the standard.
Actually, stereoscopic vision is overrated. There are many hits our brain uses to make the 3D model of the world we have on our minds. Stereoscopic vision is one of them, but really just kick in for objects nearer than you arm cam hold. For distant objects, our brain uses other hints - that's why people aiming at far objects close one of their eyes. One of the strongest is the parallax effect, specially for medium distance and relative distance between objects. If you doubt it, look at this video: this video Relative size and color fading works well for big distances - this is the prominent effect in parachuting videos. These are only two mecanisms, and immersion is not only about 3D sensation. Full periphery vision is of great value for this (IMAX, anyone?). Sound hints, brigthness, contrast, and a lot of other hints also help our brain making the 3D model.