HR: 1330h
AN: ED32B-1198    [PDF]
TI: Anaglyph Image Technology As a Visualization Tool for Teaching Geology of National Parks
AU: Stoffer, P W
EM: pstoffer@usgs.gov
AF: U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd., MS 973, Menlo Park, CA 94025 United States
AU: Phillips, E
EM: ephillips@usgs.gov
AF: U.S. Geological Survey, 345 Middlefield Rd., MS 973, Menlo Park, CA 94025 United States
AU: * Messina, P
EM: pmessina@geosun.sjsu.edu
AF: San Jose State University, Geology Department, San Jose, CA 95192 United States
AB: Anaglyphic stereo viewing technology emerged in the mid 1800's. Anaglyphs use offset images in contrasting colors (typically red and cyan) that when viewed through color filters produce a three-dimensional (3-D) image. Modern anaglyph image technology has become increasingly easy to use and relatively inexpensive using digital cameras, scanners, color printing, and common image manipulation software. Perhaps the primary drawbacks of anaglyph images include visualization problems with primary colors (such as flowers, bright clothing, or blue sky) and distortion factors in large depth-of-field images. However, anaglyphs are more versatile than polarization techniques since they can be printed, displayed on computer screens (such as on websites), or projected with a single projector (as slides or digital images), and red and cyan viewing glasses cost less than polarization glasses and other 3-D viewing alternatives. Anaglyph images are especially well suited for most natural landscapes, such as views dominated by natural earth tones (grays, browns, greens), and they work well for sepia and black and white images (making the conversion of historic stereo photography into anaglyphs easy). We used a simple stereo camera setup incorporating two digital cameras with a rigid base to photograph landscape features in national parks (including arches, caverns, cactus, forests, and coastlines). We also scanned historic stereographic images. Using common digital image manipulation software we created websites featuring anaglyphs of geologic features from national parks. We used the same images for popular 3-D poster displays at the U.S. Geological Survey Open House 2003 in Menlo Park, CA. Anaglyph photography could easily be used in combined educational outdoor activities and laboratory exercises.
DE: 1694 Instruments and techniques
DE: 6605 Education
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting