stereobrille

A stereobrille is a pair of glasses designed to present two slightly different images to the viewer’s eyes in order to produce the perception of three-dimensional depth. The concept is used with stereoscopic media, where left and right images are encoded for binocular vision.

There are several technologies by which stereobrillen achieve depth perception. Anaglyph glasses use two colored lenses (commonly red and cyan) to filter composite images, so each eye sees one image. Polarized glasses rely on orthogonal polarization of the two images, typically used in cinema and some home displays. Active shutter glasses alternate between opaque and transparent states in sync with a display to show left and right images in turn. Modern 3D cinema, televisions, and computer systems may employ polarized or active shutter methods, while historical forms often used red–cyan filters.

Historically, the idea derives from early stereoscopic experiments in the 19th century. Charles Wheatstone’s stereoscope and Sir David Brewster’s work laid the foundation for presenting two offset photographs as a single 3D view. In the 20th century, stereobrillen became popular for 3D cinema and home entertainment, evolving from simple color filters to synchronized electronic shutters and advanced polarization.

Today, stereobrillen are used in various contexts, including educational exhibits, photography, and consumer 3D displays. They are distinct from head-mounted VR devices, which enclose both eyes in a single enclosure, though both rely on stereoscopic presentation to create depth perception.