Your eyes get tired and hurt when you sit at the computer for too long, because they have to focus on one spot. If you wore glasses or contacts or somehow the screen appeared 3d in some way, though, then the computer could make itself look closer or further away over the course of the day, allowing your eyes to focus at varying distances, preventing strain.
It would prevent color displays, unless the 3d were done really innovatively (90 degree polarizes glasses?), but could be useful for those working with spreadsheets or bare text who don't need color displays anyway.-- Smurfsahoy, Dec 01 2008 Inspired idea _22EZ-iType_22_20mo..._2fkeyboard_20arrayThanks for reminding me. [theleopard, Dec 03 2008] what kind of 3d display are you suggesting?-- kamathln, Dec 01 2008 [Having it 3D would actuall make it worse as you would be focussing on the same distance but perceive the distance to be different.]
The whole point of 3d illusions is that they trick your eyes into focusing differently. The most obvious example would be those magic eye posters where you have to intentionally cross your eyes to see the illusion. Glasses just do the opposite for the same effect.
And the effect could make the screen closer OR further away for your eye's purposes.
Keep in mind that it is often impossible to move a screen further back, given limitations in the size of cubicles, etc.-- Smurfsahoy, Dec 01 2008 I've never seen a 3D display that didn't strain my eyes.-- phundug, Dec 01 2008 me neither-- kamathln, Dec 02 2008 This reminds me of an idea I had for a typing-while-you-look-at-the- screen computer set up. I might just post it you know...-- theleopard, Dec 02 2008 [The 3D images dont make your eyes focus at a different distance - the image IS 20cm away and in focus so your eyes ARE focusing 20cm away.]
Focus is based on the point of intersection if you were to draw two vectors from each eye. A 3d image tricks you into focusing on a point that is NOT where the image is.
Perception != reality-- Smurfsahoy, Dec 03 2008 [+] for preventing eyestrain idea, though you'd need a lens (like slowly-varying glasses) to change the focus distance.-- sninctown, Dec 03 2008 random, halfbakery