Optical systems for projecting images onto a surface are well known in the art. Such images, although viewable are not natural, in the sense that paintings and photographs are not natural, since they cannot optically interact with any other object and three dimensional information contained therein is presented to the viewer in fixed non-interactive form.
Telescopic, microscopic and stereoscopic optical systems are also well known in the art. Such systems produce magnified images of an object located at an indefinite and imaginary place that is completely unrelated to the surroundings of the viewer. Although the three dimensional information contained in such a magnified image itself may be optically interactive, the image is unnatural in that it cannot optically interact with any object outside the image itself.
It is known in the art to produce a natural, viewable and optically interactive image in free space of an object through the use of parabolic or spherical mirrors. However, the object must be precisely located with respect to the focal point of the mirror and thus the object and the image produced must be stationary with respect to the apparatus.
Finally, holographic apparatus for producing a natural, viewable and optically interactive image in free space is known in the art. However, such apparatus requires that a holographic transparency first be made of the object using precisely located laser devices and that the holographic transparency then be illuminated by precisely located laser devices to produce the image in free space. Such apparatus is expensive both in fabrication and use and does not provide direct viewing of an image of the object in real time.
According to this invention, simple and inexpensive apparatus is provided for producing an image of an object in real time that appears to float at a location in free space different from the location of the object, which image is natural, viewable and optically interactive with its surroundings and background and which will move with respect to the apparatus in response to movement of the object with respect to the apparatus.