This new project, recently launched on Kickstarter, should look a little familiar to any kid of the 80s. Taking inspriration from the design of a ViewMaster and the technology behind sterographic images, Poppy is a lightweight, low cost peripheral for the iPhone that will let you produce and view 3D stills and video.
Poppy works with a series of mirrors that split the iPhone’s camera into left and right and project it back to the eye for the user to “fuse” into a 3D image. A much better explanation of my poor synopsis can be read on the Poppy website.
Included with the Poppy is the iPhone app which facilitates the capturing of stills and video as well as integrates with YouTube to both post and view video. Poppy can also be used in classic ViewMaster style to view any 3D movie on YouTube already or any 3D movie the user has on the iPhone. The iPhone slides into place in the front of Poppy as the screen, and Poppy is compatible with iPhone 4 through the current iteration, with plans to engineer the device to be close to future-proof with upcoming iPhones.
The project has already been fully funded (and then some) and is well into stretch goal territory. Right now, backers can expect shipments to begin by the end of the year. Poppy is available to back now through the close of the campaign on July 26th for $49.
