Volumetric 3D displays are neither easy to produce nor common, as holographic imagery generally requires a mix of stereoscopic screen technology and unique optics, sometimes backed by high-speed eye tracking. Today, the display experts at Sony are throwing their hat into the ring with a new option called the ELF-SR1 -- also known as the Spatial Reality Display -- which is initially being targeted at professional users in content creation businesses, but with an eye towards future use in consumer-facing applications. Resembling a traditional computer monitor fixed on a 45-degree recline with a triangular frame, the Spatial Reality Display combines a 15.6-inch screen with a micro optical lens coating and an eye-tracking camera. While the display packs a conventional 4K resolution, the pixels are effectively split into twin 2K arrays for your left and right eyes, using live pupil tracking data and precision alignment of the micro-lenses atop pixels to deliver sharp, realistic 3D imagery. The results are digital 3D objects that appear to be floating right in front of the screen, and switch perspectives smoothly as your head and eyes move.

But that doesn't mean the technology is entirely useless. Sony's new Spatial Reality Display (or SR Display), for example, uses eye-tracking technology to render believable 3D objects, without the need to wear 3D glasses or put on a VR headset. It's something CG and VR artists could use to preview their work easily. And no, it's not meant for consumers -- not at its $5,000 price, anyway. Sony first previewed the SR Display at CES this year, where it was called its "Eye-Sensing Light Field Display."