5 companies, Itochu, NTT Data, Sanyo Electric Company, Sharp and Sony set up the organisation, the 3D Consortium, with the aim of developing 3D stereoscopic display in and output devices and increasing their take-up, promoting expansion of 3D contents and improving distribution and contributing to the expansion and development of the 3D market.

The 3D Consortium comprises 70 companies in all (as of March 4th ) including the 5 executive companies (originators), and 65 standard members including hardware manufacturers, software vendors, contents vendors, contents providers, systems integrators, image production, broadcasting agencies, academic organsiations. In the future, it aims to ensure the spread of the 3D market and is developing informative activities to promote development relating to software fields such as contents and hardware fields of in and output devices.

Stereoscopic displays do not just reproduce the spatial relationship of objects more realistically than conventional flat displays (2D), but they are sure to open up a new world of images full of realism that could not previously be experienced. A multitude of uses can be imagined ranging from design fields such as CAD to medicine, education, amusements, advertising, broadcasting, e-books etc.

Sections will be set up within the Consortium to discuss specific topics such as activities to promote image format in accordance with the various uses and in/output devices, guidelines for when making contents and authoring tools etc. The Consortium intends to expand overseas as well and to positively promote activities towards expanding take-up of 3D. It aims to create a new industry that has not existed hitherto in the 3D market.