Flicker Vertigo Anyone? 3-D TV Hits a Snag

This didn't take long. 3-D TVs now hitting the market could be harmful. Industry leader Samsung warns you shouldn't watch your fancy 3-D set “if you are in bad physical condition, need sleep or have been drinking alcohol.” (What if you ring "all" the bells?)

Seems the 3-D glasses viewers must wear "shutter" (i.e. flicker) 60 times per second. It seems each lens shutters independently. They're not synchronized. Oopsie!

We've known for decades that strong, flickering light at just the right frequencies can really upset the brain, even cause seizures. A long, long time ago at the Defence & Civilian Institute of Environmental Medicine, a sometimes very unusual facility, there was some development work on weaponizing strobing light. Some believed it could even kill. The problem, as I recall it, was that individuals seemed to be susceptible to differing frequencies. What would cause Johnny to collapse in uncontrollable spasms might have no effect on Billy.

So you might want to put that trip to the electronics store on hold for a while until they get this one sorted out.