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a highly immersive interactive experience. By connecting an infrared sensor and positioning their hands above it, users can interact with the content on the holographic screen without the need for precise targeting, as is required by some other devices. However, it is important to note that this display system is relatively expensive and faces challenges when displaying text, as it must use large characters due to its lower resolution. Additionally, extended viewing of three-dimensional screens may cause visual fatigue [ 66, 67 ]. electronics market. Second, through the integration with AI and Digital Twins, the application scenarios expand into emerging domains such as the industrial metaverse and smart city infrastructure, enabling cross-industry penetration. Third, the progression drives the maturation of the entire industry chain, by establishing unified technical standards, refining content creation tools, and fostering a vibrant developer ecosystem. Ultimately, a sustainable and thriving application environment will be built for the long-term technological development.
4 Future trends and challenges
Based on the above technical analysis, this study summarizes the development trends and challenges confronting immersive glasses-free stereoscopic display technologies, as detailed in Figure 18.
( 1) Core technological breakthroughs
Advanced stereoscopic display technologies are supported by critical breakthroughs in three foundational domains: the advancement in optical technologies and laser equipment that deliver brighter and higher-fidelity imagery [ 8, 68, 69 ]; R & D of novel display materials, such as metasurfaces, quantum dots, and advanced LEDs, enhancing the resolution, color range, and durability for next-generation systems [ 70, 71 ]; and sophisticated algorithmic optimization techniques, including AI-driven rendering and compression, which are essential for improving realism and computational efficiency [ 72 ].
( 2) System integration and intelligence enhancement
System integration and intelligence enhancement are propelling stereoscopic displays to break through the visual spectacle by leveraging core enabling technologies. This involves utilizing AI for real-time, context-aware content optimization [ 36, 73 ]; incorporating interactive systems such as gesture recognition and AR to foster active audience participation [ 74 – 76 ]; and converging with audio, haptic, and other sensory technologies to create a comprehensive, immersive multi-sensory experience [ 5 ].
( 3) Engineering and product realization
Engineering and product realization of stereoscopic display technology focuses on transforming core technologies into viable commercial products. It encompasses three key thrusts: miniaturized components that enhance portability and versatility for diverse scenarios while reducing setup time and costs [ 7 ]; robust, sustainable materials ensuring long-term reliability in public spaces with minimal maintenance requirements [ 7 ]; and cost optimization through large-scale commercialization to accelerate the adoption across advertising, retail, and events [ 9 ].
( 4) Market and application expansion
The market deployment of stereoscopic display technology follows a clear and defined evolutionary path. First, attempts should be made to achieve large-scale application and popularization in professional fields such as medical imaging and industrial design, along with the consumer
5 Conclusions
Novel immersive glasses-free stereoscopic display technologies transcend the physical boundaries of traditional exhibition formats, reshaping the interactive relationships between exhibits and audiences, and facilitating a transition from“ observation” to“ immersion”. Exhibitions and artistic expressions have evolved from fixed spatial configurations and static displays toward the convergence of fluid space design and dynamic visuals, creating a super-subjective field of experience. The multidimensional relationships among audiences, exhibits, and settings are technologically reconfigured, forming a visual ecosystem marked by spatiotemporal variability, real-time interactivity, and irreproducibility, thereby constructing an open, participatory platform for value creation in the future exhibition industry.
This paper systematically investigates the technical implementation principles and specific application scenarios of novel immersive glasses-free stereoscopic display technologies in the modern exhibition industry. Through an analysis of holographic 3D display, optical illusion display, projection stereoscopic display, floating 3D display, and light-field 3D display, a comprehensive comparison of their technical characteristics and applicability is conducted. Current application limitations and future development trends are discussed. The findings of this study indicate that immersive glasses-free stereoscopic display technologies can reconstruct 3D environments with realistic motion parallax and depth cues in venues, such as exhibition centers and museums, thereby enabling multi-user interactive experiences without auxiliary devices. These technologies not only provide crucial support for the innovation of exhibition product forms and the optimization of service contents, but also serve a key technological driving force for the informatization, digitalization, and intelligent transformation in the exhibition industry. Their application can promote the systematic reconstruction of industry organizational structure and business processes, while also laying a solid technical foundation for the sustainable development and large-scale implementation of immersive experiences within the modern exhibition systems.
Funding
This research was funded by the Fujian Provincial Innovation Strategy Research Plan Project( Grant No. 2025R0102) entitled“ Immersive cultural tourism Experience Scenarios and Industrial