Watch this 3D TV without glasses!

LONDON, UK: Toshiba has unveiled the world's first 3D television set that does not require special glasses - a recurring consumer complaint about the technology. It is expected to go on sale in Japan in December.

Toshiba hopes this will be the breakthrough that brings high-definition liquid crystal display 3D TV to the market, though many consumers might be put off by the fact that they'll have to be very close to the screen for the 3D effect to really work - not to mention the steep price tag.

Electronics and entertainment companies around the world are banking on 3D to fuel a new boom in TV, movies and games, reports the Daily Mail. Most 3D TVs on the market today rely on glasses to deliver separate images to each eye, which creates a sense of three-dimensional depth.

In its new TVs, Toshiba uses a 'perpendicular lenticular sheet', comprising an array of small lenses that direct light from the display to nine points in front of the TV. If a viewer is sitting within the optimal viewing zone, the brain integrates these points into a single 3D image.

"The result is a precise rendering of high-quality 3D images whatever the viewing angle within the viewing zone," Toshiba said.

The system is similar to what's used in Nintendo's 3DS, the company's highly anticipated hand-held device that features glasses-free 3D gaming.

Toshiba will offer two sizes - 12 inches and 20 inches. The technology is not advanced enough yet to integrate into larger screens.

The TVs will go on sale in Japan in late December, Toshiba said. The smaller version will cost about 120,000 yen (£912), and the larger one will be double that price.

The company did not release details on overseas availability.