Turn Your iPhone Into a 3D Camera With Poppy

The 3D revolution is upon us. Pictures, movies, printing — and now, camera phones.

Poppy, an iPhone accessory invented and designed by a duo based in Seattle, will turn your smartphone into a 3D camera. The device, whose Kickstarter campaign began Wednesday, captures 3D photos and video clips by mashing up two stereographic images via the iPhone’s single camera.

Poppy's creators, Ethan Lowry and Joe Heitzeberg, explain (below) that the device doesn't need batteries and that there are no electronics involved. It's just optics — like the View-Masters of old — so the price can be low without sacrificing quality. Not only can you use Poppy to capture 3D frames, you can also use it to watch 3D videos on YouTube. (YouTube added support for 3D in 2009.)