Autostereoscopic displays, which provide a 3D image without the need for special glasses, are already beginning to be used in some applications, but by 2012 the firm estimates nearly 8% of screens sold for commercial use will be 3D, rising to 30% by 2015.

According to research, brand recall could be as much as four times higher for 3D than in 2D displays.

"3D offers wow," said Futuresource convergence & new technologies consultant Mike Fisher. "It will prove attractive for trying to get high brand perception or recall."

Fisher added that it would be used for advertising rather than point of sale as "it's about brand positioning and not a call to action".

He expects 3D screens to initially appear in premium ad sites such as at railway stations and airports, in entertainment venues including museums and casinos and in flagship retail stores.

The adoption of 3D technology for DOOH advertising and entertainment is seen as key to allowing consumer electronics companies perfect the technology for domestic use. The first home sets are predicted to be at least five years away.

However, there are obstacles to the adoption of 3D screens due to the higher cost of the production and distribution of content and the fragmented ownership of the display and distribution infrastructure.

One recent pilot of a 3D DOOH display was carried out by T-Mobile Czech Republic in two Prague stores using technology from Canadian firm Spatial View for content creation and viewing.