On the scene at Ceatec 2010 (photos)

The annual Japanese gadget fest Ceatec kicked off outside Tokyo this week, with plenty of cutting-edge products--and futuristic prototypes--to tempt gadget lovers.

Here, Sony's HD 3D LED Display System serves as the centerpiece of its booth. At 1,136 square feet, it's not meant to be something you bring home for the kids. But as a backdrop at a concert? Or for large-scale outdoor events, like football games? That's exactly what Sony has in mind, though it's not for sale yet.

See our full Ceatec coverage here.

Visitors to Sony's booth were immediately handed glasses for viewing the 3D display.

No glasses needed here. Sharp had two glasses-free 3D displays at the show, one measuring 3.8 inches and the other, 10.6 inches. Both are still prototypes.

CNET tests Panasonic's 3D Lumix GH2 camera, on display at Ceatec. Once a photo is taken, you don't get the 3D image on the camera's flip-out display. Instead, you take the SD card out of the camera and put it into a 3D TV.

A 3D image of CNET reporter Erica Ogg taken with the Panasonic camera and displayed on a 3D TV. However, you need 3D glasses to see the effect.

Super-thin TVs line a wall at Ceatec. The annual Japanese gizmo gathering will inevitably lead many Americans watching coverage from afar to ask, yet again: why can't we get this stuff here?

A numbers of tablets are on display at Ceatec, though most of them are still firmly in the idea stage. Here is Fujitsu's prototype 10-inch Windows-based tablet. That's a static image, not a working screen.

Japan's version of the just-announced BlackBerry Playbook, NEC's Lifetouch tablet, showed up in mobile carrier KDDI's booth. It goes on sale this month in Japan, but it's not a consumer device. Instead, it's an Android-based enterprise tablet that businesses can buy for their employees.

Of the major consumer electronics manufacturers showing touch-screen tablet devices at Ceatec, only Sharp's Galapagos seems close to becoming a real product. The Galapagos comes in two sizes, 5.5 inches and 10.8 inches, with the only difference besides the size of the touch-screen display being the physical buttons.

Of course, Ceatec wouldn't be Ceatec without cute robots on hand.

See our full Ceatec coverage here.

Ceatec is all about cutting-edge technology, but sometimes mixing in some traditional Japanese imagery helps tell the story.

More traditional imagery at Japan's premier technology show.

This garish booth definitely stood out, but don't ask us what they were pitching.

A wall of Dynabooks at Toshiba's Ceatec booth.

Mitsubishi's Diamond Vision OLED dwarfs Ceatec visitors.

At the 3M booth a projector beams a video of a woman onto a mirror where it is reflected onto a glass cut-out, creating a holograph-like effect.

Alps Electric demonstrated a module that attaches to a car ceiling and can perform several functions. For example, it can detect when the car is broken into and email photos of the thief to the owner. It can also recognize hand gestures, allowing front-seat occupants to control the navigation system or radio by waving their hands.

Obligatory brain-scanner photo.

Fujitsu mounted 4 wide-angle cameras around this toy car to demonstrate a system that allows drivers to view their car from above and slightly behind, like in a video racing game. It could be used to make parking easier and city driving more safe.