Abstract: In one embodiment, a computing device may determine a virtual content to be displayed with a scene of a real-world environment. The device may generate an image depicting the virtual content. Using one or more sensors, the device may detect characteristics of the scene of the real-world environment. Based on the image and the characteristics of the scene, the device may determine that a visual enhancement is to be applied to the virtual content depicted in the image to enhance a contrast between the depicted virtual content and the scene. The device may generate a visually-enhanced image depicting the virtual content by applying the visual enhancement to the virtual content depicted in the image. The device may display the visually-enhanced image of the virtual content on a display of the computing device, wherein the scene of the real-world environment is visible through the display.

Abstract: A device for providing a reverse pass-through view of a user of a headset display to an onlooker includes an eyepiece comprising an optical surface configured to provide an image to a user on a first side of the optical surface. The device also includes a first camera configured to collect an image of a portion of a face of the user reflected from the optical surface in a first field of view, a display adjacent to the optical surface and configured to project forward an image of the face of the user, and a screen configured to receive light from the display and provide the image of the face of the user to an onlooker.

Abstract: A device includes a polarization rotator configured to be switchable between operating in two switching states. The device also includes a controller configured to control the polarization rotator to switch between operating in the two switching states at a predetermined switching frequency, to thereby switch, a polarization of a component of an input light having an initial light intensity, between two orthogonal polarizations at the predetermined switching frequency. The device also includes a polarizer coupled with the polarization rotator, and configured to convert the input light transmitted through the polarization rotator into an output light having a light intensity reduced to a predetermined percentage of the initial light intensity of the input light.

Abstract: A device for providing a reverse pass-through view of a user of a headset display to an onlooker includes an eyepiece comprising an optical surface configured to provide an image to a user on a first side of the optical surface. The device also includes a first camera configured to collect an image of a portion of a face of the user reflected from the optical surface in a first field of view, a display adjacent to the optical surface and configured to project forward an image of the face of the user, and a screen configured to receive light from the display and provide the image of the face of the user to an onlooker.

Abstract: An optical dimming device is provided. The optical dimming device includes a photochromic element including a photochromic composition. The photochromic composition includes a combination of a first photochromic material and a second photochromic material having different steady-state absorption profiles. In a direction from a first portion to a second portion of the photochromic element, a concentration of the first photochromic material in the combination decreases and a concentration of the second photochromic material in the combination increases.

Abstract: A configurable occluder/dimmer for a near-eye display includes an array of polarization rotators and a polarization-selective scatterer downstream of the array of polarization rotators. The array of rotators and the polarization-selective scatterer are disposed between a pair of polarizers. The polarization-selective scatterer only scatters light at one of two orthogonal polarizations, thereby enhancing the achieved extinction ratio of the configurable occluder/dimmer. The configurable occluder/dimmer may be used in the near-eye display to provide occlusion effects rendering added virtual objects opaque, and/or to equalize contrast of the generated virtual imagery across the field of view of the display.

Abstract: A device includes an optical assembly and a digital projector. The optical assembly is configured to receive visible scene light at a backside of the optical assembly and to direct the visible scene light on an optical path toward an eyeward side. The optical assembly includes a dimming layer disposed on the optical path. The dimming layer includes a photochromic material that is configured to darken in response to exposure to a range of light wavelengths. The digital projector is disposed on the eyeward side of the optical assembly and is configured to selectively emit an activation light within the range of light wavelengths to activate a darkening of a region of the dimming layer to dim the visible scene light within the region.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a computing device may determine a virtual content to be displayed with a scene of a real-world environment. The device may generate an image depicting the virtual content. Using one or more sensors, the device may detect characteristics of the scene of the real-world environment. Based on the image and the characteristics of the scene, the device may determine that a visual enhancement is to be applied to the virtual content depicted in the image to enhance a contrast between the depicted virtual content and the scene. The device may generate a visually-enhanced image depicting the virtual content by applying the visual enhancement to the virtual content depicted in the image. The device may display the visually-enhanced image of the virtual content on a display of the computing device, wherein the scene of the real-world environment is visible through the display.

Abstract: A device for providing a reverse pass-through view of a user of a headset display to an onlooker includes an eyepiece comprising an optical surface configured to provide an image to a user on a first side of the optical surface. The device also includes a first camera configured to collect an image of a portion of a face of the user reflected from the optical surface in a first field of view, a display adjacent to the optical surface and configured to project forward an image of the face of the user, and a screen configured to receive light from the display and provide the image of the face of the user to an onlooker.

Abstract: A device for providing a reverse pass-through view of a user of a headset display to an onlooker includes an eyepiece comprising an optical surface configured to provide an image to a user on a first side of the optical surface. The device also includes a first camera configured to collect an image of a portion of a face of the user reflected from the optical surface in a first field of view, a display adjacent to the optical surface and configured to project forward an image of the face of the user, and a screen configured to receive light from the display and provide the image of the face of the user to an onlooker.

Abstract: A device includes a polarization rotator configured to be switchable between operating in two switching states. The device also includes a controller configured to control the polarization rotator to switch between operating in the two switching states at a predetermined switching frequency, to thereby switch, a polarization of a component of an input light having an initial light intensity, between two orthogonal polarizations at the predetermined switching frequency. The device also includes a polarizer coupled with the polarization rotator, and configured to convert the input light transmitted through the polarization rotator into an output light having a light intensity reduced to a predetermined percentage of the initial light intensity of the input light.

Abstract: An optical dimming device includes at least one polarization rotator configured to switch a polarization of a linearly polarized component of an incoming light between two orthogonal polarizations. The optical dimming device also includes at least one polarizer coupled with the at least one polarization rotator, and configured to output a light having a light intensity reduced to a predetermined percentage of an initial light intensity of the incoming light. The predetermined percentage is substantially the same for different incoming lights having different initial polarizations.

Abstract: An optical assembly is configured to receive visible scene light at a backside of the optical assembly and to direct the visible scene light on an optical path toward the eyeward side. The optical assembly also includes a dimming layer disposed on the optical path, where the dimming layer includes a photochromic material that is configured to darken in response to exposure to a range of light wavelengths. An activation layer, included in the optical assembly, is also disposed on the optical path and includes an in-field dimmer. The in-field dimmer is configured to selectively emit an activation light within the range of light wavelengths to activate a darkening of a region of the dimming layer to dim the visible scene light within the region.

Abstract: A device includes an optical assembly and a digital projector. The optical assembly is configured to receive visible scene light at a backside of the optical assembly and to direct the visible scene light on an optical path toward an eyeward side. The optical assembly includes a dimming layer disposed on the optical path. The dimming layer includes a photochromic material that is configured to darken in response to exposure to a range of light wavelengths. The digital projector is disposed on the eyeward side of the optical assembly and is configured to selectively emit an activation light within the range of light wavelengths to activate a darkening of a region of the dimming layer to dim the visible scene light within the region.

Abstract: An optical assembly is configured to receive visible scene light at a backside of the optical assembly and to direct the visible scene light on an optical path toward the eyeward side. The optical assembly also includes a dimming layer disposed on the optical path, where the dimming layer includes a photochromic material that is configured to darken in response to exposure to a range of light wavelengths. An activation layer, included in the optical assembly, is also disposed on the optical path and includes an in-field dimmer. The in-field dimmer is configured to selectively emit an activation light within the range of light wavelengths to activate a darkening of a region of the dimming layer to dim the visible scene light within the region.

Abstract: The disclosed system may include a communication device configured to receive wireless synchronization information for display content, a lens, an optical device, and a controller configured to determine that the display content is in a field of view of the lens, and in response to determining that the display content is within the field of view of the lens, cause the lens to selectively allow the display content to pass through the lens based on the wireless synchronization information. Various other related methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosed system may include a communication device configured to receive wireless synchronization information for display content, a lens, an optical device, and a controller configured to determine that the display content is in a field of view of the lens, and in response to determining that the display content is within the field of view of the lens, cause the lens to selectively allow the display content to pass through the lens based on the wireless synchronization information. Various other related methods and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A configurable occluder/dimmer for a near-eye display includes an array of polarization rotators and a polarization-selective scatterer downstream of the array of polarization rotators. The array of rotators and the polarization-selective scatterer are disposed between a pair of polarizers. The polarization-selective scatterer only scatters light at one of two orthogonal polarizations, thereby enhancing the achieved extinction ratio of the configurable occluder/dimmer. The configurable occluder/dimmer may be used in the near-eye display to provide occlusion effects rendering added virtual objects opaque, and/or to equalize contrast of the generated virtual imagery across the field of view of the display.

Abstract: A near-eye display based on a polarization-selective diffusive combiner includes a polarizer for polarizing impinging ambient light to have a first polarization state, and a polarization-selective scatterer downstream of the polarizer, for passing through the ambient light having the first polarization state substantially without scattering, while scattering impinging display light having a second polarization state orthogonal to the first polarization state. The display light at the second polarization state may be provided by a projector, the polarization-selective scatterer playing the role of a projector screen. A polarization-selective ocular lens may be disposed downstream of the polarization-selective scatterer for viewing images generated by the projector while propagating through orthogonally polarized light from outside environment.

Abstract: An example device may include an electronic display configured to generate an augmented reality image element and an optical combiner configured to receive the augmented reality image element along with ambient light from outside the device. The optical combiner may be configured to provide an augmented reality image having the augmented reality image element located within a portion of an ambient image formed from the ambient light. The device may also include a dimmer element configured to selectively dim the portion of the ambient image in which the augmented reality image element is located.