Abstract: A conventional head-mounted display (HMDs) can display a virtual image at a fixed focus (e.g., infinite focus). If the user looks at an object that appears closer than the virtual image, then accommodation by the user's eyes will cause the virtual image to appear blurry. The HMDs disclosed herein include a dynamic electro-active focusing element that changes the focus of the virtual image to account for accommodation by the user. This dynamic electro-active focusing element may include a curved layer of electro-active material, such as nematic or bi-stable (e.g., cholesteric) liquid crystal, disposed between a static concave mirror and a convex surface on a beam splitter or other optical element. Changing the refractive index of the electro-active material causes the focus of the dynamic electro-active focusing element, making it possible to shift the virtual image's focus in as the user's eyes change focus.

Abstract: Eyewear is provided including a frame, and a camera connected with the frame, in which the camera is configured to be controlled by a remote controller. The camera may be configured to capture video and/or a photo. The eyewear may include data storage, and the camera may be connected to the data storage. A wristwatch may be configured to act both as a time piece and a controller of the camera. The eyewear may also include a heads-up display and/or a video file player. The eyewear may also include an electro-active lens.

Abstract: A conventional head-mounted display (HMDs) can display a virtual image at a fixed focus (e.g., infinite focus). If the user looks at an object that appears closer than the virtual image, then accommodation by the user's eyes will cause the virtual image to appear blurry. The HMDs disclosed herein include a dynamic electro-active focusing element that changes the focus of the virtual image to account for accommodation by the user. This dynamic electro-active focusing element may include a curved layer of electro-active material, such as nematic or bi-stable (e.g., cholesteric) liquid crystal, disposed between a static concave mirror and a convex surface on a beam splitter or other optical element. Changing the refractive index of the electro-active material causes the focus of the dynamic electro-active focusing element, making it possible to shift the virtual image's focus in as the user's eyes change focus.

Abstract: An electro-active lens is presented which utilizes a surface relief structures and an electro-active material, with a change in refractive index facilitating the change in optical properties. A molded structure and a liquid crystal are used to form a diffractive lens. In addition to the classical approach of utilizing diffractive optics and multiple Fresnel zones to form a lens, an additional structure is placed between Fresnel zones in order to improve the diffraction efficiency across the visible spectrum and reduce chromatic aberration.

Abstract: A typical liquid crystal lens includes liquid crystal sandwiched between transparent substrates, which are patterned with ring electrodes. Applying a voltage across the electrodes causes the liquid crystal molecules to rotate, changing their apparent refractive index and the lens's focal length. The ring electrodes are separated by gaps and get narrower toward the lens's periphery. If the ring electrodes are too narrower, their cannot switch the liquid crystal well. To address this problem, an inventive liquid crystal lens includes a substrate with a stepped surface that defines concentric liquid crystal regions with thicknesses that increase with lens radius. Each region is switched by a different set of ring electrodes, which may be on, under, or opposite the stepped surface. Within each region, the ring electrodes get narrower farther from the lens's center. But the ring electrodes' widths also increase with liquid crystal thickness, offsetting the decrease in width that degrades lens performance.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface comprising and/or related to a tunable electro-optic lens device comprising a first substrate comprising a first electrode layer that comprises a first plurality of ring electrodes that form a first resistive divider network, and a second substrate comprising a second electrode layer.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, via light from a light source, rendering an image on a retina.

Abstract: Eyewear is provided including a frame, and a camera connected with the frame, in which the camera is configured to be controlled by a remote controller. The camera may be configured to capture video and/or a photo. The eyewear may include data storage, and the camera may be connected to the data storage. A wrist watch may be configured to act both as a time piece and a controller of the camera. The eyewear may also include a heads up display and/or a video file player. The eyewear may also include an electro-active lens.

Abstract: An ophthalmic device includes a lens and an electronic component embedded in the lens to enhance the functionality of the lens. The ophthalmic device includes a first coil to wirelessly receive energy from an external device, such as a wireless charger, and wirelessly transmits the received energy to a second coil coupled to the electronic component so as to power the electronic component. The first coil can function as part of a repeater to facilitate the wireless charging. The repeater can receive electrical energy wirelessly and works with various positions, sizes, and shapes of the electronic component. The wireless power efficiency can also be increased using the repeater to concentrate a magnetic flux within the second coil.

Abstract: A beam steering device includes a substrate with a first refractive index that defines a cavity, an electroactive material in the cavity that has a variable refractive index, and two sets of opposing overlays. The overlays in one set of opposing overlays are parallel to each other, while the overlays in the other set are tilted with respect to each other. This allows one or more electric fields between the overlays to be used to align the electroactive material in two different directions to change its refractive index, allowing for a faster speed of beam steering through refraction than conventional approaches.

Abstract: A see-through near eye display, which can be modulated in such a manner to synchronize with electronic enabled micro-lenses of a switchable micro-lens array, wherein when pixels of the near eye display are lit the micro-lenses of the micro-lens array are present; thus, a virtual image can be formed and seen by the eye of a user. When the see-through near eye display is not lit, the micro-lenses are not present, thus permitting a real image to be present.

Abstract: Bright ambient light can wash out a virtual image in a conventional augmented reality device. Fortunately, this problem can be prevented with a variable electro-active beam splitter whose reflect/transmit ratio can be varied or switched on and off rapidly at a duty cycle based on the ambient level. As the ambient light gets brighter, the beam splitter's transmit/reflect ratio can be shifted so that the beam splitter reflects more light from the display and transmits less ambient light to the user's eye. The beam splitter can also be switched between a highly reflective state and a highly transmissive state at a duty cycle selected so that the eye spends more time integrating reflected display light than integrating transmitted ambient light. The splitting ratio and/or duty cycle can be adjusted as the ambient light level changes to provide the optimum experience for the user.

Abstract: Resistive bridges can connect many ring electrodes in an electro-active lens with a relatively small number of buss lines. These resistors are usually large to prevent excessive current consumption. Conventionally, they are disposed in the same plane as the ring electrodes, which means that the ring electrodes are spaced farther apart or made discontinuous to accommodate the resistors. But spacing the ring electrodes farther apart or making them discontinuous degrades the lens's optical quality. Placing the ring electrodes and resistors on layers separated by an insulator makes it possible for the ring electrodes to be closer together and continuous with resistance high enough to limit current consumption. It also relaxes constraints on feature sizes and placement during the process used to make the lens. And because the resistors and electrodes are on different planes, they can be formed of materials with different resistivities.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, via a device implanted in a mammal, sensing a ciliary muscle movement and/or force and/or converting the ciliary muscle movement and/or force to a signal and/or a predetermined form of power.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, apparatus, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a process, method, and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, generating a gradient in an index of refraction of a material.

Abstract: Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can comprise and/or relate to, via light from a light source, rendering an image on a retina.

Abstract: Eyewear is provided including a frame, and a camera connected with the frame, in which the camera is configured to be controlled by a remote controller. The camera may be configured to capture video and/or a photo. The eyewear may include data storage, and the camera may be connected to the data storage. A wrist watch may be configured to act both as a time piece and a controller of the camera. The eyewear may also include a heads up display and/or a video file player. The eyewear may also include an electro-active lens.

Abstract: An electro-active lens is presented which utilizes a surface relief structures and an electro-active material, with a change in refractive index facilitating the change in optical properties. A molded structure and a liquid crystal are used to form a diffractive lens. In addition to the classical approach of utilizing diffractive optics and multiple Fresnel zones to form a lens, an additional structure is placed between Fresnel zones in order to improve the diffraction efficiency across the visible spectrum, and reduce chromatic aberration.

Abstract: Eyewear is provided including a frame, and a camera connected with the frame, in which the camera is configured to be controlled by a remote controller. The camera may be configured to capture video and/or a photo. The eyewear may include data storage, and the camera may be connected to the data storage. A wrist watch may be configured to act both as a time piece and a controller of the camera. The eyewear may also include a heads up display and/or a video file player. The eyewear may also include an electro-active lens.

Abstract: A conventional head-mounted display (HMDs) can display a virtual image at a fixed focus (e.g., infinite focus). If the user looks at an object that appears closer than the virtual image, then accommodation by the user's eyes will cause the virtual image to appear blurry. The HMDs disclosed herein include a dynamic electro-active focusing element that changes the focus of the virtual image to account for accommodation by the user. This dynamic electro-active focusing element may include a curved layer of electro-active material, such as nematic or bi-stable (e.g., cholesteric) liquid crystal, disposed between a static concave mirror and a convex surface on a beam splitter or other optical element. Changing the refractive index of the electro-active material causes the focus of the dynamic electro-active focusing element, making it possible to shift the virtual image's focus in as the user's eyes change focus.