Abstract: A holographic display system for a motor vehicle includes a coherent light source for generating a beam of coherent light and a spatial light modulator (SLM) having a two-dimensional pixel array, which is encoded with a hologram for modulating a phase of the coherent light. The SLM generates a first diffracted beam associated with a main image and a second diffracted beam associated with a conjugate image, where the first and second diffracted beams are angularly spaced from one another by a first angle. The system further includes an optical component for angularly spacing the first and second diffracted beams from one another by a second angle that is larger than the first angle. The system further includes a display surface receiving the first diffracted beam from the optical component to display the main image, with the display surface being free of the second diffracted beam.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for selectively incoupling light having different wavelengths into one of a plurality of waveguides. The systems and methods provided for selectively incoupling light having different wavelengths into one of a plurality of waveguides comprise a switching device comprising switchable reflective elements that can be configured to redirect incoming light towards an incoupling element associated with one of a plurality of waveguides.

Abstract: Embodiments provide grade annunciator systems that allow a lumber workpiece traveling in a workflow path to be labeled with a projected image that conveys information about the grade, a cut line, and/or the location of a defect in the workpiece. In some embodiments, the system includes a conveyor configured to convey lumber workpieces in a workflow path, and a projector or series of projectors configured to project an image or symbol onto a surface of the workpiece, wherein the image or symbol indicates grade, a cut line, and/or the location of a defect in the workpiece. Other embodiments are methods of labeling a lumber workpiece in a workflow path, the methods includes conveying the lumber workpiece along the workflow path, and projecting an image or symbol onto a surface of the workpiece as it is conveyed along the workflow path.

Abstract: An eye safety system, based on retro-reflection from the eye, to shut off a laser source in a short time to avoid approaching the hazard level of the eye. In the event of an accidental direction of laser light toward a nearby eye, the system rapidly collects and detects laser light that retroflects from the retina of the eye. Upon detecting the retroflected light, a comparator/processor assembly signals to switch off the laser source to terminate the hazard to the eye.

Abstract: Optical systems having at least one polarization beam splitter (PBS) are operable to receive randomly-polarized light bundles from a projector lens. The PBS is further operable to direct light bundles having a state of polarization (SOP) along a light path and operable to direct other light bundles having a different SOP along different light paths. The light paths have optical path lengths which may differ. Each light path produces an image having a distortion which may differ from the distortion of an image produced by a different light path. A compensation in a light path is operable to convert a non-compensated distortion of an image into a compensated distortion that more closely matches the distortion of images in other light paths.

Abstract: A light source unit emitting a light on an optical axis includes a first light emitter to emit a light in a certain wavelength band, a second light emitter to emit a light in a wavelength band different from that of the first light emitter, a third light emitter to emit a light in a wavelength band different from those of the first and second light emitters, a lighting path through which the lights from the first, second, and third light emitters are guided to propagate on the optical axis and into which the light from the third light emitter is joined at a hindmost position in a traveling direction on the optical axis, and an optical adjuster to exert an optical effect on the light from the third light emitter and not to exert an optical effect on the light rays from the first and second light emitters.